It's time for baby boomers to take coronavirus seriously

rnI realize that many of us baby boomers feel young and invincible, but I urge you to stay safe during this pandemic. Although anyone can get coronavirus, it is us baby boomers, specifically those 60 and older, who are most likely to become seriously ill from the disease. If you have underlying conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease, you should be very careful. Like many boomers, I felt young and healthy and was not overly concerned when it all started. After all, our generation considers itself super tough. Aren't we the generation that survived drinking water from a hose and cars without seat belts? Think of all the germs we were exposed to as we played in the mud digging earthworms and ate food that fell to the ground before germaphobia started, and we were fine. Also, look at the age of those who run the country. President Donald Trump is 73, Nancy Pelosi is 79, and the remaining two candidates for the Democratic nomination, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, are 77 and 78, respectively. Everyone was still going strong. My 87-year-old father kept running despite all the warnings. The cruel nickname, "Boomer Remover", which refers to the highest death rate among older people infected with coronavirus, started to become a trend on Twitter. The Washington Post associated itself with the trend term by highlighting boomers who have ignored CDC advice and refused to make lifestyle changes. On a Facebook page for "The Villages," a Florida retirement community, most residents seemed to agree that the pandemic was "being overblown." Now, I'm not advising boomers to start panicking, but I think it's time for an attitude adjustment for some of us skeptical boomers who have felt invincible right now. https://eandm3dprinting.com/rnThey were not. It is important to remember that this disease does not care how old it looks and feels. Look at boomers Tom Hank and Rita Wilson, both 63, who certainly feel young at heart but tested positive for the virus. Here in California, where I live, there have been over 300 cases of coronavirus. Schools in our area have been closed. Bars and breweries have been asked to close and restaurants to cut capacity by half. Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newson urged all residents over the age of 65 to self-quarantine their homes. "We recognize that the social isolation of millions of Californians induces anxiety," he said. But, "we have to face this moment head on and lean on and own this moment ... and take steps that we believe are consistent with the need to protect the most vulnerable Californians." Now President Donald Trump has issued guidelines urging Americans to avoid social gatherings of more than 10 people.