I said this, trying to warn everyone IRL that I know, once Covid started being erroneously compared to the flu. I was concerned on two fronts, two possibilities with the fact that so many species can carry Coronaviruses; that a mutation could devastate human population(s) or that it could devastate any/many animal population(s) which would in turn be detrimental to humans.
Everyone told me I was being catastrophic and reactionary (the economy is not dependent on animals, after all).
When they started finding Covid in zoo animals and slaughtered the animals on several mink farms to prevent the spread, I tried to remind everyone I know IRL that this won’t be like the Spanish Influenza pandemic that lasted 2 to 5 years. I pointed out how quickly it was found in zoo animals despite protections in place and how quickly it travelled from mink farm to mink farm. I reminded people it’s in our pets too. Then I would suggest the highly plausible likelihood that it’s already in wild populations and we just don’t know it yet. I pointed out that it’s believed all the big ones came from cross species jumps. For example, small pox evolved out of a rat plague in Africa.
Everyone told me I was being hysterical and I should get off liberal media before it ruins me for good.
And then this news article comes out saying they’ve found Covid in white tailed deer populations; from one hunting season to the next there was an increase in incidence from 20ish% to 80ish% (I don’t remember the exact numbers off the top of my head), and they’re baffled as to how deer came down with Covid.
The answer there is most likely that there are other reservoirs species/populations that have contracted Covid and link back to humans. It may be one, it may be many. Most likely, it is many. And every one of them has the ability to mutate this virus (either more or less virulent) further and pass it back to humans.
Covid isn’t going anywhere. This is reality now. It’s not going to whither out to “the common cold", at least, not in our lifetimes. And even so, there will always be a chance (however small) that a variant that is smallpox kind of nasty will pop up from some Covid reservoir to make life interesting again.
My distant relative finally stopped listening to Republicans and got vaccinated and bought masks for her family. Her husband is an avid hunter. Last time I spoke with her she said, “Looks like you were right about the animals. I guess you’re happy now.”
As though me using my education to think critically instead of mindlessly swallowing the Republican party line somehow made it come to pass. Or that anyone would ever want things to fall that way.
Unbelievable.
