It’s OK to Trust to Luck—And It Doesn’t Hurt to Help Make Your Own

???Despite evidence of growing risk, a spike in cases, rising hospitalizations, multiple Chicago suburbs reaching “Medium” risk levels, and several visitor-friendly Chicago neighborhoods way past the “Medium” risk threshold, Chicago’s public health commissioner won’t do anything to officially mitigate the rising public health risk until reaching the “High” risk threshold.?

???As the Titanic’s Capt. Edward Smith said to the ship’s radio operators when releasing them from duty moments before the ship sank: “At times like these, it’s every man for himself.” (DE&I were not a consideration in 1912.)

???Of course, about 1,500 people died when the Titanic sank. Nearly five times that—almost 7,700 Chicagoans—have died from COVID-19. Spread across years, we seem to be losing any sense of the scope of the present tragedy.?

???By the way, the CDC still suggests wearing masks in crowded, enclosed spaces. They’ve also restated this week that public transportation operators are advised to resume mask requirements, but as my colleague noted on his CTA bus Tuesday morning, of 24 people aboard (including the maskless driver), just four passengers wore masks—1 in 6 or 17%.?

???Those broadcasters figuratively high-fiving in April about going maskless, still overshadow the advice from what remains one of the most elite bastions of health science in the world.?

???Across Illinois, hospitalizations are up. One day this week saw nine new COVID-19 deaths reported in the state, after weeks of zero deaths reported becoming common. Sadly, these numbers are rising as summer approaches—the season that some expected would be of minimal concern in our ongoing coronavirus journey.?

???Let’s hope they’ll be right, and with luck, summer’s wind and warmth will drive away the coronavirus threat.????Hope and luck are something, I suppose.?

???I prefer to take action to help achieve goals. Attend Safe and I stand ready to help anyone with upcoming events to help create their own luck.?

??Amanda Schleede is founder and CEO of Attend Safe, which helps people to attend to life with sensible safety protocols. Visit Attend Safe online at AttendSafe.com.