FROM THE STATE VET’S OFFICE
BY DR. TONY FRAZIER
You Can’t Spell Pandemic Without the Word Panic
In my nearly six decades on earth, I think I have learned a few things that have served me well. At least they have got me to this point in my life in reasonably decent shape. One of those is that during an emergency or crisis, after taking care of life and limb, is that sometimes the best thing to do is nothing. At least, to just stop and assess the situation and not make decisions in haste that may carry consequences farther down the road that may not look that wise after the wind stops blowing and the sun starts shining again. Someone recently related to me that a common way many people approach a crisis is, “When in doubt, run in circles. Scream and shout.” During our pilgrimage through this very real coronavirus outbreak, I have absolutely seen people at their very best. To see people helping their neighbors who have lost jobs or even helping people who they don’t know during these challenging times has made me proud to be part of the human race. But when I think back to mid-March when people were hauling cases of toilet paper out of the stores as if there would never be
another roll of TP produced, it kind of makes me wonder. Then in late April and early May, there was the perceived meat shortage. The same group of people who have stacks of toilet paper in their spare bedroom were going out and buying a freezer so they could load up on a few months’ supply of ground beef. Well, I am no expert on toilet paper. About as close as I come is that the paper mill where my daddy used to work makes toilet paper now. But I do know a little about meat production and I am more than a little concerned at some of the misinformation out there about food production, especially poultry and beef. I don’t really blame people who have no idea about what is really going on stocking up on a few extra packages of ground beef. If I really thought I couldn’t find meat at the grocery store for some indefinite period, I might tend to throw an extra pound or two in my shopping cart. I am concerned when I hear some national news reporter say, “You had better buy your beef this week because it will cost you twice as much next week … if you can even find it.” I haven’t been to the grocery store July 2020
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