By Alexander Speid, Westside Gazette
With the spread of the corona virus at its peak here in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, it is imperative that we follow the guidelines that have been put into place by the county. That includes staying in doors as much as possible, and limiting our commute to certain areas. Hand washing is a must, and gloves and mask are on the scarce side of the endeavor.
The virus has certainly altered our way of living here in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. However, there are still some who want to use this pandemic as a means to devolve into debauchery.
On the 29th – 30th of March on a Sunday night, reports rang in of a shooting at a Lauderdale Lakes on the corner of North State Road 7 and West Oakland Park Boulevard. Two people shot with one declared dead upon BSO arrival, while the other died at Broward Health Medical Center later on. The reason and motive for the shooting remains unknown. However, one can suspect it had to do with a mugging.
Due to the severity of the COVID 19, many jobs have had to let go of employers, leaving many without a source of income to live off of. The job market from home feels scarce for some, which results in desperation for money to eat, to keep the lights on, to do much of anything. And so, some have taken to finding money the only way they can think of; crime.
And so, we are met with many other stories that are similar to the one above. Around the same time, cars had blocked 19th street as well as Inter-State I-95 by the youth.
Despite the severity of this pandemic, there are still some who believe that the virus cannot affect them and that it is strictly a fear for those with pre-existing conditions or who are elderly.
The corona virus may not be an immediate threat to the youth, but it can still develop complications breathing, and severe pneumonia to even the healthiest people, with no means to cure it at this time.
A man by the name of Israel Carreras was 40-years-old who attended the Winter Party earlier this month with six other people. Shortly after the party, he began to show symptoms of COVID19 and was diagnosed with the virus. He was rushed to the hospital for four to five days.
“They put him to sleep because he was really agitated, and then he never woke up again,” Conquista, his partner said.
In England on March 23rd, an 18-year-old died due to the virus, being considered the youngest in the UK to die from it. Contrary to popular belief, the Corona can affect just about anyone.
A girl had tested positive for the virus in Europe and slowly deteriorated during a three-day fever until her passing. She was 12.
A young boy in Portugal, Vitor Godinho, passed away in a hospital in the eve of Sunday morning. He was 14.
A girl named Julie Alliot had lost her battle with the virus in a Paris Hospital on Wednesday of last week. She was 16.
“No one is invincible against this mutant virus.” Said Julie’s sister, Manon.
These are just some of the known cases of young kids, teenagers, and adults alike, who have contracted and died from COVID19. The number can only be expected to grow the more we refuse to take the necessary precautions needed. We cannot continue to ignore the number of deaths that this virus has brought. In Broward County alone, there has been over 1,000 cases, with the entirety of Florida slowly reaching 5,000.
It is absolutely urgent that we continue to stay inside as much as we can to stop the spread of COVID19.
