I think the easiest thing to say is that due to lack of testing states are highlighting lagging indicators and that's such a wrong headed way to address a virus that can basically hide like "the fallen" that I'm not surprised that it's happening but I struggle to deal with it.

As a result everyday we hear about new cases, deaths, hospital rate ... and we make decisions based off that.

The problem starts with the testing. Texas has only tested less than 1 percent of the population. We don't know enough about the tests to know who's being tested, for what, or where. But we know that the numbers are so low that it's only good for a means of "what is wrong with you personally"

Texas also doesn't have a contact tracing mechanism so when you look at a positive test, there's no system in place to address the spread or reach of that case, only treatment for the individual.

And again, the test count is low low low. Cosmically low.

Meanwhile the death rate (by COVID) isn't sky rocketing, case count appears low because of low tests and now you have a case for "reopening" which they are and did. People feel safe because they're not seeing mass deaths. But that goes back to testing. If we have no visibility into how many people are dying relative to the normal rate, and now everyone that dies is tested for COVID, then we really don't know how bad things are.

So now we're in the fun phase. The phase of false security, jingoistic flyovers, picnics, fuck mask wearing, haircuts, water parks (yup), bars and restaurants and churches and Memorial Day weekend on the horizon and July 4th following that. The schools are still closed but school is still in session somehow. Meat buying has been throttled but people aren't getting the hint that that's an indicator that shit is bad and going to get worse. So here we are.