by Travis Mateer

Because I think this will be an instructive lesson in absurdity, I’m going to share my family’s experience with our child’s quarantine experience from school.

Last Monday we were notified by the school that one of our kids was a close contact of someone who tested positive for Covid, so my wife picked him up and brought him home for a week of remote learning.

We weren’t told much other than the positive test occurred on 2/17. Was the individual symptomatic? What kind of test was administered? If it was a PCR test, then what cycle threshold is being used?

We discussed who would take the hit to work hours (I’m working part-time now) and it was me, which ended up being a good thing in the end, but it’s another reminder how those with less economic resources must be facing immensely difficult challenges when similar situations arise.

The absurdity enters the picture with government bureaucracy. Go figure.

My kid’s return to school on Tuesday was predicated on the school receiving the official letter of release from the Health Department, which wouldn’t be ready to go until the Monday before. To ensure no mail delay, my wife asked if we could pick up the letter to expedite the process and was told yes.

So I showed up, in person, to the Health Department, where I had to physically open doors with my potential meat vectors (hands). After waiting around for a few minutes inside with a cowering young woman, I decided to go outside to await the letter, which I finally got and hand delivered (again, touching surfaces) to my kid’s school.

The saddest part of the whole thing was the young woman. As I was walking away I made eye-contact with her before she got into her car, alone, with her mask on. I asked if she ever got frustrated that the kids have to wear masks outside at recess.

Here response: you get used to it.

I just nodded my head and walked away.