That traditional refrain of teachers telling students to have a "safe, fun" summer takes on even more meaning this year.
We're due for some fun. For the past couple months, many of us have worked from home, sheltered at home, social distanced and worn masks. We've shunned our friends, avoided our favorite restaurants, and canceled or modified our vacation plans.
"Summer time, and the living's easy." Or so they say. But with the COVID-19 pandemic, it doesn't seem that way.
So what do we have to look forward to this summer? There are still many unknowns. We don't know whether we're going to have the Salute to America festival or the Cole County Fair. We know that we'll have our public pools, but we also know the experience will be different.
In this evolving "new normal," we need to strike a balance between safety and just living our lives.
That balance was obviously ignored at Lake of the Ozarks this past weekend, when revelers crammed into a pool party, ignoring social distancing guidelines. The bar that sponsored the event said it would limit occupants, but it didn't appear to have turned down many paying customers.
Let's use this as a learning experience for what we do here in Jefferson City.
It's our hope that our fairs, festivals and other events can go on - maybe not as planned - but go on. We would love to celebrate the Fourth of July at Salute to America and celebrate the accomplishments of our area youth at the county fair.
When our pools open, when summer camps take place, and when fairs/festivals are held, let's do it right. Organizers need to plan events carefully, and be willing to make sacrifices. So do participants.
It's easy to lull ourselves into a false sense of safety. After all, the warm summer air invites us to get out, and we've gone to pools, camps, fairs and festivals all our lives.
But a recent study suggests temperatures might not have much of an effect on the virus. We already know what does: restrictions on mass gatherings, social distancing, temperature checks and protective masks.
News Tribune