Fort Worth area residents, weary of COVID rules, say socializing is worth the risk
Seven months ago, the streets of Fort Worth were largely empty. The coronavirus pandemic prompted closures and canceled most activities. Many stayed home as they waited for what was next.
You could have called it a ghost town.
But now crowds have returned to the streets. Bars and restaurants are open. Athletic events have returned. Schools are in session. Except for clusters of people wearing masks, a day in the city today looks similar to one a year ago, even as cases break records and health officials urge people to stay home except for essential errands.
Tarrant County reported a record 8,379 new cases of the novel coronavirus last week, up from the previous week’s record of 5,403. Also last week, Texas surpassed a million cases. The record-breaking rise in cases is fueled by large gatherings and small get-togethers with friends and family, health experts say.
People say they’re tired of the virus and are living the way they want or they’re trying to balance normal life while following safety procedures.
Experts call this “COVID-19 fatigue.” As the pandemic stretches for months with an unknown end, people are becoming numb to news of new coronavirus cases. As they grow tired of safety guidelines, many are attempting to make a return to normal.
Back to normal
Lexi Stevenson went out for lunch with her friend Tylee Williams on Saturday on Magnolia Avenue. She said she was tired of hearing about coronavirus case numbers.
“We just want to keep moving on with our lives as normal as possible,” Stevenson said.
Williams said both of them have been going out to eat and doing other activities for a while now. They know people who have had coronavirus and recovered, so they decided socializing is worth the risk. They’re confident that they would recover with no problems.
Stevenson said her grandparents recovered after contracting the virus, making her feel more at ease.
“We feel like we’re young and healthy, and we’re going to be OK if we get it,” Williams said.
While they aren’t fearful of the coronavirus, the pandemic does prompt a concern: More shutdowns.
The pair were laid off during the initial closures and fear the economic consequences if a second were to occur. People have learned to live with the virus and they can continue to do so, they said.
Vinny Taneja, the Tarrant County public health director, compares the surge to the peak in July when hospitalizations and cases were at an all-time high.
At this point, the rising coronavirus numbers don’t mean anything to most people anymore, said Diana Cervantes, a professor and director of the MPH Epidemiology Program at UNT Health Science Center. And they’re not thinking twice before going out.
People are tired of the preventive measures of the past eight months, Cervantes said. Some people don’t wear their masks correctly and others don’t wear them at all. That fatigue and the fact that most shutdowns have ended is fueling the spread of infections, she said.
During the commissioners meeting on Nov. 10, Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said that athletic events should be suspended. He said social distancing is difficult during competition when athletes are not wearing masks and are in close contact with each other. He also has seen some parents in the crowds too close to each other and not wearing masks.
Jeremy Watts, who plays on a co-ed softball team in Fort Worth, said it’s up to individuals to be responsible when coming out to sporting events. He said his league asks players to check their temperature in the morning and if someone feels sick they won’t come out to play.
Watts said it’s not up to Whitley to decide, but rather the individuals involved.
Another reason for risking exposure? Loneliness. Sarah Hill, a psychology professor at TCU, said people who were previously isolating themselves are venturing out to fulfill social needs.
“People are responding to what to them feels like a more imminent threat,” Hill said. “The threat of social isolation.”
Many are deeming the risk worth the reward, she explains. Not having an end goal in sight can make resisting the urge to socialize helpless.
A balancing act
Dallas resident Lizzie Harris said navigating a coronavirus world has been about balance. Harris lives by herself and said not being able to see her friends during shutdowns was difficult.
Once everything started to open Harris came up with a plan to stay safe. She has limited the friends she hangs out with, wears a mask as much as possible, and stays home as much as possible.
Sometimes she tries to compensate. If she goes out too much during a week, she’ll stay home for the next several days.
Taneja said his team and the rest of the world has been trying to find the right balance between cases and living a normal life.
So far, combating the virus has been about finding the right spot between policy measures and people doing their own part to slow the spread. Tarrant County plans to extend its mask mandate, which expires Nov. 30.
Taneja said it’s up to the residents of Tarrant County to flatten the curve once again.
When the outbreak was at its worst in July, people followed public health guidance to get the numbers down and that’s what the county needs now, he said.
“Our community is tired of all the guidance and the restrictions,” he said. “But all I can ask is let’s try one more time and get this through this holiday season as safely as possible.”
This story was originally published November 17, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
