Kentucky has the unfortunate distinction of having two senators vying for the title of worst, most egomaniacal American: Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul. Both have alternately dragged their feet and thrown obstacle after obstacle into the workings needed to pass swift economic and public health relief during this crisis. Sen. Rand Paul even contracted the virus as his own father posited it was all a deep state hoax. Not the best role models for young adults.

A lot of your 20s is spent making mistakes: mistakes involving what you think you want to do with your life, in relationships, in decisions about how and when you “party.” The statements from many in the news media and our current Republican leadership that this is a flu-like virus that’s really only dangerous to those older than 65 are false. While we don’t know the exact reasons why, Americans under 45 are making up around 20% of current coronavirus hospitalizations, while 18% of hospitalizations due to the virus are for Americans between the ages of 45 and 54.

While the mortality rates of the virus are definitely worse for seniors, the fact that so many younger folks end up being hospitalized is frightening. Many Americans seem to have forgotten how bad getting the seasonal flu can be, even if you don’t end up in the hospital. The coronavirus, by all accounts, is a lot worse than that, and you have a much higher chance of not simply needing to go to a hospital, but needing to stay and be treated in a hospital.