Here’s an example of how life has changed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In late July, a team of Chanute school administrators met in Branson for their annual brainstorming retreat. 
Of the 11 attending, six contracted the coronavirus. Altogether, 25 people were required to quarantine following the three-day event, according to the Neosho County Health Department. Their symptoms ranged from mild to severe, including one person being placed in ICU.
The group stayed in a big 10-bedroom house, rented out as an Airbnb. Ironically, part of the retreat was devoted to how the school district is to deal with the pandemic, according to USD 413 Superintendent Kellen Adams.
During the retreat, Adams said participants practiced good hygiene including using hand sanitizer and wearing face masks.
“At least three of them never took off their face masks,” he said in an interview with the Kansas City Star. “But, to be fully transparent, masks were not worn 100% of the time.”
Typically the school officials had their lunch catered on site, but dined out in area restaurants for breakfast and dinner.
Kellen said he wasn’t aware Branson was experiencing an influx of cases at the time. The week the educators were there the number of cases had jumped by 60%. It wasn’t until July 28 that Branson required the use of face masks, the very time the Chanute group was there. Branson’s Taney County today has 568 cases.
Neosho County’s rate of cases remains relatively low, with 71, according to Wednesday’s report.
Considering the difference in populations, Taney County’s rate of infection is eight times that of Neosho County.
Kellen defended going on the retreat.
“We believe firmly in the leadership retreat,” he said in an interview with KOAM TV. “So we would have still done it whether it was in Branson, or right here in Chanute.”
HEALTH experts say if we insist on maintaining normal activities, to please take extra precautions such as allowing fresh air into buildings, keeping to the same circle of friends or family, wearing a face mask at all times, and most of all, staying away from those who don’t.
They also warn about “caution fatigue.”
After months of staying on guard against the coronavirus, its threat loses urgency. And the longer we go without contracting the virus the more we gain a false confidence that it’s not going to happen so we relax and don’t practice safety measures.
