With Coronavirus, We Still Have Time to Flatten the Curve: What That Means & How to Do It Opinion Headlines

Face masks were the first to go. Then surgical gloves. Now hand sanitizer, bottled water and toilet paper. Soon it seems disinfectant sprays, wipes and cleaners will be in short supply, too. Folks are panic buying in the face of novel coronavirus, and it's a problem. So is the fact that coronavirus racism is now a thing.

We need to hold on to our common sense, folks.

We can't allow the confusion and misinformation and fear mongering on the part of news outlets and social media allow us to lose ourselves and the values a great majority of us hold dear. We need sound judgement, kindness, tolerance and compassion now more than ever.

We need to be the helpers and that means being part of the solution however we can. Like following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Like listening when scientists offer fact-based information regarding COVID-19. Hoarding hand sanitizer and masks keeps others who also need them – the elderly, immunocompromised and medically fragile among us – from accessing them. The more people who can access the supplies they need, the more likely we can prevent widespread local outbreaks.

Look, I too, was initially not getting it. I didn’t understand the reasoning behind the kissing and handshaking bans, school closures, travel restrictions and event cancellations at first. I saw it as an overreaction. But now I get it.

It's not about containing COVID-19, but it is about flattening the curve. It's not about preventing people from getting infected, but preventing people from getting infected too fast. This measure gives hospitals and clinics more time to treat those affected. Our health-care system here in the U.S., and other health-care systems around the world, are already strained to the breaking point by a lack of staff, and now, a lack of supplies and resources.

My own family in Genoa and Tuscany has been keeping me informed as to the quarantine-turned-country-wide-lockdown there, and it sounds like something out of the 1940s. Doctors have gone back to wartime triage methods because there are simply too many patients for each one of them to receive adequate care. Let me say that again for the folks in the back. There are simply too many patients for each one of them to receive adequate care.

We still have time to make a difference. (Obviously, it will help if our places of work and insurance companies get on board, too. Having to choose between missing work and missing a paycheck and going to the hospital and paying a bill that could put you into debt are no joke and of real concern among Americans.)

We will continue to hear conflicting messages, and because coronavirus is new, it makes sense that it's causing a lot of anxiety and a need to feel in control. We don't yet know a lot about it. Our best scientists, while working on it, don't yet know a lot about it. If we have never heard of the flu before, we would probably be scared of that. too.

That said, we can't resort to extremes like the weird, apocalyptic survivalist psyche currently overtaking the nation.

• Wash your hands.
• Don't touch your face.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.

Maybe laugh at a good natured, light-hearted coronavirus meme or two.

It's going to be OK.

The information on 30Seconds.com is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered medical advice. The information provided through this site should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your personal healthcare provider.

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