CORONAVIRUS - My Family Plan Stage #1
Here is our plan, we took an hour out of our day to prepare properly:
Know the symptoms and how it spreads (15 min)
Understand the medical treatment plans established in your community (15 min)
Discuss with your family what a 14-day quarantine really could mean and identify who in your circle could be considered ‘at risk’. (30 min)
SOCIAL DISTANCING! - Slow the spread, flatten the curve! (ongoing)
[DISCLAIMER - Mini-rant to follow with instruction details. I may not be a physician but I have family and friends working the front lines to prepare for Coronavirus, and I trust their dedication and expertise in healthcare.]
The lack of clear, experienced, and decisive leadership in regards to preparation and mitigation of the Coronavirus is absolutely DESTROYING me inside. We need guidance and instructions not marred with politics and uneducated opinions. This is a nasty and novel infectious disease and our leadership needs to be science-based and data-driven. I hope I’m wrong, I really do. I hope I get called a 'fear-mongerer' and ‘liar'. Because if I’m not wrong… human lives are at risk.
Am I an expert that has dedicated decades of my life towards the research and understanding of infections diseases and their affect on humans/human crowds (like a doctor, epidemiologist, or a microbiologist)? Nope! But there are people that have and with the advice and experience of those experts, a leader trusts that word to enact policy and resources to capture the attention of millions, to ensure they clearly understand the true situation, understand why certain actions are occurring, and allow them to make the best decisions for themselves, their loved ones, and their community. Fear shouldn’t be avoided, its panic (and toilet paper shortages). And panic comes from lack of clear, experienced, and decisive leadership.
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Know the symptoms and how it spreads (15 min) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
It’s easy to confuse this with influenza/flu because the symptoms are similar. But what really confounds the problem is how quickly/easily coronavirus spreads and the fact that many people could be infectious without showing symptoms. If you are one of the lucky individuals that are young and healthy, you are most likely going to be ok (sick for while but ok)… but if/when you use up healthcare resources and who you spread this to next could literally kill someone. Add on the lack of active testing and the sudden deluge of cases into our healthcare system we could see in a few weeks could be crippling (more on that in #4). Ignoring what is happening in other parts of the world and thinking it can’t happen here is ignorant. Infectious diseases do not respect borders and our borders have been (and mostly still are) open for the past 3 months since the first cases were being reported. We need to learn and prepare.
2. Understand the medical treatment plans established in your community (15 min)
Refer to local hospital websites, city/town communication channels, and local media. Hotlines are being established, external field tents are being erected, and mobile drive-thru testing points are being setup (Hopefully!). Each of your communities will probably be unique, but if/when you detect symptoms (#1), know what you need to do first. This most likely should involve self-quarantine and making some phone calls. Unless a life/death medical emergency, don’t go to the ER! (#4)There are medical teams in your area that have been working tirelessly for the past few weeks trying to prepare for this. Regardless of what the media and politicians are portraying, healthcare providers in your own neighborhoods have been doing their best to stock pile medical supplies, establish pandemic protocols, and train/test the local healthcare system for what is to come. (Mom, I know you’re working 16 hour days, 7 days a week. I love you and good luck.)
3. Discuss with your family what a 14-day quarantine really could mean and identify ‘at risk’ individuals in your circle. (30 min)
If you get that medical instruction, phone call, visitor to your door, or community-wide announcement; quarantine is immediate. It’s not, go around and gather supplies then quarantine. For those that live and/or care for others, this could mean separation and isolation for an amount of time. 14-days/2-weeks is the currently established standard.Discuss with your family/loved ones what a 14-day quarantine could look like. Do you have the right amount of supplies (food, water, medications, etc.)? (14 days, NOT 14 weeks people!) Do you need to establish a communication network to keep people informed of each other’s status? Are their backup plans to watch over others and people you can reach out to if you need help? Social media groups and community-based communication boards are establishing grassroots care networks for those ‘at risk' and those that may need an extra bit of help during times of crisis. Make sure your fellow neighbors are connected to other neighbors. Keep communications compassionate and constant - physical and emotional well-being is important.
‘At Risk’ - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html‘
At risk’ individuals include those older in age and those that are immuno-/health- compromised. If you or someone you know is over the age of 60, they are at risk. Respiratory issues like asthma, they are at risk. Cancer? At risk. Neurological disorder? At risk. Obese? Probably at risk. Pretty much if you have a serious chronic medical condition, you need to be mindful of your exposure and probably best to self-isolate ASAP. NOTE, just because you are young/healthy doesn’t mean you have carte-blanche to do what you want (see #4).
4. SOCIAL DISTANCING! - Slow the spread, flatten the curve! https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-social-distancing-and-self-quarantine
Social distancing! This is so critically important and also the most difficult to follow or adhere to. What we do today will dictate what we experience a few weeks from now. There is a threshold of healthcare resources vs. number of patients in need of treatment that if surpassed, will cripple our ability to treat and save lives. As there is a limited number of toilet paper rolls, the same goes for doctors, nurses, ambulances, operating rooms, hospitals beds, respirators, masks, gloves etc. My biggest fear is not the coronavirus itself, it’s our healthcare system’s possible lack of ability to treat people with ANY medical condition. Injuries and medical emergencies unrelated to Coronavirus will still occur, and I hope no one has to face the decision of who should live or die because of lack of resources. So if you’re still going for Sunday brunch with family, a bar crawl with a few buddies, or flying on cheap airplane tickets, you are slapping the solidarity of human society in the face. We need to slow the progression of this disease so medical support can keep up.
[rant off]