The Coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt life as we know it in Kitsap County, beyond the shortage of toilet paper and panic buying of food and other supplies. All events are canceled, schools are closed, employees are being asked to work from home, and more. And for good reason.
Our community leaders have tough decisions to make, and the information is still relatively new. But in many regions of the world, people died simply for lack of treatment (because the disease spread so rapidly, it overwhelmed healthcare systems). That’s why many governments are instituting quarantines and banning public events.
Hopefully, these social distancing measures will delay the spread of COVID-19, and protect those who are most vulnerable. Put another way, limiting social interaction helps reduce the natural spike in COVID-19 infections, spreading it out over a longer period of time.
Click here to read more information about “flattening the curve.” But the basic idea is this: By slowing the spread of contagions, our healthcare system will be better able to respond to any outbreak. By containing the problem as much as possible, the hope is to avoid the challenges Italy faced with choosing which patients received care…
Please take social distancing seriously and STAY HOME. Because even healthy individuals who don’t report symptoms can easily pass the virus to others, who will die. And if you do nothing else… be sure to wash your hands with soap often, to prevent spreading germs.
None of us can know the future, but your kiddos and parents and community need you at your best. And loving them means keeping physical distance, for now.
