About COVID-19--Be safe--Warnings and safety suggestions

[Catie]

Emily, I completely relate about missing the grocery. Not silly at all. I had gotten down to the wire with renewing my car registration and learned I could get my sticker inside one of our grocery stores in lieu of waiting for it to be mailed. It's a technicality they can tow you for in our apartments, so last week I went in early to the service desk then ("gosh, I'm here!") sped my cart around a few aisles. It felt just unreal to be inside after so many months! Since March, too. I miss bargain hunting and just seeing everything! The thrift stores keep calling my name too, but thus far I've resisted.

Oh yes indeed. Grateful for people keeping the supply chain going and who have done my grocery shopping for me, in essence!

I have a special concern for the long haulers, the folks who have had serious symptoms remain for weeks and months. Some very tragic stories also.

For years in flu season, if I heard sneezing or coughing, I would try to head for another part of the store!

[Emily]

((((Cookie))))

It is definitely a crazy time, Catie. The isolation is difficult. I have a housemate, so I have a person to interact with. But it's still rather difficult.

It's tricky, when you have someone whose care you're kind of in charge of, isn't it? So glad for contact free. We've ordered everything. Haven't set foot in a grocery store since March. As silly as it seems, that's one of the things that I miss most. So grateful for delivery and shipping, and grateful for those who risk themselves for those of us staying home.

It is harder, the longer it goes on, for sure! I've found that the hard part of that is that if people start slacking off, it will make it last even longer. So that's what I remind myself of every time I feel like I've just had enough and I'm over it. lol. Being careful now means shorter time.....

Makes sense to have concerns over the vaccine. I figure that given that it'll be at least April before it reaches most of us, at least it gives time to see if any issues arise. Also, for anyone unable to take the vaccine, like with your previous transverse myelitis, there should be a similar situation like with flu regarding a herd immunity, if the vaccines provide good immunity. I guess time will tell how long they last, or if it ends up being something that's yearly like the flu vaccine.

[Catie]

This really is the craziest time to live through. Certainly taking Covid seriously here.

I didn't realize you have been so strictly isolated, Emily. That's extremely difficult.

The only ones I've seen in person are my elderly father and his caregiver. Contact-free pickup has saved the day for groceries, along with occasional shipped orders.

I think it gets harder to maintain one's resolve as the situation lingers and it can feel like there's no end in sight.

I'm no anti-vaxxer, but I have concerns, even once the vaccine is available. After having tranverse myelitis years ago, I've avoided flu shots with the advice of the neurologist I saw.

[cookie]

thank you, emily.

[Emily]

This is a bit of a long post. I apologize for that. But it is important. Also important to note. COVID-19 is not a political issue. It is a contagious disease. It is a pandemic. It affects everyone, regardless of politics, religion, race, economic status, location in the world. It is, literally, a life and death issue.

As the COVID pandemic grows around the world, concerns grow. It's such promising news that a vaccine is coming. But it will be a while (probably at least April, according to experts) before it reaches the general population. First, it will go to long term care residents and health care workers. This is right. Health care workers have been at the front line of this disaster from the beginning, and have not always (many still don't) had proper protection for themselves. They've gotten sick and died while working so hard to save lives, giving literally everything they had to help.

Different countries are faring differently right now. Some have had tight restrictions, and now have case numbers so low, that areas without cases have been able to return to a semblance of normalcy, with reasonable precautions. Others, like the US, have uncontrolled spread.

I'm going to address the US specifically now, though certainly anywhere with COVID should use at least some of the precautions mentioned. COVID spread is uncontrolled here. Many states are running dangerously low on ICU beds, some running out of hospital beds in general. It's been suggested that they can just open field hospitals, etc, to take care of that. And it's true, field hospitals are being open in some areas. But here are some important facts to know: All hospital beds must have staffing to support them.

We are also dangerously short on health care workers. They are stretched to their limits. We even have organizations like Doctors Without Borders working inside the country to try to back up our system. Also, ICU beds specifically require specific support. Only certain people with specific qualifications can staff a bed/room with ventilators. We're not just running out of the beds and ventilators, we're running out of the people to staff them. In the Spring, staff could travel around the country to specific hot spots. Now the entire country is pretty much a hot spot. Everyone's in trouble.

If you, or someone you love gets sick, there is a chance that there won't be a hospital bed, or a ventilator, or even a doctor, available.

I've read people's stories of people who have lost loved ones (who died alone) to this disease. I've read stories of healthcare workers who are getting sick and dying. I've read stories of healthcare workers who are treating people in ICU who still don't believe that COVID is real. I've read stories of people's experience with this disease, struggling to breathe, having to phone loved ones from the ICU to say goodbye, just in case they don't make it. This disease is vicious.

So yes, that's all really hard info, and it's scary. But this is not hyperbole. All of this IS happening. According to the CDC, the US is averaging one COVID death every minute. Over a quarter of a million Americans have died from this virus, and that number is rising rapidly.

CDC guidance for quarantining after possible exposure as follows. The best thing is to quarantine for 14 days. However, they consider it acceptable if you don't develop any symptoms, to quarantine for 10 days. Also possible is 7 days, but only if you test and the result is negative.

Today, the CDC gave the following guidance for people who gathered with others over Thanksgiving:

CDC Guidelines

"If you are under 40, you need to assume you became infected during the Thanksgiving period if you gathered beyond your immediate household. Most likely, you will not have symptoms; however, you are dangerous to others and you must isolate away from anyone at increased risk for severe disease and get tested immediately. If you are over 65 or have significant medical conditions and you gathered outside of your immediate household, you are at a significant risk for serious COVID infection; if you develop any symptoms, you must be tested immediately as the majority of therapeutics work best early in infection."

In addition, they have given specific guidelines for keeping safe over Christmas holidays ( COVID-19: Holiday Celebrations | CDC )

"Celebrating virtually or with members of your own household (who are consistently taking measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19) poses the lowest risk for spread. Your household is anyone who currently lives and shares common spaces in your housing unit (such as your house or apartment). This can include family members, as well as roommates or people who are unrelated to you. People who do not currently live in your housing unit, such as college students who are returning home from school for the holidays, should be considered part of different households. In-person gatherings that bring together family members or friends from different households, including college students returning home, pose varying levels of risk."

Trust me folks. I know that this is hard. I have not left my house since March, with the exception of going for a drive in the car to keep it running. It's hard being isolated. It's hard being away from people that you love and want to celebrate special moments and holidays with. It's so difficult.

But please, be safe. Wear a mask around others if it's not medically impossible for you to do so. Social distance. Avoid gatherings with people who don't live in your home. As hard as that is, being separated from people that you love temporarily is so much better than losing them.

Remember any precaution that you take does not only protect you. It helps protect all of the people you hold dear.

We can get through this and come out the other side. But we have to work together. Love is a verb. And right now, we have to love each other enough to be willing to be uncomfortable for a time, so that we can try to minimize the suffering as much as possible while we wait for the vaccine. Being apart for holidays especially is so hard. But being safe now means having future holidays.

I love all of you guys. And I want you and your families to come through the other end of this intact. Please be safe. Please use precautions. Please listen to guidance of the scientists and experts.

There is hope. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Let's walk there together. Then we can celebrate.