How NOT to Get COVID-19
So, you’ve managed to make it through almost all of 2020 without getting COVID-19. You’re not a covidiot. You never considered injecting bleach. You wear your mask. You use hand sanitizer. You social distance. And now, the first vaccines are starting to be distributed. The nightmare is almost over, right?
Actually, the beginning of the end is still many MONTHS away for most of us. It may be spring, summer — or even longer — before the general adult population is able to get vaccinated. Even later for younger teens and children. And that’s a best case scenario.
So, for now, we are all still very much living with the risk of COVID.
Meanwhile, hospital ICUs are at — or above — capacity in many areas. The number of people infected is growing exponentially. The number of deaths goes up every single day. And we have new, more infectious — and equally dangerous — strains of SARS-COV2 making their way around the country, and the world.
IHME estimates (and they are usually LOW in their estimates) that by April 1, 2021, almost 600,000 people will have died, nearly DOUBLE the current number of deaths as of today. Around 320K deaths in all of 2020, and another 250K+ in the next THREE months.
https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america?view=total-deaths
Please don’t become one of them. I want you, and your friends, family and loved ones, around for a long time.
COVID-19 is VERY much still with us, and is actually even MORE dangerous to us now than ever before, because of widespread community spread, COVID-fatigue (and people getting lax about masks and distancing), the effects of holiday travel, and, let’s face it, an appalling number of covidiots, science-deniers, anti-maskers, and people who simply don’t care about anyone — including themselves — it seems.
I’ve had a few people I care greatly about who take COVID seriously, and thought they were doing everything right, but have still ended up getting COVID. And make no mistake, even as most people survive COVID, for many people, COVID is no walk in the park. For many people, even those who don’t need hospitalization, acute symptoms last weeks, and the post-viral fatigue, debilitation, and brain fog (think of how it feels when you have a bad flu) continue for MONTHS.
Some of my loved ones have even ended up as “Long-Haulers,” with what we’re now realizing is a post-COVID syndrome that can include onset of new autoimmune symptoms and diseases, breathing/chest/lung problems, heart problems, neurological issues, weird rashes and inflammation, chronic fatigue-like symptoms, autonomic dysfunction, and post-viral syndromes.
[Just this week, a healthy young collage athlete who had COVID a while back collapsed on a basketball court from acute myocarditis (heart inflammation), a result of his prior COVID infection. https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-university-florida-basketball-covid-heart-johnson-20201223-5wb4cc4s75ftbcfgduhc6oznea-story.html]
So, if you’re masking, distancing, washing your hands, and such…are you doing enough??? Could you still get COVID?
Yes you can. And some of you will, if you don’t understand how to better protect yourself.
So here’s how to NOT get COVID.
1. Don’t go to restaurants, or indoor parties or anywhere you will eat, drink, sing, should, or talk loudly around others, including church. For eating/drinking, even if you wear a mask inside and between bites/sips — or if you’re lucky enough to live somewhere warm enough for outdoor dining — eating/drinking with others is VERY RISKY. Even if seats/tables are apart, they’re not far enough apart to prevent COVID from spreading around. Period. PEOPLE — INCLUDING YOU — TAKE OFF MASKS TO EAT AND DRINK. Even if you wore a hazmat suit to a restaurant or party, if you take something off to eat or drink, you’re risking exposure. Also, ventilation systems can blow COVID around. There’s evidence that 6 feet of distance is NOWHERE near enough, it’s more like 15+ feet needed — and even MORE DISTANCE than that if you happen to be in the direct path of ventilation that’s blowing someone’s COVID virus in your direction. And your fellow diners or party guests don’t need to be coughing, sneezing, or yelling. Simply talking can send COVID airborne, and headed right for you.
2. If you HAVE to be out in public, like for your work, wear the RIGHT kind of mask for essential outings. That surgical mask, or cute cotton mask, is NOT enough protection. Wear a mask that has a high rate of protection, and that means a certified N95 mask that is more fitted and properly seals, without a gasket (or with a sealable plug/gasket.) Some doctors are using and recommending the Envo Mask. https://envomask.com
If you want a good quality, non-fitted cloth filtered mask — not as effective as an Envo Mask, but better than a regular cloth or paper mask — try a Universal Mask: https://theuniversalmask.com
3. Remember that you can also get infected through your eyes, so a plastic shield (or goggles), PLUS a mask, is MORE protective than a mask alone. (Note: a shield alone, without a proper mask, is NOT protective.)
4. While it’s not as good as an Envo Mask or Universal Mask, if you’re going to be occasionally be around other people — like a quick trip to the grocery or pharmacy — then TRIPLE mask. Still not foolproof, better than a cloth or paper one-layer mask. (I’m getting an Envo Mask, but until then, I use a regular KN95 mask, plus a surgical mask, with a cotton mask for my very rare outings.)
5. Speaking of non-essential outings, KEEP THEM TO A MINIMUM, or AVOID THEM ENTIRELY! Use delivery services, mail order, etc. WHENEVER POSSIBLE. Every trip to a public place is an opportunity to get infected.
6. KNOW YOUR RISKS: There’s a helpful online calculator where you can gauge your risk of getting infected with COVID, based on your location, activities, and who you’ll be around. Check it out at https://www.microcovid.org
7. STAY IN YOUR POD. I repeat. STAY IN YOUR POD. Anyone who hasn’t been living with you for at least two-weeks, infection-free, without exposure to ANY other people, is NOT in your pod, and could conceivably infect you. And that even goes for visitors who “get tested” before they visit you. COVID tests have high false negative rates (highest among the “rapid” tests.) AND, people can also GET infected in the period AFTER being tested. So, if you want to avoid the potential of infection, you should NOT be around friends and family who are not in your pod. And if you are going to be, everyone should be masked and distancing (and definitely NOT eating and drinking in each other’s presence.)
I get it. None of this is fun. It’s a pain in the butt, and a huge hassle. (Especially at the holidays!) But I guarantee you, for many of us, getting COVID will be a MUCH bigger hassle…at best. And needlessly infecting someone you care about who ends up in the ICU — or dead — is a preventable tragedy you’ll have to live with forever.
So, please stay safe and well, my dear friends!
