4 Reasons to NOT get Coronavirus
It’s the apocalypse! Run for your lives! Ah, no it’s not. First of all, the apocalypse is the end. The coronavirus pandemic is going to end. It’s just going to take longer than we’d like. The reality is that YOU can make a difference. I’ve written about the practical actions that you can take to prevent getting coronavirus (covid-19) and to feel in control. You can read that here. https://bit.ly/2VQ3Kss Now I’m going to talk about why you should work as hard as you can to not get coronavirus for as long as you possibly can.
What are you up against? There is no vaccine to prevent covid-19. They’re working on it, but it won’t be ready for 12 to 18 months. This new coronavirus spreads easily from person-to-person. You can also catch the coronavirus by touching infected surfaces or objects and then touching your nose, eyes or mouth. People who have covid-19 infection can be contagious even before they show symptoms. While testing remains limited--that should change in the next couple of weeks--we can’t tell who is infected or how many people are infected. Basically, you have to act like everyone is infected.
That’s a lot to process. Here’s why you should fight the good fight anyway.
1. Being sick really sucks
The vast majority of people who become infected with covid-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms--or no symptoms all. Let’s break that down. Common symptoms include low-grade fever, body aches, coughing, nasal congestion, runny nose, and sore throat. Many people will experience covid-19 as a nasty cold that lasts two to three weeks. Covid-19 can occasionally cause more severe symptoms like high fever, severe cough and shortness of breath. If people have trouble breathing, they should seek medical attention immediately. It’s best to have plan in advance in case you or someone you love gets really sick.
If you are sick and it’s not a medical emergency, stay home. Seriously. Just stay home.
2. You could (and probably will) save a life
I’m not going to lie. A lot of people will get sick. I was speaking with a friend who said since everything is closed, why not get sick right now and get it over with. Here’s why you shouldn’t do that.
If everyone gets coronavirus at the same time, there will be a lot of sick people. All those sick people will overwhelm the hospital system. This is exactly what’s happening in Italy. We can slow down the process of people getting sick by washing our hands, not touching our faces or each other (no hugs or handshaking!), and coughing into our elbows. This virus loves a crowd. Our institutions have stepped up by creating social distance for all us: sports seasons cancelled; Broadway, museums and concert venues shuttered; even the public library is closed. Let’s beat coronavirus at its own game and stay home for a while. If we succeed, and we can, we will flatten the curve. What does that mean?
This (borrowed) graphic shows two alternatives. If everyone gets sick at the same time, we will overwhelm the hospital system, which already runs close to capacity. If we control the speed of coronavirus spread, that allows hospitals to care for the increase in covid-19 cases, as well as all of the babies being born, the people injured in traffic or gun accidents, those coming in with heart attacks, and all of the other care normally provided by hospitals.
3. The longer you don’t get sick could increase your chances of not getting sick at all
Scientists estimate that 40% to 70% of people around the world will become infected. That means that 30% to 60% of people will not become infected. Wouldn’t you rather be one of 60% of people not infected?
There are already four other coronaviruses floating around. They’re responsible for 25% of the winter colds we get each year. These coronaviruses mostly do their damage in winter—they survive better in cold, dry temperatures and spread more easily when people are stuck inside. Does this mean the new coronavirus will slow down when the weather warms up? The answer is, we don’t know. There are strong arguments for both sides. The mere possibility that the new coronavirus spread might slow down is enough of a carrot for me to work hard at not getting sick. If it turns out that coronavirus spread is not slowed down during warmer seasons, I have the knowledge and the experience to keep not getting infected. Plus, scientists are working frantically to develop a treatment for coronavirus. One pharmaceutical company says they’ll have one ready by this August.
4. You’ve got the power to make this happen
Not becoming infected will take a lot of work. Right now, you are the first line of defense in the war against coronavirus. The things you chose to do, from washing your hands to not going out to following the directions of public health authorities, will affect how this epidemic unfolds. We are learning more every day. The more we know, the more power we will have to get through this crisis as safely and successfully as possible. It will end. I want you to be here to see that.
This article was originally published March 13, 2020 here: