Feelings of anticipation are rising as businesses are reopening.
This is challenging our sense of safety versus our need to get out of the house and go back to work. How we navigate in an infected population is a tricky situation many of us are trying to figure out.
As of May 15, here in Arizona, we continue to have more than 200 people being diagnosed daily with COVID-19 and 11,380 active infected cases. Since March 20, 651 people have died. We’ve been shuttered eight weeks and we are extremely more infected now than when we closed down.
What do these numbers tell us on how we should stay safe with the reopening? Of the people who have gotten sick with COVID-19, one out of 20 people have died here in Arizona. Our population is about seven million. The disease is spreading at a rate of about 1 person/630 people. Now, that may not sound bad but with the reopening of businesses where people gather, here is a possible scenario:
If one person directly encounters 10 people, and assuming that those 10 people each encountered 10 people, and that those 10 people also encountered 10 more people (making the encounters 103), then directly or indirectly one person has come in contact with 1,000 people to which 1.3 people are infected. Everyone in this 1,000-person group has now been possibly exposed to the infection.
Basically, social distancing is still needed to keep this disease from spreading at an even faster rate.
Should we continue to wear masks when we are out at the store and around areas where people are gathering? There’s so much conflicting data about masks. At a minimum, a mask reminds us not to touch our faces when we are at the store where people are touching everything. It also helps keep our own germs from spreading outwardly. Whether it’s a bandana or N95 mask, a mask helps to some degree.
Continue hand washing and visiting six feet apart. Stay home if you are not feeling well. At this time, we all should still be cautious about gathering in groups. Our community is more infectious now than before the lockdown. Protect your health and the safety of your family. Be very careful how you move about as businesses open.
Please visit us at Mesa Naturopathic on our website: mesadr.com, where you can schedule a telemedicine appointment, or call us at (480) 306-8111. We are located at 1955 N. Val Vista Drive, Suite 103, in Mesa.