We know that everyone is anxious and trying to keep up with the changing news on the spread of COVID-19. Efforts to contain the infection haven’t worked, so now we all have to do what we can to slow the spread of infection. While most people infected will only experience mild symptoms, COVID-19 can cause severe symptoms in people in every age bracket and some will need medical help.
Slowing the rate of infection will allow our health care system to keep up and provide the best care possible to those that need it. How can you help? Stay home if you can and only go out when it’s unavoidable. You can still take a walk, walk your dog, get groceries, go to work if you can’t work from home, and do the things you need to do. When you’re out, practice social distancing (at least 6 feet), wash your hands often (and as soon as you get home), and avoid touching your face.
A sample epidemic curve, with and without social distancing. (Image credit: Johannes Kalliauer/ CC BY-SA 4.0)
The infection curve takes on different shapes, depending on the virus’s infection rate. It could be a steep curve, in which the virus spreads very quickly. Infection curves with a steep rise also have a steep fall; after the virus infects pretty much everyone who can be infected, case numbers begin to drop exponentially, too.
The faster the infection curve rises, the quicker the local health care system gets overloaded beyond its capacity to treat people. As we’re seeing in Italy, more and more new patients may be forced to go without ICU beds, and more and more hospitals may run out of the basic supplies they need to respond to the outbreak.
A flatter curve, on the other hand, assumes the same number of people ultimately get infected, but over a longer period of time. A slower infection rate means a less stressed health care system, fewer hospital visits on any given day and fewer sick people being turned away. Staying home when you can and practicing social distancing when you can’t will help slow the rate of infection and flatten the curve. Flattening the curve will result in the best possible outcomes for everyone.
We know this is an anxious, uncertain time for everyone but flattening the curve is how you can help. If you’re having a hard time with stress or anxiety right now, you are not alone. Try meditation or an app like Calm and don’t forget to exercise. We’ll all get through this together.