I know there is some confusion about what to do next in the midst of this unprecedented time of a pandemic, school closures, and widespread social disruption.
Things are changing quickly as public health officials, state governments and local cities struggle to keep up with changing guidelines. Driving this chaotic evolution is the fear of not having adequate beds, and ventilators to treat those who have life-threatening pneumonia.
Covid-19 is not influenza, as we have come to realize now that autopsies reveal the extent of pulmonary damage. Today is March 21, 2020, just 8 days after this article, "Social Distancing: This is Not a Snow Day " was published on Medium.
Since then it has become a global pandemic spreading across Europe, Italy and the Americas with the two largest cities in the U.S. heavily impacted (New York City) and Los Angeles.
At this point there is open-ended guidance to shelter at home, most businesses are closed, theaters dark, and only take out food service. Many parts of the country, smaller towns and rural areas may not be afflicted as yet. Major city populations are now aware of the threat now that governments have ordered business to close.
Schools are now shuttered and the expected resumption of classes was changed from April 1st to closed for the rest of the year.
To understand the Flattening the Curve this exhibit explains the epidemiology of pandemics.
How Much Worse the Coronavirus Could Get, in Charts (New York. Times) The article is interactive and displays the results of the timing of intervention. The bottom line is that the earlier isolation has begun the flatter the curve.
Social Distancing: This is Not a Snow Day - Ariadne Labs - Medium:
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