Dear John,
I know many of us are feeling devastated, burnt out, and frustrated as we find ourselves months into a pandemic that has claimed over 210,000 American lives, upended almost every aspect of normal life, and cost many families their livelihoods. But with coronavirus cases rising in Oregon, and cold and flu season just around the corner, now is not the time to let up. In fact, we all need to double down on our efforts to stay safe, stop the spread, and protect our neighbors from infection.
So today, I’m reaching out to once again pass along important public health guidance and resources that I hope you’ll keep in mind as we all work together to stay safe, and to highlight one important update provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This week, the CDC officially recognized that the coronavirus can spread through airborne transmission -- meaning droplets or fine particles that were expelled into the air by an infected person’s coughing, sneezing, speaking, or even just breathing, can linger in the air for minutes to hours before being inhaled by others and causing a new infection.
This information has serious consequences -- namely that you can become infected without even coming into close contact with someone who has the coronavirus. That means it’s more important than ever to avoid gatherings in indoor spaces or any spaces with poor ventilation, and to use masks as much as possible while indoors with others outside your household. We should also stay vigilant on the tools and practices we know can help stop the coronavirus in its tracks -- including hand washing, disinfecting high-touch surfaces, refraining from hugs and handshakes, and maintaining physical distance as much as possible.
Additionally, please remember:
- That indoor spaces with poor air circulation can lead to outbreaks, even if people are socially distanced inside;
- To wear a mask if you’re in an outdoor space without the ability to maintain a significant distance between yourself and others;
- Stay at home if you feel sick;
- Get a flu shot (to find a location near you, go to www.vaccinefinder.org); and
- Take good care of your physical and mental health in order to prevent other medical issues or emergencies that could add even more strain to our hospitals and health infrastructure. If you need emotional support, call the Safe + Strong Helpline at 1-800-923-HELP (4357). Help is free and available 24/7, with language interpreters also available.
For more information and guidance on how to take good care of yourself, please check out the coronavirus page that I’ve been updating on my website, which is full of important tips and resources that can help our communities and businesses to weather this storm. Be sure to check back every now and again to make sure you’re up to date on the latest information and links.
The bottom line is -- especially in light of this new guidance -- we need to stay vigilant to avoid another coronavirus spike in Oregon, even though it’s burdensome. Other generations made incredible sacrifices to overcome wars, depressions, and more. The least we can do is wear a mask and limit our close contacts with people to beat this virus. We can’t forget that we’re all in this together, and that we owe it to ourselves and to our family, friends, loved ones, and neighbors to rise to this challenge. Let’s keep doing our part, and drive the coronavirus into the ground.
All my best,
Jeff |
