Over the past week, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in the U.S. has more than doubled. It’s become apparent that previous numbers were low, in part, because we weren’t testing people for it. We now know that there has been ongoing community spread, but to what extent is unclear.
For now, most American schools and offices are open, and few public gatherings have been canceled. Life goes on for most people, but with more push alerts and uncertainty about what to do. Hopefully, the virus will hit various areas in waves, scattering disease over a longer period of time, so that people can be treated and society remains functional. A less preferable scenario would be that too many people in a given area are out of commission and in need of medical care. If this happens, cities and states may go into shutdown modes to block further viral spread, disrupting the economy and everyday life.
Read: The official coronavirus numbers are wrong, and everyone knows it
Everyone can help in the effort to prevent this from happening. Unlike many global-health issues that depend on orchestration at the highest levels of government, individual behaviors matter in an immediate sense. The demographic most likely to survive an infection—the young and healthy—may need to pay the closest attention to preventive measures. These are the people who will spread the disease while believing that they have only a cold. They can infect the elderly, or people who have chronic diseases or immune conditions, who are less likely to survive.
A lot of advice is going around, both good and bad. I hope it’s helpful to compile some good information in one place. Much of what follows is not original—generally don’t trust health advice that no one else is giving—and please bear in mind that any guidance can and should change as the situation develops, and that local health departments and personal physicians may need to tailor recommendations for specific scenarios. That said, here are preventive measures that people are considering at the moment, and some notes that are worth your time and attention.
