The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr.
Anthony Fauci, issued a disturbing warning on Tuesday during a White House briefing that Americans everywhere need to change the way they live their lives. Right now.
“We would like the country to realize that as a nation, we can’t be doing the kinds of things we were doing a few months ago. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a state that has no cases or one case,” Fauci said, referring Americans to the new federal Coronavirus.gov website for details on precautions to take at work, at home and in the world.
“If and when the infections will com, and they will come, sorry to say, sad to say, when you’re dealing with an infectious disease… we want to be where the infection is going to be, as well as where it is… Everybody should say, ‘All hands on deck” Fauci added.
If you thought COVID-19 was no big deal or if you thought it was going to go away, wake up, because your life is about to change and here are the reasons why:
1. Rising deaths worldwide
The worldwide death toll has surpassed 4,200, still mostly in China.
But at least 168 coronavirus patients died in Italy in the past day, a sharp rise. While in the US, there are more than 1,000 cases of the novel coronavirus according to the state and local health agencies, governments and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to CNN Health’s tally of US cases that are detected and tested in the United States through US public health systems, there are cases in 37 states and the District of Columbia. Thirty-one people have died. That’s a fraction of the population.
But this is far from over.
Another patient who had been there died Tuesday, bringing the total to 19 from that site alone. It’s still not clear how that outbreak started. Employees have now been tested at the site after a long delay when only patients were screened.
Just determining who has the virus has been a struggle. In California, new commercial labs manufacturing testing kits are coming online, joining facilities in 18 states.
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Infected people work for Barclays. The New York Port Authority. There’s a New York City medic whose girlfriend is a flight attendant. (Note: CDC says you aren’t likely to get it simply from recirculated air in a plane.)
A one-square-mile area will have all schools and facilities closed in Westchester County, New York (a circle drawn around the synagogue attended by the lawyer who was patient zero there). Closed libraries in Rancho Mirage, California. Banned large gatherings in Santa Clara County, California.
Closed schools in Elk Grove, outside Sacramento. A staff member’s spouse potentially having it shuttered all schools in one Long Island district for a day. You don’t realize how many people you come into contact with until you think about it.
So much of the US economy is built on services. Will we reach a place where restaurants are closed? They’ve been restricted in Italy. So many American workers depend on being in the same place as other people. Already travel and hotel industries are suffering.
6. Silver linings
There are deals to be had. But if you’re at risk, travel may not be a good idea. Costco is doing well. It’s limiting water sales in some places. Shelves are empty because of panicked preppers. Markets rebounded after massive drops Monday.