From the Trenches
- I want to share with you how seriously people in the medical field take this virus. I have several friends who work in the Emergency Dept. (ED). When they return home after a shift, they strip down to underwear in the garage. Clothes go into the washer or into a clothes hamper. Shoes do not enter the house. Some dip the soles of their shoes into a light bath of Clorox and water. Why? Because we know that live virus can live on paper and clothing for some hours. If you leave them for a day, any attached virus will be dead. I do not work in an ED. Nonetheless, we have been instructed to do the same with our clothing each day. My shoes are shed at the door and I switch into house slippers.
- What advice do I have for those of you not hanging outwith sick people everyday? Your home is your fortress; keep virus out. Have some hand sanitizer in your pocket and clean your hands before touching your car keys or door knob.
- Leave your shoes at the doorway and switch to house shoes. Then of course, all the other stuff: social distancing, hand washing, cough/sneeze into your elbow (its a dance move called the Dab), etc. Do get outside and walk everyday - for at least 20 minutes. Check on someone who is elderly and/or lives alone - offer to grocery shop and deliver their groceries to their front door. They are precisely the people we want to keep out of the grocery store!
- China was on complete lockdown for 2 months and they have just recently experienced several days of no new cases. So they are turning the corner. Do NOT be lulled into hopefulness that everything will return to normal in a few weeks because Trump says so. Notice that the medical experts are no longer at his side when he pontificates.
- I’ve included this article by Dr. Larry Brilliant, an unconventional epidemiologist who speaks of past outbreaks and oversaw the eradication of all polio on earth in the 90’s. Of course, it has reemerged in the US secondary to anti-vaccers. He’s been there, done that. The first part of the article is stuff in which you are now well-schooled. Pay attention to the last part of the article, “How will we know when we’re through this?” There is also a link to his Ted Talk of 14-years ago, where he describes the next pandemic. Now that we’re here, his talk is prescient. Given that, I urge you to listen to doctors and politicians willing to heed their counsel.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/03/the-doctor-who-helped-defeat-smallpox-explains-whats-coming/
Hand Sanitizer Recipe:
Leave your shoes OUTSIDE:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8153619/Infectious-disease-specialists-warn-COVID-19-survive-soles-shoes-five-days.html?ITO=applenews
Stay safe y’all. Lotsa Aloha and virtual hugs ~ Lorin
