As we enter the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, it’s essential that we continue to socially distance. We are one of the lucky states here in North West Ohio compared to most of the states and cities. I would like to thank Governor Mike DeWine as he did an excellent job by closing all schools when the numbers in the state were only in the single digits. As you may know, COVID-19 is a community disease, which means that everyone plays a vital role in reducing the burden of the disease in the community. Promedica hospital is doing everything it can to make it best possible so that that patient care will be delivered appropriately. Currently, all COVID-19 patients are getting admitted to BayPark hospital. Now, it is the silence before the storm, as though we are waiting for a Level-5 Hurricane. The Ohio Department of Health has announced that because of social distancing, the projected amount of cases per day during our peak is 1600. That is significantly less than the initial 40,000 case projection they made just a few weeks back. Social distancing is working.
''If 1.2 billion population can practice social distancing in India, so that they have <1 COVID-19 positive per million cases why it is not possible with any other country'' .Tenacity and self-determination are the only keys. That zeal of helping our own community should come from within, every government will give all the good advice but its 'pupil' who can make a difference...
If we all continue to socially distance, we can decrease the burden of the disease in the community. You can see it in China. According to one research paper, when China was getting hit with this epidemic in January, researchers were trying to understand how much of the population will be getting this disease. They used exponential logarithms in statistics and estimated that at least 2,28,000 people will get affected by February 28. China did several controlling methods, including stringent protocols, to maintain social distancing, which decreased the burden to only 83,000.
Just because we have been socially distancing for a few weeks doesn’t mean we should stop. One problem we face right now is that many people believe that getting the coronavirus is like getting the flu. Most people, when they have the flu, take it rather lightly and continue going out of their house. We are still learning about the risk factors for the disease. Initially, in China, mortality was high among the elderly, but in the United States and Italy, young people are also getting infected and dying. This uncertainty is due to several mutations and causing increasing virulence. Some people with COVID-19 have said that they feel as though they’re drowning in water.
Only 'You' can make a difference in the community. There’s a civic responsibility we have to continue to keep ourselves at home and stop the spread of COVID-19. Every person can make a difference; curbing the virus is in 'Our hands'.
'New York park signs about social distancing'
Thanks, everyone for your time in reading my blog
Mamtha Balla, MD, MPH
Clinical Assistant Professor/ Hospitalist
Department of Internal Medicine,
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