You can go for a walk

Our new reality is mind blowing, but here we are. And it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

As with any new rule, there are a lot of misunderstandings and questions, so, let’s clear a few things up. First off, you can go for a walk. Just keep your distance from others. The whole idea behind “social distancing” is to not spread the virus if you have it but don’t realize it. The time between contact and symptoms can be as long as 14 days, during which you could be contagious.

You can live your life fairly normally so long as you understand how serious this pandemic is and why we are going through this period. Social distancing is not a quarantine. It is a “keep your distance.”

The disease is going to spread, but by practicing social distancing, we reduce the numbers infected at any one time and possibly slow the pace of new infections. That slowing is is “flattening the curve” to avoid sudden, peak numbers of critically ill patients that will overwhelm our health-care system.

A sample epidemic curve, with and without social distancing. (Image credit: Johannes Kalliauer/ CC BY-SA 4.0)

Right now, in Italy, they are facing the consequences of not reacting quickly enough to this pandemic. Their health care system is overwhelmed. There are simply not enough hospital beds, doctors, nurses and medicines to deal with the number of people who are sick. If we don’t take social distancing seriously, our health care system in America will face the exact same reality.

None of us want that. None of us want to hear that our elderly loved one with heart disease is not going to be treated for this virus because they need the hospital bed for someone with a greater chance of surviving.

But that will happen here if we don’t follow the rules put in place to keep us safe. Following social distancing rules will slow the spread of the virus between people and thus slow the number of people in the hospital at any one time. Being treated for this virus is way better than not being treated for this virus.

The rules are to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others while you are out. A curfew has been put in place from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. in Vicksburg. That curfew will allow first responders the opportunity to minimize the number of people on shift and give them the authority to question anyone out during those hours. That should help all of us sleep easier.

Restaurants will have no dine-in option and only offer to-go plates and curb service. Liquor stores, nail and hair salons and any place where the public gathers may have no more than 10 people—customers and staff—in the building at any one time.

Funerals have been limited to 50 people maximum and can only be held at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The city has made its auditorium available for funerals to allow for social distancing.

If we don’t follow these rules and people congregate and the disease spreads, we will be put in quarantine. None of want that.

Enjoy a walk. Go for a ride. Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer, keep a social distance and please, please don’t spread rumors.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html) and the Mississippi State Health Department (https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/14,0,420.html) should be your main go-to websites for real and credible health information.

Let’s do what Vicksburg always does when faced with a crisis. Let’s work together to minimize the rapid spread of the virus and protect the most vulnerable in our community.