There’s a certain kind of all-or-nothing fatalism I’ve noticed creeping into some people lately. It goes something like this: “If I can’t completely cut myself off from everyone, then I’ll get infected anyway, so why bother trying anything different?†This mindset is flawed. Don’t let it take over—social distancing and flattening the curve aren’t just about isolating completely or avoiding all human contact.
Even if you’re not ready to hunker down like a turtle, you can still play your part in protecting yourself and helping society overcome COVID-19. Here’s how:
- Take small steps that collectively reduce your chances of infection and help slow the spread throughout your community.
- Acknowledge that each passing day poses a higher risk than the last.
Small Steps Add Up
You don’t have to live in a bunker to manage infection risks. Instead, focus on making tiny adjustments that, when combined, significantly lower your chances of exposure. For instance, staying farther apart from others, frequently washing your hands, avoiding large gatherings, and limiting interactions to small groups or one-on-one meetings can make a big difference.
To understand how these actions work together, consider how you handle risks while driving: wearing a seatbelt, signaling turns, obeying speed limits, avoiding distractions—all of these contribute to safer travel. Similarly, adopting multiple precautionary habits creates a safer environment for you and those around you compared to doing nothing at all.
Risk Increases Daily
The number of SARS-CoV-2 cases continues to grow daily, likely reaching your area already. With the number of infections potentially doubling every six days or sooner, your exposure risk doubles too.
In light of this, here’s what you should do:
- Gradually decrease the size of the crowds you encounter. This might mean shopping during off-hours or moving to less populated areas. Each day makes it even more crucial to surround yourself with fewer people than before.
- Reasonably increase your use of personal protective gear. While you don’t need full hazmat suits for basic errands, wearing gloves is practical. If you’re older or high-risk, wearing face coverings along with gloves is wise if you must visit crowded places where the virus is present.
- Take calculated social risks to minimize physical danger. For example, if you’re working a retail counter and notice an ill customer approaching, discreetly excuse yourself under the guise of needing the restroom. Start using sick leave earlier than planned. Be bold and innovative in finding ways to stay distant as situations evolve.
My Household’s Approach
Today was supposed to mark our total lockdown, but plans changed slightly. When I woke up this morning, I roughly estimated that in my town near Austin, there aren’t many confirmed COVID-19 cases yet. I based this guess on the small population size, lack of talk about infections locally, and short emergency room wait times advertised on billboards.
Of course, my assessment isn’t scientific, but it’s the best judgment call I could make given the available information. My wife and I had a misunderstanding on Wednesday regarding her therapy appointments scheduled for today. She asked if she should cancel them, and I thought I said yes, but she thought I meant “I don’t know.†Consequently, she kept the appointments.
Neither of us liked this outcome, so we decided to proceed cautiously. We deemed a group of eight people an acceptable risk and implemented additional precautions:
- Turn away any clients showing symptoms, no matter how polite it feels.
- Use plenty of hand sanitizer and clean surfaces thoroughly between sessions.
- Sit farther away from clients in the office.
- Go straight home afterward without stopping anywhere.
We’re not thrilled with these measures, but they represent our best effort to mitigate risks. They’re not perfect, but we hope they’ll suffice.
Meanwhile, I visited Walmart for essential supplies. It wasn’t crowded, and I wore gloves, a mask, and sunglasses. The shades aren’t ideal protection, but they helped me gauge reactions from behind them. Shelves were mostly empty, and a couple of people gave me odd looks, though I wasn’t alone in wearing PPE.
I hope sharing my experience helps others facing similar dilemmas. Even though we’re prepared, we haven’t fully isolated ourselves yet. Our kids are home from school, cared for by a close friend staying with us temporarily. We’re still weighing options and doing our best to reduce risks incrementally.
Even if you can’t adopt extreme measures, don’t despair. Assess local conditions honestly and act accordingly. Be more willing than usual to inconvenience others or yourself for safety’s sake. Prepare to act differently socially than usual.
By taking even small steps, you can meaningfully reduce your infection odds. Not only will this protect you, but it will also help prevent spreading the virus and free up medical resources for severe cases. #FlattenTheCurve
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