Fresno better finally be ready to take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously. Here’s why
Here’s a question for everyone living within the sound of my keyboard:
Are we, as a region, finally ready to take this pandemic seriously?
I used “we” intentionally because it’s inclusive. Because it’s going to take each of our combined efforts to rid Fresno and the central San Joaquin Valley of COVID-19 and return to some sense of normalcy.
All of us have to contribute to this effort — not some of us or most. Or else the curve of cases, hospitalizations and, lastly, deaths will continue to rise. We either take the pandemic seriously, or we’ll be mired in it indefinitely. Those are our only two choices.
Back when this was all new, in March and April, a little skepticism was understandable. Elected officials undertook drastic measures to contain the virus even though the numbers of positive cases were low and our hospitals largely empty.
It was only natural to question whether we’d gone overboard, which a lot of folks did — loudly.
That is no longer the case. The surge doctors and health professionals warned us about months ago is here. There are currently 242 COVID-19 patients hospitalized throughout Fresno County, 45 of whom are in intensive care. A month ago, there were 72 hospitalized and 13 in intensive care.
If those numbers maintain their current trajectories, by mid August we’re really going to be screwed. (Even if the county does open a 250-bed field hospital at the Fresno Convention Center, there remains a not-so-little matter over who’s going to staff it.) Things have gotten so desperate that county officials issued a call for any trained medical personnel.
What are the easiest steps you, I and everyone else can take to prevent our health care facilities from being overwhelmed?
Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County’s interim health officer, prescribed three that you’ve undoubtedly heard before: Wear a mask when in public; maintain physical distance from others; and stay home unless you have an essential errand.
“This is everyone’s responsibility,” Vohra said. “This is not about the hospitals saving us from this pandemic or not necessarily about (the Department of Public Health) saving the county. This is about every single person having a role to play.”
There is still much about COVID-19 that we don’t understand. But one thing we know for certain is it’s an equal opportunity infector.
Novel coronavirus doesn’t care about your political beliefs. It doesn’t care if you’re deeply religious or a staunch atheist. It doesn’t care if your kids attend public or private school. It doesn’t care about the tone of your skin or whether you’re rich or poor, even though poor minorities are bearing the brunt.
The only thing that matters is whether enough droplets from an infected person make it to your mouth, nose and eyes.
After that, it’s a lottery.
Wear a mask for selfish reasons
The New York Times this week compiled a detailed map of who’s wearing masks throughout the U.S., based on 250,000 survey responses taken this month. Click on the Fresno area and you’ll see a mosaic of shades. In some ZIP codes, up to 84% of respondents answered they “always” wore masks in public when they expect to be within six feet of another person. In others, it’s as low as 61%.
That may seem like a solid majority, though obviously it hasn’t been enough. Otherwise our case and hospitalization numbers wouldn’t be where they are. Nor would we find ourselves on California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s watch list.
“The data is clearly there, that masking works,” Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said this week. “If we could get everybody to wear a mask right now, I really do think that in the next four, six, eight weeks, we could bring this epidemic under control.”
Think about that for a second. One of the country’s leading infectious disease experts believes we could bring COVID-19 to its knees in two months or less – provided everyone wore masks.
Even if you distrust government and the media or don’t have an empathetic bone in your body, do it for completely selfish reasons.
Want to see school campuses reopen this fall? Wear a mask.
Want to dine at your favorite restaurant or drink at your favorite bar? Wear a mask.
Want to see live music or attend a sporting event? Wear a mask.
The longer some of us ignore or disregard the simplest of health guidelines, the longer none of us get to do any of these things. It’s a direct cause and effect.
Where Fresnans are infected
One more inconvenient truth: Most local cases aren’t being spread at warehouses, meat-packing plants or skilled nursing facilities.
Rather, Fresno County residents who catch COVID-19 are more likely to be infected at home, or at the homes of friends and family.
“More than anything, it’s really being passed along in households,” Vohra said. “It’s really gatherings among households, small parties, maybe backyard functions that we know are happening. All of that is really driving this transmission, and all of that has to stop right now even though that’s very hard to hear.”
The truth often is.
Are we finally ready to take the pandemic seriously, Fresno? We’d better be, because if not our circumstances will only get worse.
