1/6. A lot of info about the coronavirus has become known in just the past 24 hrs. & we now know several things:
1. It is serious. What is happening in Italy shows that an adv. first-world health care system can be overwhelmed by this disease.
2. It will spread to other places.
1. It is serious. What is happening in Italy shows that an adv. first-world health care system can be overwhelmed by this disease.
2. It will spread to other places.
2/6.
3. The death rate is much higher than the flu.
4. The only prac. thing we can do is to slow the spread of the virus so that cases can be spread out over a longer per. of time, thus allowing our health care sys. to be able to cope.
5. Key to doing so is "social distancing."
3. The death rate is much higher than the flu.
4. The only prac. thing we can do is to slow the spread of the virus so that cases can be spread out over a longer per. of time, thus allowing our health care sys. to be able to cope.
5. Key to doing so is "social distancing."
3/6. Given all this, what should be the Xian response? We should avoid panic & be prudent. God gave us our brains to use in situations like this & taking precautions is not a sign of a lack of faith. What then, should we do? Basically, anything that slows the spread of the virus.
4/6. We need to understand that not catching this virus is not a matter of being selfish. It is a way of serving our neighbour. The fewer people get it & longer we can avoid it means less stress for our health care professionals & more capacity to take care of the sick.
5/6. One practical thing we should do is prepare to be house-bound for a couple of weeks if necessary. Get prescriptions filled. Stock up on Advil & Tylenol & on household supplies. Make sure the fridge & freezer are full. Check on elderly neighbours. Avoid large crowds.
6/6. We should pray for our churches, our families, our seniors, our health care professionals, our country and the world. We should especially remember the countries hardest hit: China, Iran and Italy.
