Thread by @DocJeffD

I'm worried about the direction our COIVD-19 outbreak is heading and the increasing impact on the health of our community, our healthcare system and our economy. COVID-19 is a viral wildfire, and we are the fuel. kingcounty.gov/depts/health/c…
1/n

The pandemic fatigue that we’re all experiencing is real. I’m certainly feeling it and I want this outbreak to end yesterday. I also understand that it’s hard to make sacrifices when things may seem OK in your own personal circles. 2/n

Everywhere we gather, especially indoors – at work or socially, in groups for any purpose – recreation, worship, dining, social event or party – poses a risk for spreading COVID-19 = stepped up precautions are needed. Let’s not throw more human logs on the fire. 3/n

We knew from the start that this pandemic posed a relatively long-term challenge and for this reason our response also requires endurance. It hurts to run a marathon, but there will be a finish line when we can relax in the future. 4/n

Yesterday we heard promising news about a vaccine in a late stage clinical trial that could help us bring this outbreak under control sooner. But it won’t be as soon as we’d like. 5/n

Even after one or more vaccines become available, we will need to continue to make "COVID safety" part of our everyday lives for the foreseeable future - including at work, at home, in our social lives, and in the community. 6/n

We need to cut back on non-essential activities & contact with others outside the home, make interactions brief, wear masks when with non-household members, avoid crowded indoor spaces, pay attention to increasing ventilation & generally do things safer, smaller & smarter. 7/n

No matter what we do today, it will take weeks or more to turn current COVID trends around. The cases and illnesses we are seeing today are a direct result of our behaviors & activities a few weeks ago, and what we do today determines where we will be 2-3 weeks from now. 8/n

The status of our healthcare system will be the best indicator of whether additional and/or more directive measures will be needed over the coming days. 9/9