Letter for March 2020

Hello everyone. have you been wondering how I am preparing myself for  Covid 19? Well, at work, (in the Richmond hospital) there is a noticable tension. People are bracing themselves. Nobody knows what to expect. I have been a certified N95 respirator fit tester for several years. Every staff member is supposed to get tested for which mask is the correct fit for them every year. Usually I have to nag people to come to me. It is usually low on the list of their priorities. This past week, doctors and nurses have been lining up to be tested. People are begging me to stay late after work to test them. Health care providers may not have any choice but to have close contact with covid 19 infected patients.  The truth is Covid 19 is a droplet precaution virus. If you are more than a meter away from someone who has the virus, the N95 respirators are not necessary. Covid 19 is not believed to be airborne, like Measles or TB. That's the good news. Then why is it that it seems to be so hard to contain? If someone with covid 19 coughs or sneezes out droplets, the droplets can spread onto surfaces up to one meter away. They might also cough into their hands, and then then touch a surface.The germs may live on the surface for quite some time. At this point nobody seems to know how long. That is why you hear over and over to wash your hands. Don't touch your face when you are out in public.

Do I think it is safe to attend a public gathering held in a building such as Brookswood, or Seniors Come Share?  At this point the risk is still considered very low. We can still go out and about, enjoying these days. There are some things to be mindful of though. We don't know who has been in contact with the virus. It seems that some people can have the virus before showing symtoms. We don't know if surfaces we touch have germs or not. I purchased some anti bacterial wipes at the store the other day. I have been frequently wiping surfaces around me to disinfect places I will touch. I may be going to Brookswood this coming week on Wednesday. If I do, I will be wiping down the table that will be in front of me before and after I use it. I will wash my hands with soap frequently, and I will try not to touch my face. I have been looking for a purse sized waterless hand sanitizer, but this is hard to find. For now I will just be using good old soap and water which is very effective.  By taking these precautions, I feel that I am doing the correct things to stay safe. Some people in the community are wearing masks when out. Masks do provide some protection to the people around them if the person wearing the mask has a cough. Masks also provide some protection to people that are caring for others that are coughing. Masks are not being recommeded for healthy people to be wearing just as a precaution.

If I do need to self quarantine at some point, at least I know I have enough quilting projects that could keep me busy for a couple of weeks! Quilters probably don't mind self quarantining themselves as much as some other people. Hopefully it doesn't get to that, but I think I could handle it.

I hope you and your loved ones all stay healthy during this time!

Hope to see you at the next meeting. Remember, if you do feel ill--stay home.

Gloria