Addressing Coronavirus Concerns

[Director PYSF]

Hello All—

As you are all aware, there is an outbreak of the Coronavirus world-wide.  There are many unknowns around the virus, which can foster worry and concern.  When confronted with worry I like to focus on what is in our control, and look to experts for guidance.  

As of this writing, 81,000 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in 45 countries, including the United States, with a world-wide death toll of just over 2,770. By comparison, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that in the United States alone, the 2019-2020 flu season has hospitalized 280,000 people, and resulted in 16,000 deaths.

People in the U.S. are at vastly greater risk of serious health concerns from the flu than coronavirus, at least for the foreseeable future. That being said, PYSF would like to err on the side of caution.  The CDC has a list of countries that are at level 2 and level 3 for coronavirus. Countries currently at these levels of risk are China, South Korea, Iran, Italy and Japan.  Anyone that has traveled to, or lives in the same household as someone who has visited the affected areas in these countries should not come to PYSF for a 2-week period.

To help reduce the spread of any illness, including the flu, health care professionals encourage:

• Cover your cough and sneeze.
• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Stay home when you’re sick (fever, cough, respiratory difficulty).
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Again, while there are unknowns about the Coronavirus and how it is spread, let us all take comfort in what we can do to protect ourselves.  Let’s err on the side of caution and listen to the professionals.  —Molly