Covid 19 Rapid Reponse: What You Can Do Now

Last update: March 12

Dear friend,

The administration failed us, but we can dissect that later. Time is of the essence: we can still act and must act quickly to mitigate harm. We need local leaders, states, the private sector, and all of us to step up now. Guangzhou acted early (when they had seven cases and zero deaths) while Wuhan waited until it had hundreds of cases and many deaths. The loss of life in Guanzhou (while still high) was much lower than in Wuhan. As of this writing, Minnesota has nine cases and zero deaths. All of us have a stake as we are potential links in branching chains of transmission that may quickly overload our healthcare system and create a serious crisis. In Italy, doctors are having to ration care; its first-rate medical system is now teetering on the brink of collapse. Taiwan, by contrast, has kept cases to 45 and one death, largely because it acted decisively when transmission rate was unclear. It also relied on its history with SARS rather than waiting for cues from the WHO.

What needs to happen is immediate social distancing: minimizing in-person contact to stop the disease spread. Detailed explanation in the op-ed I co-authored with infectious disease epidemiologist Dr. Nicole Basta: cancel non-essential gatherings, work from home if possible, postpone appointments, maintain distances of at least six feet from others. It seems extreme but it’s necessary to avoid worse situation later. In the absence of a vaccine, this is the main tool we have because Covid19 is highly contagious. According to infectious disease epidemiologist Michael Osterholm, hand-washing is insufficient because Covid19 may be spread by breathing. We cannot wait; as Dr. Nicole Basta points out, we need to act before community spread is recognized.

We each have a role to play. The goal is to slow the spread to buy the healthcare system precious time to expand capacity and prepare for peak demand. If we reach a Wuhan-level spread, it will overwhelm the healthcare system, imperiling *all* health care, not just Covid19. As a journalist, I worry the media may not be nimbly pivoting from being descriptive to prescriptive. If we can effectively start social distancing immediately, we will save lives.

Please share widely, especially with groups identified below.

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If you are a POLITICAL LEADER: Please talk with infectious disease epidemiologists to understand why we need to act now before more cases occur in our communities. Policies will be most effective if done BEFORE community spread is recognized. Please quickly enact effective and equitable policies to promote and enforce social distancing and other policies as recommended by experts.

If you are a CELEBRITY or someone with A LARGE FOLLOWING: We can use “norms” psychology here. People are influenced by what they see as popular and desirable. Find a message that will speak to your audience and promote social distance. Show how you are doing it yourself. Every person who avoids getting infected breaks a link in the chain and saves lives.

If you are someone connected to the above, please pass along.

If you are in the MEDIA: Please stop using phrases like “amid coronavirus fears.” This frames action as irrational response rather than necessary and rational mitigation strategy. Explain in clear, calm, rational language what we need to do to protect all of us. Days matter and your message will save lives. Dr. Osterholm said this morning at New York Academy of Sciences he is extremely frustrated with media’s coverage and its “fear of creating panic.” It is imperative to share the likely outcome so people can prepare and know what to do to prevent spread. Please elevate voices of infectious disease epidemiologists rather than solely infectious disease MDs.

If you are a HEALTHCARE PROVIDER: Thank you for your service. We will need you more than ever in the coming weeks. Please practice self-care so you can maintain your own well-being.

If you are an EMPLOYER: please read the op-ed linked above and allow employees to work from home. If not possible, keep distance of at least six feet.

If you are a LEADER: please follow tremendous leadership of UCSB Chancellor Henry Yang and get *in front* of this. He compares each case to an “ember that starts a fire” and took action at UCSB *before* cases appeared. He is a mechanical engineering professor with keen understanding of exponential growth. Excellent example of communication and leadership.

If you are a TRANSLATOR: please do what you can to make sure up to date information is available in Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Amharic, etc. Our immigrant communities will be especially vulnerable.

If you are A PERSON: Call your representatives, tell your family and friends. And practice love, kindness, and compassion. This is going to get really hard. Medical experts expect “normal life” to be disrupted for one to two months at least.

Please share widely. If you know someone with a large following, please share.

Additional resources:

When Do We Start Social Distancing? Now

What Exactly is Social Distancing?

Politicians, Community Leaders, and Business Leaders: What you should do and when

Complete interview with Michael Osterholm, pandemic expert on infectious disease epidemiology

Channel 4 Interview with Richard Hatchett, head of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness

UCSB Chancellor Henry Yang’s explanation of his actions

Am currently putting together a list of experts for media/others to consult. Please reach out if you would like this list.