As Michigan and the rest of the country ease the restrictions that we’ve placed during the worst of the pandemic, how do we as individuals and families safely and responsibly engage with society? I want to briefly outline some common sense, practical things to keep in mind:
1. Be ok with a change in plans.
It’s going to happen. And if you don’t flow with it someone could get sick. Our pre-COVID19 culture taught us never to miss work for a mild cough. We can’t tolerate that right now. It’s not an easy shift to make. It means telling grandma we can’t come visit because Johnny has a fever. It means postponing a birthday party because you have a new cough.
2. If you are traveling, be aware of the situation in the area.
Within Michigan, this website can give you an idea of how the various regions in the state are doing controlling the pandemic, and how significant the restrictions are or aren’t. If you are planning travel out of the state, this organization grades states on how they are doing with COVID cases, testing and hospital capacity, contact tracing and then collates it all into a color coded map. This doesn’t necessarily tell you whether you should go there or not, but it will give you an idea of how another state is doing compared to us/others. A quick google search for the states health department will likely inform you of any restrictions. Some parts of the country are doing pretty well (MI for example) and others seem to be turning for the worse.
3. Remember what risk is.
Risk does not mean certainty, it’s a probability. Risk applies better to large groups of people, to populations. It’s hard to apply risk to one person or family. We all take risks every day. When we get in our car and drive to work, there is risk. Over the next year, there is a 1 in 106 chance that you will die in a car accident. That doesn’t mean we don’t drive cars anymore. It does mean that we recognize that there is a chance that things could go very wrong, and we do what we can to mitigate that risk - we wear seat belts, we stay sober, we don’t text while driving, we tell our kids to be quiet in the back so they don’t distract us.
4. Keep in mind that some settings/events are significantly riskier than others.
Higher risk: indoor events, large groups, being around others without masks
Lower risk: outdoor events, small groups, being around those wearing masks
5. Keep in mind the personal risk factors.
These are things that should make you think twice about visiting certain people. Note what I said there – “think twice” - not a hard “don’t go”. These are people who are more likely to die or have a harder time if they should catch COVID-19, and you should have a candid discussion with them about how much risk everyone is comfortable taking. People you should think twice about are those:
over age 50 but especially over 60,
those with chronic lung diseases Such as asthma or COPD
those with diabetes
those with chronic liver or kidney disease requiring dialysis
those with immune systems that are somehow compromised
those with severe heart Conditions
those who are severely obese
6. Look out for others.
Keep in mind the things that you and your family do may put others at risk when you are around them. The family with children having sleepovers every night with a different friend is placing Grandma at much higher risk than the family that has been fairly isolated in the past 2 weeks. Going out with any symptoms immediately increases the risk for those around you. When asymptomatic (without symptoms), wearing a mask is annoying, but definitely decreases the risk of you spreading COVID-19 to someone else before you know
7. Testing is wide open
Michigan has made it a goal to test 30,000 people every day, about double what we are currently doing. Testing sites are all over the place, and are free most of the time. Anyone with symptoms can get tested, anyone who has been exposed can get tested and a large number of people without symptoms can get tested if they meet certain criteria, such as leaving the house to go to work.
Sorry this went on so long. I hope it’s helpful as you think about the upcoming summer.