Waynesville Mail

These Four Words Could Save Your Life

The coronavirus pandemic has been with us for nearly a year already and is likely to be around at least until a vaccine is available for us all. Since we are in, as Dr. Anthony Fauci has said, a "hot zone right now, with so many infections around"—what can you do, to keep yourself safe? Read on for the four words that could save your life, and to ensure your health and the health of others.

The pandemic response has been somewhat confusing, since the CDC and WHO agreed too late that people should wear masks to help prevent transmission of the deadly virus. When infected, patients see a wide variety of symptoms, and there are multiple reports that they can linger for months, known as Post-COVID Syndrome. So, it is different than the flu and the common cold. The fall and winter season has also brought seasonal influenza—and a major COVID surge. You don't want to be sharing your air with anyone else but those in your household.

It is important to remember that this virus rapidly spread from a single city to the entire world. The disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is massively spread through human-to-human transmission. That means people are infecting other people and wearing a mask helps prevent that from happening.

Studies have shown that early stay-at-home orders contained COVID-19 the best, and the number one reason for that is because people were not sharing the air they breathe with strangers. Avoid indoor areas, all crowds, and wear your face mask. The number one mistake you can make is not wearing a mask. Here's the bottom line: DON'T SHARE YOUR AIR. Those four words could save your life. Wear a mask.