Social Distancing Saves Lives: MarketWatch

More than half the global population could eventually be infected with COVID-19, and the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are especially vulnerable. Sudden outbreaks can overwhelm health systems with limited staff, hospital beds and equipment. Already US testing capacity is stressed. To avoid disaster, public health experts advise avoiding large gatherings and maintaining social distance with vigilance on hygiene. “Rather than letting the virus quickly rampage through the population and burn itself out fast, the idea is to spread all those infections out over a longer period of time,” reports Matthew McQueen for MarketWatch. This will allow “the health care infrastructure gain invaluable time to respond to the crisis” and reduce deaths. Social distancing requires avoiding crowds, mass gatherings and staying two meters away from other individuals. Listening to advice from public health experts demonstrates consideration for health providers and the elderly, and failure to listen could extend the economic costs. Individuals have tremendous control over the impacts of this crisis. – YaleGlobal