by Dr. Molly O’Dell
We are one week into the Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts campaign called “I’ve Got You Covered,” which promotes the compassionate act of wearing face coverings to protect others. A face covering can be a piece of cloth with rubber bands, a scarf, or bandana which helps reduce the risk of being infected with COVID-19, especially when combined with physical distancing and hand washing. Although this is a new habit that many are still getting used to, wearing a face covering (or not wearing one) can significantly impact how COVID-19 plays out in our community.
As I was entering one of our health departments while wearing my face covering (a scarf with a map of the world) I passed a community member who was dropping off a delivery, but wasn’t wearing a face covering. I asked if she needed one, but she replied that she did not believe in them. Given what we know about the spread of COVID-19, I want to share with you a few real scenarios that have happened right here in our community as a result of not wearing a face covering when entering a public space such as a store or business.
There is a group of construction workers who travel together each day to the job site. The employees are screened for symptoms prior to the start of their work day. Unfortunately, one of the crew members had been exposed to a positive, asymptomatic community contact outside of work. She did not show any signs or symptoms until a week after her exposure. By the time she fell ill at work, she had already traveled to and from the worksite with her crew members for four days. No one in the vehicle wore face coverings. From this one exposure, three additional members of the crew fell ill after their exposure and tested positive for COVID-19.
At a family gathering, the family of three households got together after many months of not being able to see each other. No one in the family was sick and no one wore a face mask at the gathering. Unfortunately, one family member had been exposed to a positive case in the community the day before the gathering. After the family gathering, 5 family members of two households became ill and tested positive for COVID-19.
In a restaurant, staff had been eagerly preparing to reopen their dining room in Phase 2 for several weeks. One evening, a couple of staff members working in the back pulled down their facemask half way toward the end of their shift for a break after cooking and washing dishes all night long. Unfortunately, one of the workers who pulled down his facemask had been exposed to a COVID-19 case but was not showing any symptoms. Three days later, he fell ill. After he tested positive, at least one other crew member had tested positive.
The opportunity to reopen our community is a tempting and exciting one – to get back to familiar places, routines, and people. Unfortunately, the disease is much more prevalent in our community than it was three months ago when the stay at home order began. It is imperative that we reopen carefully in order to keep each other safe, and that requires that we follow the public health guidance.
Join the movement by reminding your friends that covering your face when you have to go out in public protects those around you. Let them know: I’ve Got you Covered!
Dr. Molly O’Dell, is director of communicable disease Roanoke City & Alleghany Health Districts.
