Social Distancing: April Distance Brings May Existence
Editorial Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the staff writer of this editorial article do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Journalism class nor those of Caledonia High School and Caledonia Community Schools and their official policies. This article is student work that expresses an individual student’s opinions as they develop their writing and communication skills as young journalists. The author of each article published on this web site owns their own words.
Covid-19 (Coronavirus) is a recent and highly infectious disease as described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as they highly recommend social distancing as prevention. It is known that Covid-19 can be transferred easily through close interactions and cold like symptoms such as coughing and sneezing.
The CDC has additionally issued that “limiting face-to-face contact with others is the best way to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)”. The specifications of social distancing includes to stay at least six feet apart from others, no group gatherings, as well as to stay out of crowded areas.
If social distancing, otherwise known as “quarantine”, were ended it would lead to an outrageous spike in cases and deaths for which no one would be prepared. Why won’t one? Imagine mass death and sickness, escalated from the numbers now… Your very own loved ones and friends suffering from the virus with no cure.
Through the practice of social distancing, close contact is minimized thereby reducing the harmful spread that can lead to serious illness or worse, death. The Michigan “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order put in place by governor Gretchen Whitmer resembles that of at least 42 other states across the United States and is intended to keep its citizens safe as there are upwards of eighty nine thousand confirmed cases and fifty thousand confirmed deaths.
Highly renowned scientists (specifically, infectious disease experts) have published promising data that social distancing has been on the forefront of flattening the curve and that “aggressive mitigation measures, such as social distancing and the closure of nonessential businesses, should continue”. This further exemplifies why social distancing is working and should be continued.
Furthermore, social distancing is indeed working and “flattening the curve” as stated previously; therefore, it is projected that by August the United States death toll will reach only about sixty thousand rather than the originally projected one hundred thousand deaths. This is giving cautious hope to those who propose that by early summer the outbreak may be controlled due to social distancing, giving a shining light to those who are jobless.
Through these successful measures it is evident that social distancing is succeeding in reducing the transmission of Covid-19 and should be continuously followed in the coming months to return to normality.
