I’m Not A Health Professional, But You Should Really Wash Your Hands
In the midst of a Coronavirus pandemic, logical and cautious decision making can literally save lives.
First thing’s first, I am not any sort of health professional. I hold no formal training nor do I profess to have all (or even any) of the answers. I am just a normal guy who is paying attention to current events in the world like everyone else.
Enter: Coronavirus.
Recently classified by the World Health Organization as a Pandemic, the virus is spreading throughout the world at alarming rates, causing entire schools and colleges to close, whole countries to be on lockdown, the NBA to suspend ALL games, and we are beginning to hear about celebrities, athletes, politicians, and public figures being infected. People are dying.
So, why is some random guy on the internet writing about it?
I’m 34 years old and (I think) healthy. Statistically, if I were to contract the virus, I’d probably be okay. Though, the entire experience would suck.
I’ve seen many of my peers of a similar age say the same thing. What they’re also saying, though, is that this means they’re not going to take any preventative action.
They’ll go about their day because even if they get it, it probably won’t be fatal.
While this is true, now is not the time to be selfish and think only of ourselves. As far as we know, none of us is fully immune to the virus, which means you can still contract it. Which means you could potentially spread it to someone who IS at risk. A grandparent, a peer at work, someone at your school. Anyone.
Or, perhaps you contract it and spread it to an equally healthy friend, who then spreads it to one of their older peers who cannot fight it off.
OR, maybe you survive but end up hospitalized and accrue enormous medical bills because of the time you spent there.
All because you refused to wash your hands a little extra, or work from home.
Listen, I’m not saying we all need to lock ourselves in our homes for the next month and avoid all human contact — though I know some of us are tempted. What I am saying is that it is socially and morally irresponsible to only think of ourselves during a global pandemic.
Respiratory issues in people of ALL ages put them at higher risk of death. And the wider it spreads, the more of these people it will find.
Just because it won’t kill you doesn’t mean you’re not spreading it.
Here’s an uncomfortable truth: The amount of men I’ve seen leave public restrooms without washing their hands is staggering.
What this tells me is that many people do not take basic measures to protect themselves or others against bacteria, germs, or disease.
Which means during an international health crisis many people need to literally be re-trained to…just…wash their hands.
So I’m asking you, not as any sort of professional or expert, but just as a fellow human being like everyone reading this, consider what you can do to help cull the spreading of this or any other virus.
Don’t do it for me, though. Or even yourself. Do it for those you care about who wouldn’t be so fortunate if it somehow made its way to them.
You could quite literally save lives.
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