Super Spreader Sunday
This weekend marks the kickoff of Super Bowl LV (55) between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs in Tampa, Florida. It does not matter if you are a fan of either team, or a fan of football in general, the Super Bowl has become one of the biggest social events of the year. Countless millions will gather in homes, clubs, or other social venues to either watch the game or the phenomenal advertising segments that to many, add more to the festivities. A year ago, there were a handful of confirmed cases of COVID-19 and America went about its business as usual, celebrating with friends and families as we all watched crowning achievements in both football and advertising. Today we live in a different world.
Yesterday, February 4, saw the daily death toll of COVID-19 breach the 5,000 mark in the United States, for the first time. As the nation passed 26.3 million confirmed cases and as we close in on 450,000 death to date overall (CDC COVID Dashboard), there is hope as more Americans are getting the vaccines to help protect against the ravages of this nasty disease. As we slowly crawl towards warm weather where we can all get back outside again, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. As I look forward to the vaccination and spring like weather, I do so with a weary eye on current events and an ever-shifting virus. There is concern that this Sunday will be looked upon as a Super Spreader date in hindsight with so many people planning to gather to celebrate the traditional climax of the football season. The chance to break from the solitary lifestyle and the cold and dreary weather with a friendly gathering is very inviting as many people are struggling with isolation brought about by the pandemic. As people see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, there is a real risk that safety standards may be relaxed, and another COVID-19 bloom may raise its ugly head even further.
Safety protocols must be maintained and encouraged this weekend if you are planning to attend an event with people outside your normal contact pod. Even within your pod, you should always maintain best practices of safety, but considering the number of people who are planning on watching the came outside their pod, please be careful. As a reminder, best practices (even if you’re vaccinated) are to maintain social distancing, the wearing of face masks, washing your hands frequently, and to not share common dishes (think a big bowl of popcorn for the party or chip and dips). The idea is to keep each other safe…caution is the key word for the weekend so we might all enjoy the big game with the knowledge that we are doing our best to keep our friends and loved ones safe.
Look beyond today and plan for tomorrow…stay safe out there and remember, take care of yourself and each other, we are all in this together.
Wm Reid
Best Home Care Services
325 N Eastern Ave
Connersville, IN 47331
765-827-9833