The SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus is spreading in communities around the world. To minimize the impact of the coming pandemic, we need to slow its spread and thereby keep our healthcare systems from being overwhelmed. Through aggressive sanitation efforts, diligent hand-washing, canceling large gatherings, minimizing travel, teleworking, and similar measures we can flatten out the epidemic curve, keeping the number of people simultaneously infected at a low enough level to be manageable.
The steps we take now, individually and as a community, will determine the trajectory of the epidemic. It is not just a matter of protecting yourself; it is a matter of protecting the most vulnerable among us.
