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At long last, the CDC has issued a recommendation that folks wear masks when they must leave their homes. Please do not confuse mask wearing with invulnerability. The mask is to protect others from germs you may not know you're spreading as well as to do a "better than nothing" job of protecting you from germs others spray. Staying at home is still the best protection against infection.
We're solidly in the "something is better than nothing" camp, so use what you can. Painter's mask? Great. Bandana? Fantastic. Scarf wrapped around your nose and mouth? (Hot, but again better than nothing.) Want to sew your own mask? There are lots of patterns out there. Here's one from the New York Times. And here's a super simple no-sew mask. Be well. And mask up.
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Seniors who need extra support at this time can now sign up for assistance, including meal delivery, delivery of non-perishable food items, and daily wellness-check calls, through the MDHHS coronavirus website (click here).
In addition, Focus Hope delivers meals to home-bound low-income seniors 60 and older. Call 313-494-4600 8-4 Monday-Thursday & 8-12 Fridays to see if you qualify and to schedule delivery. They also offer drive-up service, please call if you're over 60. On Rashida Tlaib's virtual town hall today (highly recommended, no matter your political persuasion--click here to subscribe to her updates), we learned about a free service for Detroit folks who need transportation to a doctor or (with a prescription) to the drive-through testing at the fairgrounds.
If you've called your doctor and she wants to see you in person, call 313-208-7364 (24/7) to schedule a ride to your appointment. If your doctor has already prescribed a test for you, call 313-208-7364 (24/7) to schedule a ride to the fairgrounds. If you fear you have the coronavirus and don't have a primary care physician, call 313-876-4000 #1 and they will get you what you need. If you're in an emergency situation, call 911 and be sure to tell them it's a possible (or definite, depending on your testing status) coronavirus patient so they can be properly prepared. I hope you never need this information, but want to make sure you have it if you need it. Be well and stay home. It's so easy--just take this quick little survey.
I found this essay by retired astronaut Mark Kelly both informative and a kind of breath of fresh air. (Ironically, since all of his air during that year was recycled.)
Do you have any thoughts or reflections on solitude? Or perhaps, the enforced togetherness of sharing a space with people who never leave? Something you've done to brighten your day (or someone else's)? Please share them in the comments. We are living separately, but we're all in this together. Taking in all this coronavirus information is like trying to drink from a firehose: overwhelming and not very satisfying. For me, the Governor's most recent executive action to Stay Home and Stay Safe boils down to this:
"If it were possible to wave a magic wand and make all Americans freeze in place for 14 days while sitting six feet apart, epidemiologists say, the whole epidemic would sputter to a halt." Friends, we can BE that magic wand. By choosing to isolate ourselves, by choosing to force the epidemic to sputter to a halt. At least for us and for those who surround us. It's possible; it's happened elsewhere. The question becomes are we willing to sacrifice to make it happen? I am. And I hope you are too. In other news, DPSCD will no longer be distributing food at Gompers. You can read their full details here. And you can get the latest news on where to find nearby food assistance here. I wish for you wellness and kindness, Louella The New York Times reports that "British ear, nose and throat doctors, citing reports from colleagues around the world, called on adults who lose their senses of smell to isolate themselves for seven days, even if they have no other symptoms, to slow the disease’s spread. The published data is limited, but doctors are concerned enough to raise warnings."
Please note, this does not mean that just because your nose is still telling you that others need to shower you're not a safety risk to others. It just means if you have lost your sense of smell or taste that you should seriously consider quarantining yourself in order to protect others. You could save a life. Or many.  Henry Ford Health is working to predict as closely as possible the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan to help healthcare systems with planning. An accurate assessment of personal and families true behaviors at this time is needed or the predictions will not be useful. We would be grateful if you would complete this very brief survey to help us with this work.
This survey has closed. From Birth Detroit:
"The mission of Birth Detroit is to midwife safe, quality, loving care through pregnancy, birth, and beyond. Our values are safety, love, trust, and justice. We are a volunteer team of birth workers, birth advocates and public health workers planning Detroit’s first community birth center. We do not have a birth center or clinic yet, but we see the fear and concern growing in our communities around coronavirus (COVID-19), pregnancy and birth. In the spirit of both loving care and concern for our communities, and care and support for provider partners doing their best in this crisis, we offer the following information and resources." Click for resources. Businesses must meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply:
Click here for more information and to apply. |
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