Read the March 2020 Digital Edition of Healthy Indoors Magazine now.

And now, this.

I’m not sure exactly when it happened, but our lives as we have known them may have changed forever.

COVID-19 isn’t the world’s first pandemic, and it likely won’t be the last.  The previous century witnessed the horrors of the Spanish H1N1 Flu of 1918-19, which was estimated to claim at least 50 million lives worldwide.  Mankind’s earlier history is spotted with other deadly outbreaks that sowed widespread destruction, as well.  What makes this one seem so different?

In a word: Nearness. We are actually experiencing this crisis in real-time. As of this writing on March 29^th, there are over 718,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases around the globe, and the United States has become #1 in the world for the most dubious honor—the country with the greatest cases of this disease, well-surpassing China.  Could we have been better prepared for such a global outbreak? Undeniably yes, but I will leave that debate tabled and discuss what we need to do now.

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is readily transmitted through the air, making a highly infectious virus, with a mortality rate estimated to be ten or more times greater than that of Influenza. In absence of a vaccine for this new virus, or even reliable drug treatments for the COVID-19 disease, we are left with trying to reduce cases by limiting our exposure.  As was the case with the Spanish Flu in the previous century, this is mostly in the form of quarantine.  

We have dedicated the bulk of our March 2020 issue to bring you information to help you weather this escalating menace.  To that end, we have ratcheted up production of Healthy Indoors Show episodes and made it a live streamed, weekly broadcast.  You can watch it online every Thursday from 1:00 – 2:00 PM EDT on HealthyIndoors.com under our HI Show tab, as well as view recordings from previous shows.   

So, what can you do to make a difference? Self-quarantine to limit exposure to anyone outside of your household—for real.  If you must go out in public, be certain to practice self-distancing a minimum of 6 feet from others.  Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly for at least 20-seconds with warm soapy water. Clean high-tough surfaces such as doorknobs often. 

Realize that we’re all in this together.  COVID-19 doesn’t give a damn about your political beliefs, where you’re from, or your socioeconomic status. Do your part to help us get this pandemic under control.

Please stay safe!

Publisher, Healthy Indoors Magazine