Social distancing

Driving across the area has been a bit surreal this week. Empty parking lots, sparse traffic, and grocery store patrons keeping their distance from fellow shoppers.

It’s an indication that most people in our community have been taking the threat of the coronavirus seriously. Still, others are not, hence our recently initiated curfew times.

President Trump, who directed that physical distancing continue through the end of April, stated he didn’t think the nation would get back to normal until June. The next few months are critical as we try to flatten the curve and reduce the number of new cases and deaths.

In Missouri, a total of 1,834 cases and 19 deaths have been reported as of this writing.

Dunklin County has seven cases and no deaths so far.

Coronavirus cases are rising but health experts say it’s too soon to know if the state is emerging as one of the next hot spots for the pandemic.

The nation’s health experts have informed that they are expecting an increase in cases in the next few days and weeks, across the country.

More reason to stay home as much as possible.

Although, I encourage you to stay put, I also encourage you to check in on friends and neighbors, especially those who are old enough to be in the high-risk group.

Give them a call and let them know you care.

If you do want to get out of the house, do it for a good reason, such as giving blood.

DDD reporter Trina Bell has an excellent interview with Dr. Brandon Lane concerning the virus in this edition of the paper.

I encourage you to read it for some excellent information from a medical perspective.

It seems as if it’s been much longer, but we actually have been dealing with this pandemic for just a few weeks.

The more we practice social distancing and adhere to the restrictions, the sooner we will get through this.

Stay safe.

See you out there.

From a distance.