Clean Hands, Open Hearts
Swarthmorean Editor Rachel Pastan
It’s noon on Tuesday, and I’m sitting at my desk at home, still in my pajamas. I got up extra early this morning to finish the article (in this issue) about last night’s quite emotional and unusually interesting Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board meeting. Now I want to write something about the new coronavirus. No one in Swarthmore — no one in the school district — has tested positive. But not writing about it seems like ignoring the elephant in the room.
I find myself wondering whether I might be doing a lot of writing at home over the next weeks.
As you can read in our school-board meeting coverage, social epidemiologist Dr. Carolyn Cannuscio — who addressed the board via teleconference — is recommending that communities practice social distancing, keeping to themselves as much as possible and avoiding large gatherings. We have seen schools in the area close, although as of right now the WSSD schools remain open.
Infectious disease specialist Abdu Sharkawy of the University of Toronto writes, in a post that has gone viral (side note: what do we do with that colloquial expression in this moment?): “I am not scared of Covid-19. What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic … Temper fear with reason, panic with patience and uncertainty with education … Facts not fear. Clean hands. Open hearts.”
Nevertheless, I find myself wondering how much of this editor job I can do from this chair.
Here’s a fact: Delaware County is holding near-daily briefings to keep residents up to date. That’s good.
Here’s another fact: The Swarthmore Fire & Protective Association, like the school district, is in contact with Delaware County emergency officials and is making plans in case the virus comes to Swarthmore. So is the borough council, as you can read in Robert Richardson’s article in these pages. The key take-aways:
If you think you might have the virus, don’t go to the ER. Call 1-877-PA-HEALTH instead.
Swarthmore has mutual-aid agreements with other area municipalities for both fire and police services, should they be needed.
Sign up for the Delco Alert service to get texts or emails about any local outbreak: swat.ink/delco-alerts.
That’s all good, too.
I don’t know if there’s much use in my reprinting here the standard advice for avoiding infection. You know it already. But for the record:
Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze with a disposable tissue to avoid touching your face. Using your elbow is a second best alternative, but it will leave germs on your clothes that can transfer to others.
Wash your hands often with soap and warm or hot water for at least 20 seconds.
Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
Clean surfaces frequently, including countertops, light switches, cell phones, remotes, and other frequently touched items.
If you are feeling sick, stay home. Rest, take care of yourself, and don’t spread the germs.
To “take care of yourself,” I would add, think about how we can take care of each other, both within our town and school district and beyond it.
How can we support each other? Cheer each other up? Keep an eye out for those who live alone? If we’re lucky, we won’t be asked to do more than that.
But if we are asked to, let’s be ready.
Rachel Pastan
Editor
