This month, a new respiratory ailment caused by a virus has arrived in Snohomish County and neighboring King County in Washington state. 

As of noon Wednesday, there were nine deaths in King County and one death in Snohomish County – the only counties with confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Washington.

A resident from Marysille, Wash., told her Facebook friends she is watching the news and checking information from the Centers for Disease Control. “With one (of the deceased) being diabetic, which I am ... suddenly I was listening more closely.” 

One school closed to be disinfected. She hasn’t panicked but made a trip to Walmart and found no hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol or bleach on the shelves.

“Am I worried????? I think we will be fine but I am a ‘what if’ person and if I can have things on hand I would feel better. I am going to order my insulin tomorrow just in case.”

According to the CDC: “The potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 is high, both globally and to the United States. However, individual risk is dependent on exposure. The risk to the general public of becoming infected appears to be increasing ... but is not considered high at this time.”

Efforts are underway to develop a vaccine but for now one is not available.

“The vast majority (at least 98-99%) of people with COVID-19 recover just with their own immune response,” the CDC reports. “About 10-20% of cases appear to have severe enough disease to require hospitalization. Those patients also receive supportive care and treatment for complications of the infection (pneumonia, problems breathing, etc.)”

At this time, even the Snohomish Health District isn’t recommending widespread closures of schools and public venues, but residents 60 years and older and those with underlying medical conditions or weakened immune systems are urged to avoid large public gatherings.

“You can help prevent the spread of illness by washing hands often with soap and running water, staying home if you are sick, avoiding close contact with others who are sick, covering your coughs or sneezes with a tissue, and cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces.”

Now, as before COVID-19, that is sound advice.

Unfortunately, some people will ignore the warnings until it affects them personally.