June 21, 2020
Father's Day
I was raised by a feminist. My dad would not have called himself that, but he always made me feel I could do anything I wanted. He was raised by a woman who was born in the late 1800’s in West Virginia and was college educated. Grammy raised 4 children, all of whom did extraordinary things. A daughter and son became MD’s, one daughter learned to fly, my father was a brilliant mathematician and aerospace engineer. I was lucky to be taught to never be afraid of math. Even though I was his only daughter out of 5 kids, he encouraged me to understand math and science and always had faith in my brain and my heart. He also was a caregiver his whole life. A wonderful combination in a father. I was so lucky to be raised by him. I miss him and wish I could talk to him about this pandemic. They would be interesting conversations.
Especially now that we are learning more about how SARS-CoV-2 infects us. Here is an interesting and valuable study out of my alma mater University of North Carolina School of Medicine. It shows that the virus first infects our cells in our nasal passages, before it gets into the lungs. This is another good reason why masks seem to work so well. They protect our nasal passages from exposure. We have data that shows mask wearing definitely prevents someone with it from spreading the virus, and there is data showing that mask wearing also has a protective effect for the person wearing it, just not as big. So keep you noses covered and try not to touch your face!
Exercising with a mask can be challenging so here is some advice from the New York Times. We are definitely adding tools to our tool boxes to keep us safe. Distance, time, masks, limiting numbers of people in your bubble, and knowing how much virus is in your community. And don’t forget to enjoy the outdoors.
The CDC, despite, some hiccups, still has some wonderfully thoughtful advice. Check out their advice about going out and coping with the pandemic. Also information on larger gatherings and things to consider. I, myself, will consider my own risks and probably avoid larger gatherings, unless I am sure everyone will wear masks and it is outdoors, with room to be spread out. Frustrating for many of us who are missing our annual music fests like Weiser, and Fiddle Tunes, and Galax. But the goal is to get through this with our health intact so we can meet again next summer.
Wash your hands and cover your nose, and keep safe six.
And finally, my caveat is that this is my experience and my opinions, which are subject to change as more information is available, and not related to the organization I work for. Thanks for reading.
https://www.unc.edu/posts/2020/06/08/researchers-map-how-coronavirus-infection-travels-through-cells-of-nasal-cavity-and-respiratory-tract/
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/17/well/move/exercising-while-wearing-a-mask.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/going-out.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/considerations-for-events-gatherings.html
Dad and me, I think during med school judging from my sweatshirt (“Seis Salsas” which had been my favorite restaurant in Austin before I moved away) and the length of my hair. I am pretty sure this is at Uncle Dave’s and Aunt Jane’s house outside of Chapel Hill.
