By Maureen Powell, Michael Moran, M.D., Terry Moran, M.S., R.N.
Montanans like to joke about having nine months of winter and three months of company. As the snow fades from the mountain tops we can say we’ve been lucky in Western Montana. Thanks to a relatively small stable population, a proactive business community and good State guidance, we came through the quarantine in pretty good shape. The summer “company” season is proving to be a lot more risky.
We’ve learned a lot since March about how this virus spreads and how it affects people differently. I think it is enough to know that when it is bad it is really bad, and if the virus gets it’s way we will have to go back to staying at home and not socializing. That is hard on our families, workers and it’s bad for business.
The best protection available to us at this point to stop the spread is to keep the virus load out of the air we breath. This is especially important in enclosed spaces. We can keep our business open and protect their employees by putting on a mask when we go inside or are in public spaces where lovely things like talking and laughing are happening.
Being an over sixty potentially at risk adult, I’m willing to do my part. I keep a clean cloth mask in my pocket and put it on when I go into a business, public space or crowded area. I enjoy seeing the fabrics and colors as well as the no-nonsense black and blues on my friends and family knowing that they are wearing them out of consideration for keeping our community healthy and open for business.
It just takes most of us choosing to be responsible for our own air space to kick Covid 19 back to a manageable risk. Have fun this summer with your mask ready to serve as needed.