C’mon people: Don’t let Stanislaus County regress in fight against coronavirus spread

Over the weekend, the number of Americans who have died of COVID-19 surpassed the population of Modesto.

It’s sobering to think that a largely preventable disease now has killed, across the United States, enough people (now 225,000) to represent every man, woman and child in our fair city, population 222,335.

“Largely preventable,” we say, because the secret to not catching the coronavirus is no secret at all: wear a mask in public, keep your distance and wash your hands. Don’t hold or attend gatherings where others aren’t observing such precautions.

We know this works, because other places have done better and lost less.

South Korea, for instance, has suffered a few more COVID deaths (457) than we have here in Stanislaus County (397). But South Korea, where people rarely venture out without masks, has more than 51 million residents, compared to Stanislaus’ 557,709.

For perspective, that’s a death rate of nine people per million in South Korea, compared to 710 per million in Stanislaus.

Why is this worth going over?

Because Stanislaus is in real danger of slipping from the red tier back into purple. We’re seeing a spike in cases, resulting in too many per 100,000 people and a positivity rate that looks more purple than red.

We languished in purple, the most restrictive sector, longer than all of our neighbors, enjoying no indoor restaurant dining, no indoor religious services and no indoor workouts at fitness centers. All were eased when we finally made it into red.

Our goal should be continued progression into the less-onerous orange tier, where restaurants, gyms, stores, movie theaters and places of worship can increase capacity. We need more economic activity, not more suffering.

But instead of skipping into orange, we’re teetering on the embarrassing border of red and purple. This is not where we want to be, people.

Think of what’s coming — Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, when people tend to gather. Colder weather forcing us indoors, the coronavirus’ preferred venue. Flu season and attendant confusion with COVID-19.

It’s little comfort that other places are having trouble containing the virus, too.

The Covid Tracking Project reported a record 83,010 new cases across the country on Friday. For perspective, that represents more people than live in Turlock, the second-largest Stanislaus city with 74,297 residents.

The number of dead in California — 17,358 — is far more than the populations of Stanislaus’ three smallest cities: Hughson (population 7,298), Waterford (8,894) and Newman (11,912), and is approaching the pre-virus student population at Modesto Junior College, about 24,000.

And the worldwide COVID death toll is nearing 1.2 million — twice the population of Stanislaus County.

We know how to beat COVID

Now, for another set of numbers, according to a recent study by the journal Nature Medicine.

• 1 million — America’s projected COVID death count by February if “the current pattern of easing” restrictions continues across the country.
• 551,000 — a more likely death county by February, assuming that “states would once again shut down social interaction and some economic activity” for six weeks.
• 381,000 — Americans who might be saved between now and February, if 95% of us would just wear face coverings and keep our distance in public, like we’re supposed to. The current participation estimate is 49%, Nature Medicine says.

It’s time to redouble efforts to stop the spread.

Let’s do our part and stay in the red.

This story was originally published October 27, 2020 at 6:57 AM.