COVID Corner with Dr. Gary Jacques

"The only thing we need to fear is fear itself" --Winston Churchill during WW2 Dear MANNM Staff and Los Alamos community, Today's update for NM is 6 confirmed cases of corona virus. I haven't learned where the latest case came from. The first ones all had travel exposure. The State of New Mexico seems to be taking a proactive stance in terms of measures to promote social distancing. Measures like closing schools, discouraging crowded meetings, etc. My personal opinion is that this is a good thing and even though we only have 6 cases reported, these measures will help slow virus spread. I'm sure these measures provide an inconvenience to some and a real hardship to others among us. Let us know how we can help. Today's quote is a very famous one from Winston Churchill. It's a good one to remember. The author Dan Brown wrote "only one form of contagion travels faster than a virus. And that is fear". Humorous perhaps, but sadly all too true. Today, MANNMs task force will be meeting from 12-2 to continue our planning in preparation and adapting to the situation as it changes. We'll keep you posted. I don't want to sound overly rosy, but keep in mind that this corona virus seems to spare small children, and that those who are young and healthy have a very low rate of serious complication. For most people under 50, Covid-19 might feel like the common cold. It has been scientifically shown that constant daily bombardment with news of a threat makes that threat feel more ominous than it really is. Let's keep this in mind as we keep serving our patients today. Dr. Jacques