By Ben Rodgers
Editor
Wednesday, March 11, started like any other deadline day, meaning we were in a mad rush to get the print edition to the printer for March 13.
Things move as quick as lightning around here on deadline day, no time for calls, no time to monitor the email inbox, just placing stories on the pages and proofing those pages with fervor.
However, we still do post stories online, and need to monitor our social media channels.
From keeping up on social media, news of the COVID-19, or coronavirus, pandemic spread as fast as the contagion itself March 11-12.
UW-Green Bay, St. Norbert College and NWTC all put in place measures to limit students’ and faculty exposure to the virus.
When I got home later that night, the NBA announced the season has been suspended. The Big Ten tournament has been cancelled.
Closer to home, the WIAA girls basketball state championship to be held at the Resch Center decided to limit attendance.
Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich suspended his involvement in public gatherings due to the virus as well.
The president addressed the nation from the Oval Office.
As this happened in a span of less than 24 hours.
While we do come out once a week in print, we are also daily online. This is something that can’t wait for the next print edition March 20.
Anything I would have put into print on Wednesday for Friday, March 13, would have been grossly outdated by the time you would have read it.
As it stands, the measures put in place right now should limit exposure to COVID-19.
But it’s only a matter of time (if it hasn’t happened already) before someone in Brown County has a case of COVID-19.
According to a study of 72,000 COVID-19 patients by the Center for Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota:
- 81 percent of are classified as mild, meaning they did not result in pneumonia or only mild pneumonia.
- 14 percent were severe, marked by difficulty breathing.
- 5 percent were critical, meaning respiratory failure, septic shock and/or multiple organ dysfunction or failure.
- 2.3 percent died, while 8 percent of those ages 70-79 died and 14.8 percent of those over 80 died.
Those are the cold, hard facts.
The elderly with existing medical conditions are the most vulnerable along with the very young.
Hoarding toilet paper and hand sanitizer won’t stave off infection.
Instead, wash your hands thoroughly and frequently and limit your exposure to large groups of people.
Don’t touch your face, cover your cough, and most importantly, stay home if you feel sick.
However, this is no time for panic.
The measures taking place right now are meant to limit the spread of COVID-19, and hopefully they will do just that.
Be safe, act smart and most importantly, stay healthy.