Now is not the time to panic.
With the threat of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, dominating the news and our local discussions, it's easy to get rattled. The National Basketball Association has suspended the rest of its season, and the NCAA has canceled its tournament games. A string of concerts, live events and parades have also been canceled, including the Coachella Festival. Some television shows and movies have shut down production. Universities are moving classes online, and some are asking students not to return to campus until after spring break. The World Health Organization has declared it a pandemic.
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Italy has been hit hard by this virus. Although initially somewhat dismissive of the threat, Italy now has the second highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world. In response, Italy has placed severe travel restrictions on the Lombardy region and 14 other provinces in northern Italy. All public gatherings are banned, and public travel is restricted unless absolutely necessary. There are unconfirmed reports that Italian hospitals are overwhelmed, and the doctors are forced to triage patients based on the severity of their sickness.
How can a person be expected not to panic at a time like this?
Though it's easy to be afraid about this situation, our country is preparing for the virus. Medical experts are monitoring cases at both the state and national level and taking measures to quarantine those that may have been exposed to the virus. The risk for infection by the general public is believed to be fairly low. At the time of this writing, there are only 129,775 cases worldwide, with more than 80,000 of those cases originating in China.
However, the reality of the situation in Italy shows we have to take measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The most basic thing we can do is to practice good hygiene. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and use hand sanitizer. Although it's easier to say than do, avoid touching your face, nose and mouth. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough, and clean and disinfect your living and working spaces.
The next step can be more difficult. If you are sick, or have been exposed to someone who is or may be sick, the best thing you can do is to stay home and stay away from other people. In the Missouri Capitol, we have potentially been exposed to individuals who may have been exposed to an individual with COVID-19. The building itself is a nexus for visitors from across the state and the nation, and as such, there is a heightened danger of spreading the virus from here.
Initially, we asked anyone who wasn't involved in the business of the Legislature to postpone visits to the Capitol. As a precaution, the Missouri Senate made the decision to suspend business next week. At the end of the day, we decided it was better to be safe and limit the possibility that guests and staff members could be exposed and potentially spread the virus to all parts of the state.
We are still doing the business of the people of Missouri. Senators and staff will still be working, some remotely, to ensure the budget and bills that we are working on will still be sent to the governor's desk before the end of session in May. My office will still be available to assist you with any concerns you have, with your government or with the virus. We are all in this together, and I will be here to help as we weather this storm.
State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Jefferson City, represents Missouri's 6th District, and shares his perspective on statehouse issues twice a month.