(Updated at 9:55 a.m.) Coronavirus has arrived in Arlington, with a local resident and a worker in Crystal City testing positive for the disease. And the fourth and fifth case in Virginia were subsequently confirmed in Fairfax and Spotsylvania County.
While this is obviously big news, given the impacts the disease is having on both the economy and the health of those who contract it, let’s for a minute allow for some optimism: the stock market is back up this morning, perhaps the authorities will be able to contain the outbreak before it gets much worse, and just maybe COVID-19 will not prove to be as deadly as originally feared.
That all said — coronavirus is one of the worst new outbreaks of its kind, in terms of global spread, since the 1918 flu pandemic. And it should be taken seriously, particularly among older residents who are more at risk for serious health implications.
For those who haven’t taken a good look at it yet, review this fact sheet from Arlington County.
Among other preventative measures and preparations, which of the following are you yourself taking?