Just under three months ago the first COVID-19 cases were reported in the Four Corners.
And just before those first cases, KSJD spoke with Marc Meyer, director of pharmacy and infection control at Southwest Health System. He went over the preparations being made for the disease’s arrival and encouraged the main prevention tip at the time: thoroughly and frequently wash your hands.
Note: Southwest Health System is an underwriter of KSJD.
More information about the new coronavirus has come out since then. But having only emerged in December, there are still many unknowns.
“To be honest with you, we’ve learned very little yet about the virus,” Meyer said in another interview this week.
One of the key discoveries, Meyer added, is how easily the coronavirus can spread between close contact. Research continues to show the benefits of wearing some sort of facial covering in addition to avoiding large groups and staying at least six feet apart from others, all being the foundation of many public health orders.
A consistent treatment for COVID-19 is still being researched but current techniques generally help people recover quicker. However, Meyer said, it doesn’t appear to have an effect on reducing the death rate. Until reliable treatment and a vaccine are made widely available, people will have to continue to learn to live with the impacts of COVID-19.
“We can’t lose sight of the fact that COVID’s going to be with us for a while,” he said.
Hear KSJD’s full interview with Meyer below.