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‘It Should Hit Home’: Southwest Health System Urges Social Distancing to Slow COVID-19 Spread

Mélissa Jeanty on Unsplash
Thoroughly and frequently washing your hands, especially after returning to your home from an essential visit like grocery shopping, plays a large part in slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

In this week’s coronavirus update with Southwest Health System staff, KSJD speaks with Kerri White-Singleton, chief operating officer for the Southwest Medical Group, about the value of social distancing and its benefit to keeping health care working within its capacity.

The interview took place shortly after the Montezuma County Public Health Department announced two new COVID-19 cases Thursday, including one related death. 

Note: Southwest Health System is an underwriter of KSJD.

"Now that we have a COVID-related death in this community, it should hit home and hit hard," White-Singleton told KSJD Thursday. "We all want to make sure we are protected."

With a total of three positive cases in Montezuma County, both MCPHD and SHS are reinforcing the importance of social distancing. This includes staying at least six feet from others when you do have to take care of essential tasks - like grocery shopping and picking up prescriptions - and following Colorado’s statewide stay-at-home order.

The better that everyone follows health orders and guidelines, White-Singleton said, the better chance that hospitals will continue to work within their capacity - also known as “flattening the curve.”

“Start telling people that you know that this is the time that we really need to adhere,” White-Singleton said. “I think the key to making this work in our community is that we are holding each other accountable.”

Hear White-Singleton’s full interview with KSJD below, including how SHS is planning to work with other hospitals to address health care capacity.