{"id":12980,"date":"2020-04-02T20:31:41","date_gmt":"2020-04-03T00:31:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hancockregionalhospital.org\/?p=12980"},"modified":"2026-01-16T12:42:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T17:42:53","slug":"coronavirus-update-april-2-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hancockhealth.org\/ja\/2020\/04\/coronavirus-update-april-2-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Coronavirus Update: April 2, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"
As I pen this update, the sun is setting and shining brightly through the window of my office, the leaves are peeking out of the buds on the trees, the spring flowers are in full bloom, and I look forward to the task of spending time this weekend mowing our lawn for the first time this year.\u00a0 I do not typically anticipate mowing the lawn, but this year it is going to be a wonderful change of pace!<\/p>\n

As hard as it is to believe on a day like today, there really is a pandemic happening and the world witnessed the 1 millionth person diagnosed with the disease \u2026\u00a0 Yesterday, the U.S. surpassed the 200,000 mark and today Indiana surpassed 3,000.\u00a0 Hancock County is up to 37 and the Indy metro area (Marion and the contiguous counties) surpassed 2,000 today as well.<\/p>\n

In response to the continued growth in cases, the Federal government introduced the new \u201c30 Days to Slow the Spread\u201d initiative on Tuesday, making clear the CDC recommendations for social distancing will last until at least May, and Indiana made the decision to extend virtual classes through the end of the school year for all K-12 students.<\/p>\n

At Hancock Health, today was the first day of the universal wearing of \u201cwashable\u201d clothing (I enjoyed my scrubs and saw many of us rocking jeans as well) and tomorrow we will enhance our masking procedures. \u3053\u3053\u3092\u30af\u30ea\u30c3\u30af<\/a> to view a handy diagram that outlines which types of masks should be worn for specific needs, locations, and assignments (many thanks to all who put so much effort into this!).\u00a0 For those not involved in direct patient care (like me) a cloth mask is required.\u00a0 It is important to note that cloth masks are intended mostly for the protection of others, not for the person wearing them.\u00a0 If I should happen to cough, the mask will slow the spread of what I might expel, thereby protecting those around me.\u00a0 Hancock Health will be providing cloth masks that can be regularly exchanged during the day with the soiled masks laundered for us and restocked in designated areas.\u00a0 I am thrilled that we will be able to utilize personalized cloth masks and I have already been gifted a supply of \u201ccheckered flag\u201d masks. For those of us using personalized masks, we will be responsible for laundering them at home as it would be exceptionally difficult to separate these masks and they may not survive the bulk washing process we will use for the standard masks any way.\u00a0 I imagine a contest will quickly arise to find the \u201csnazziest\u201d mask at Hancock Health, though it will be hard to top mine \"\ud83d\ude0a\", It is important to note that while a mask may hide our coughs, it doesn\u2019t have to hide our smiles \u2013 check out the following video for proof of this.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/vimeo.com\/403493590<\/a><\/p>\n

I look forward to \u201csmiling\u201d at you tomorrow through my \u201cracing\u201d mask!<\/p>\n