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Guest opinion: Can we put the needs of others ahead of our own to slow COVID and save lives?

Park City physicians

With front-row seats to the impact of COVID-19 on individuals, families and communities, we are appealing to you directly, the members of our community, for your help. Gov. Herbert took bold action on Sunday, Nov. 8, to limit the impact of COVID-19 on our lives. We support the governor’s actions and ask for you to continue to follow those recommendations and limit the size of your holiday gatherings.

COVID-19 is real. It is not “just a cold.” Over 250,000 people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 in nine months. To put this in perspective, the highest estimated number of annual deaths from influenza (the flu) was in 2017-2018, with 61,000 deaths. Twenty-five percent of all deaths have been among people under the age of 65. Here in Utah, we have lost patients in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s to this virus, and many who recover continue to have long-term symptoms negatively impacting their quality of life. An overcrowded hospital cannot optimally provide care for people who need emergency care for other reasons such as recreational accidents, heart attacks and strokes. Failure to take personal action to reduce the spread of the disease will lead to unnecessary deaths due to COVID-19, as well as other causes.

This pandemic is revealing our true character as individuals, communities and as a nation. Can we put the needs of others ahead of our own? The degree to which we can be selfless will determine the speed by which we can end this pandemic. Please be an example in your families, your circles of friends, your colleagues at work, to neighboring towns/cities in Utah and to our tourist community by adhering to the following measures:



1. Wear a mask in ALL indoor public places. 

2. Wear a mask when within 6 feet of others, both indoors and outdoors.



3. Limit social gatherings to those who live in your immediate household.  

4. Wash hands frequently.

5. Get tested when you have symptoms. 

6. Isolate and follow CDC guidelines if you’ve been exposed.

Because there are now so many cases of COVID-19 in our community, the virus is spreading widely, not only at large events but at small social gatherings such as birthday parties, family holidays and social dinners. These simple measures taken by each of you will reduce illness, save lives AND allow businesses to remain open and provide services.  

With the holiday season upon us, we humbly plead with you to follow these basic guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19. This won’t last forever, but these measures are necessary at this moment in time. A lockdown is not the answer. A conscious decision to take the necessary precautions to protect our neighbors and family members is. Doing so will save lives and is our best chance of helping our economy recover faster. 

These measures have nothing to do with restricting freedoms but everything to do with temporarily sacrificing some of our comforts to help keep more people alive, our community healthy and our economy strong. We believe that the key to a healthy economy is a healthy community. We are committed to both. Please join us in this fight.

Sincerely,

Dr. Danielle M. Adams, Dr. Matt Ahern, Dr. Courtney M. Bailey, Dr. Tim C. Beals, Dr. Klarissa Beller, Dr. Barry M. Birkin, Dr. Winston B. Bokor, Dr. Russell D. Bradford, Dr. Jacob D. Brown, Dr. Lee Burke, Dr. Corey B. Chipman, Dr. Jeremy Clark, Dr. Holly B. Clark, Dr. Vernon J. Cooley, Dr. Bradley C. Cowley, Dr. Tyler L. Crawford, Dr. Geoffrey M. Crockett, Dr. Philip A. Davidson, Dr. Craig W. Davis, Dr. Mike Dbeisi, Dr. Alison J. Delgado, Dr. Douglas C. Dillon, Dr. Julie Dolan, Dr. Michael J. Farrell, Dr. John B. Fassio, Dr. Joseph P. Ferriter, Dr. Matthew E. Feurer, Dr. Troy W. Finlayson, Dr. Corey L. Francis, Dr. Eileen M. Gallagher, Dr. Daniel S. Gammon, Dr. Lee Gerstein, Dr. Paula L. Haberman, Dr. Bradley Hale, Dr. Erinn Hama, Dr. Spence D. Harper, Dr. Vanessa M. Hart, Dr. Daniel Hatch, Dr. Miles Hawley, Dr. Karen D. Heiden, Dr. Richard W. Hendershot, Dr. Virginia J. Homewood, Dr. Sarah J. Ilstrup, Dr. Derek B. Johnson, Dr. Umaprasanna S. Karnam, Dr. Kristian R. Kemp, Dr. Steven M. Kern, Dr. Nathaniel D. Kofford, Dr. Michael Y. Larochelle, Dr. Shane D. Lewis, Dr. Charles C. Lind, Dr. Jenifer K. Lingeman, Dr. Katherine A. Mailey, Dr. Debra S. Martin, Dr. Jeff McNally, Dr. Michael H. Metcalf, Dr. Joshua J. Minori, Dr. Joshua M. Mitchell, Dr. Joseph J. Morelli, Dr. Charles R. Morrison, Dr. Joshua T. Napier, Dr. Tania P. Nisimblat-Bodnar, Dr. Andrew A. Nyberg, Dr. Patrick Olson, Dr. Mark G. Oraskovich, Dr. Kathy M. Ostler, Dr. John T. Paas, Dr. Mary H. Parsons, Dr. Karyn M. Parsons, Dr. Bill Pidwell, Dr. Wing Province, Dr. Michael R. Rasmussen, Dr. Kellee J. Reed, Dr. Brian Rush, Dr. Renato Saltz, Dr. Lisa M. Saturnino, Dr. Monica M. Schaffer, Dr. Kim E. Scott, Dr. Austin T. Smith, Dr. Craig W Speight, Dr. Kelly Jean Stankiewicz, Dr. Joshua M. Stern, Dr. David R. Sutherland, Dr. Bryan C. Tagge, Dr. Andrew P. Talbott, Dr. Rhonda Taubin, Dr. Massimo Testa, Dr. Kelly L Thomas, Dr. David T. Tullis, Dr. Sandra L. Van Leuven, Dr. Mary W. Veghte, Dr. Douglas C. Vogel, Dr. Robert (Winnie) Winn, Dr. Kelly H. Woodward.

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