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Here's Why Staying Home During The Coronavirus Outbreak Matters
Source: CDC, Drew Harris (Connie Hanzhang Jin/NPR)
Public schools are closing, universities are holding classes online, major events are getting canceled, and cultural institutions are shutting their doors. The disruption of daily life for many Americans is real and significant -- but so are the potential life-saving benefits.
It's all part of an effort to do what epidemiologists call flattening the curve of the pandemic. The idea is to increase social distancing in order to slow the spread of the virus, so that you don't get a huge spike in the number of people getting sick all at once. If that were to happen, there wouldn't be enough hospital beds or mechanical ventilators for everyone who needs them, and the U.S. hospital system would be overwhelmed. That's already happening in Italy.
The tan curve represents a scenario in which the U.S. hospital system becomes inundated with coronavirus patients. If we can delay the spread of the virus so that new cases aren't popping up all at once, but rather over the course of weeks or months, people would still get infected. But it would be at a rate that the health care system could actually keep up with -- a scenario represented by the more gently sloped blue curve on the graph.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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