#How Do You Handle #Covid19 and #FlattenTheCurve?

Let me start by giving a word of hope. The world is not going to come to an end. We will get through this—all will be well. The big question is, how did the world get through other pandemics in history, and what take-aways can we apply to helping us to overcome this Coronavirus?

Communicable diseases have existed since humankind’s hunter-gatherer days, but the shift to agrarian life 10,000 years ago created communities that made epidemics more possible. Malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy, influenza, smallpox, and others first appeared during this period.

The more civilized humans have become, building cities and national and international trade routes to connect with other cities and countries, and waging wars with them, the more likely pandemics will become and continue.

Take-aways from my research on historical plagues are that society needs to practice the following:

Wash your hands often with soap and water. If these are not available, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner or gel sanitizer. If using a gel, rub your hands until they become dry.
Avoid touching your mouth, nose, or eyes with your hands unless you’ve just washed your hands.
When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Then throw the tissue in the trash. Wash your hands afterward.
Avoid crowded places as much as you can and stay home if you show signs of illness.
Depending on the severity of the pandemic, consider wearing a face mask if you must go into a crowded area or be within 6 feet of others.
Wear a face mask if you must come into close contact with an infected person.
Plan ahead and make sure to have a way to fill needed prescriptions.
See if you can work from home in the event of a pandemic. Plan home learning and online activities if school is closed.
Store a week’s supply of extra water, food, and hygiene products.
Stay as healthy as you can by getting adequate rest, managing stress, praying, meditating, eating right, and continuing to exercise.
Assist seniors in your community if possible.
Learn to verbally #plead the blood over yourself and loved ones like the Israelites who isolated themselves during the first-born death plague. Fortunately, we don’t need to use lambs nowadays because Jesus’ blood is the ultimate atonement.

The Israelites were told to sacrifice a perfect lamb, place its blood over the doorpost and two sides and gather their family around them. They were then instructed to eat it quickly with their loins girded, shoes on their feet, and their staff in their hand. By heeding these warnings and practicing social distancing, they were saved from the plague. In other words, girding your loins is preparing yourself for spiritual battle, tightening your belt, so that at any moment, you can rise up and be prepared to act. Shoes represent understanding and the staff that they were told to lean on, represents the word of God.

Fighting illnesses is a physical, mental, and spiritual battle. It’s important that you don’t leave out the spiritual component. Proverbs 17:22 reads, A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. If your spiritual life is deficient, you are opening yourself up to fear, depression, anxiety, and death itself. Prudence dictates that you heed the scientists’ warning and advice. Wisdom mandates that anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand according to Matthew 11:15.

The graph above shows what happens when you don’t heed warnings. In 1918, the city of Philadelphia disregarded the warnings and held a parade and many were contaminated and died. Their death rate was nearly three to five times greater than St. Louis which heeded the warnings and practiced social distancing. St Louis, by practicing social distancing, effectively flattened the curve and experienced significantly lower death rates and illnesses.

You are loved, capable, intelligent, beautiful, fearfully and wonderfully made by a loving father. #God’s will is that you and your children have an abundant, healthy and fulfilled life. Please show your support of this post by liking, commenting, following me, and brightening someone’s day by sharing it with them.

And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you.
Exodus 12:13