Wear a Mask and Show Your Love For Michigan - God4bAndMe - Where faith, fashion, food and fun meet or collide

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Just about everyone we know has some type of COVID story. We may have made mistakes since COVID-19 has hit the U.S., but now that we know ways to decrease our chances of contracting COVID we can do our part to protect ourselves and those around us. By simply wearing a mask, you can show your love to and help protect Michigan communities.

Close to Home

Usually I am one that goes to visit loved ones and friends on special occasions but found it close to impossible these past 7 months. It’s hard to visit with loved ones that are in a nursing home or generally outside of your household, especially when you can’t give them a hug. But right now it is our new normal, because it is too dangerous to let outsiders in unless you are staff, and in order to protect the health of those who are caring for our loved ones. I have had family members who needed medical attention but delayed seeking help because of the risk of contracting COVID-19. When they became so ill that they could no longer wait, their closest loved ones weren’t allowed in to be with them during their time of need, in order to prevent additional spread and protect our hardworking, frontline healthcare members.

I was born in Michigan, and because of COVID-19, I came back to help my mom care for my dad. He was the one I mentioned above that needed to go to the hospital, but delayed care due to COVID-19. He and my mom are some of my whys: why I go to the grocery store with a mask on, even when it’s hot or uncomfortable, why I wash my hands, and why I practice social distancing. Even more than keeping myself healthy and safe, I practice these actions for them.

Economic Setbacks

I have heard several times that the economy hadn’t suffered this much since the Great Depression. I may not have been around during that time, but I can say confidently that like that era, COVID-19 has also taken its toll on everyone financially. Some businesses, unless deemed essential to keep people alive or our communities safe, were temporarily or permanently closed, which in turn caused massive layoffs. We are now opening back up cautiously, which is smart, so that we can do our part in preventing a second wave. It’s already flu season which alone causes challenges in our hospitals, so to now add COVID-19 to the mix could be disastrous and possibly overload our hospitals. This can be avoided.

We have all seen the Spread Hope, Not COVID campaign encouraging us all to do our part. So what is your part, you ask? According to the scientists studying this terrible virus and the worst pandemic we’ve seen in 100 years, masking up and staying 6 feet from others are our best choices to avoid spreading COVID.

Love for your fellow man

It should scare all of us that 40% of people with COVID-19 are asymptomatic, meaning that almost one in every two people could have COVID-19 and not know. More terrifying to consider is what if YOU have COVID and potentially spread it to your loved ones. These are the people you never, ever want to put in harm’s way, but you could possibly be putting in danger if you don’t take the appropriate, simple steps of masking up, washing your hands and social distancing. We all have rights, but what about our responsibilities? We all want to be free, but it will require all of us doing what we SHOULD do, not what we CAN. We can exercise our right to not wear a mask, but should we? Or should we rise to our collective responsibility of caring for our fellow man and doing our part by wearing a mask, which can help reduce the spread of COVID by about 70%.

You can get more information on how Michigan is spreading Hope while protecting us from COVID-19 here.