Nativity’s Coronavirus medical response team, staff and Council ask that all people continue to wear masks in the building and for worship.
We were hopeful that the most difficult days of the virus were behind us but the Coronavirus variants are surging and are more contagious and more dangerous. It was hoped that a majority of people across the country would get the vaccine thus controlling it and its possible mutations. However, not enough people have received the vaccine and the virus has learned to change and become stronger as it struggles to survive.
People of all ages are getting sick. The numbers of people admitted to hospitals and to intensive care units in Minnesota in increasing and according to the Star Tribune 97% of those hospitalized nationwide are unvaccinated. In addition, the CDC has found that vaccinated people can carry significant coronavirus in their nose and throat making them spreaders.
So Nativity’s Coronavirus medical response team, staff and council ask that all people continue to wear masks in the building and for worship. Masks are required for your safety and the safety of those around you. Also if you or someone you know has not been vaccinated, please encourage them to do so.
What is the Coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an RNA virus. It invades cells in order to replicate and in doing so causes illness. In the past, we have experienced these RNA viruses in the common cold, flu, SARS, hepatitis, West Nile fever, rabies and polio. Vaccines have reduced the incidence of these in the past. Small pox is all but eradicated because of the vaccine requirement decades ago. Polio is another example where a vaccine stopped the spread of a terrible disease.
A vaccine similar to the flu vaccine has been created and distributed by three companies so far. The vaccines are effective and protect against serious illness. Unfortunately, not enough people have been vaccinated, giving the virus what it needs to mutate, grow in strength and make people sicker. The virus and its variants are highly transmissible, similar to chicken pox, except its health impact is far more sever.
Coronavirus affects many organs of the body. The common symptoms are cold symptoms, fever, rash and diarrhea. Other symptoms are loss of taste or smell, blood clots causing heart attacks, strokes and loss of limbs from gangrene. It can cause pneumonia and joint pains. It takes 5-6 days from exposure for symptoms to show. Symptoms last about 14 days and can last longer. The effects of the disease, loss of lung tissue, stroke, etc. can last a long time. Wearing masks reduces exposure to this airborne disease.
Understanding the virus, choosing to get the vaccine, sanitizing our hands and wearing masks indoors are all part of the process that will help us slow the spread and impact of this disease.
I give thanks for the many healthcare workers who have and continue to care for the ill, especially those with Covid 19. We hold them in prayer for strength to endure.