Healthy Indoors Magazine
Issue link: https://hi.healthyindoors.com/i/1313545
4 | November 2020 Bob Krell Founder & Publisher Publisher's Rant A nother holiday season is upon us. Of course, this one is dis- tinctly different than any we have ever experienced before. In a word, 2020 has been draining. We have experienced nearly nine months of a glob- al pandemic, catastrophic weather events that have likely been worsened by climate change, and are fresh off a tumultuous election in the U.S. I figuratively say that "I can't wait for this year to end," but these troubling events have no real connection to a particular year. Things won't miracu- lously get better when the ball drops to an empty Times Square on New Year's Eve. I'm particularly focused on the SARS CoV-2 virus, and how things could potential- ly play out very badly over the next month in this country. Many of us look forward to getting together with family and friends for the holidays, but this year those activities may pose significant risk. As predicted at the onset, the second phase of the pandemic will likely be worse than the initial wave, and it is rearing its ugly head precisely when we seek to congregate for festivities. Everyone is weary of lockdowns, social distancing, and donning masks in public—I get it. We all could use some merry-time now. It's tempt- ing to want to let your guard down, if only for a brief social gathering. Having a group of people from outside your immediate family unit get together for just a short time seems innocuous enough, right? The problem is that a virus doesn't take days off for special events. It is pre- cisely these types of gatherings that be- come super-spreader events. Combine a mix of people from outside the ones you live with, put them in close proximity indoors, and add a touch of alcohol to lower caution just a bit further. What was supposed to be a joyous occasion could end up being something tragic. Being up close without masks really increases the risk of contracting COVID-19. I'm really not trying to be a Debbie Downer here. I just fear this upcoming holiday season has the potential to hurl us into the pandemic abyss if we opt to throw caution to the wind. The past few weeks have brought us some very promising news with successful trials of multiple vaccines. We could be close to rounding the corner on this nightmare (for real this time), but we're still six-plus months out from having any significant numbers of inoculated indi- viduals to reduce the current risks. If the Spanish Flu of 1918's course is any indica- tion, we are probably entering the most dangerous portion of this pandemic. How we handle things will affect the outcome. The most prudent course of action would be to forego indoor events this holi- day season, or at least greatly limit numbers to only a few people. If you live in an area where outdoor gatherings are still possible, those would be advised, while still maintain- ing social distancing and wearing masks. If you decide to have a small group indoors, at least open windows a bit to better ventilate the spaces, avoid close contact, and wear your masks. Remember, these activities will indeed increase your chance of contract- ing the virus—the safest policy is to avoid contact altogether. Anyone in the subsets of higher risks with contracting COVID-19 should really avoid these events completely this year. I'm thankful that my family has thus far remained healthy. I urge everyone to re- main vigilant so we can minimize the toll of this insidious disease. Please stay safe this Thanksgiving! Be Thankful Bob Krell Bob Krell is president of IAQ Technologies, Inc., a Syracuse, NY-based indoor environmental firm he founded in 1990, offering consulting, mitigation and training services to a variety of clients throughout the country and abroad. He co-founded IAQNET, LLC in 2013, and serves as publisher of its Healthy Indoors Magazine. Bob is the Producer/Director for the online video series, The Healthy Indoors Show, along with numerous other industry video projects and online events, and is Training Director for live distance learning offerings through IAQschool.online. Contact him at: bob@healthyindoors.com