Minnesota is currently seventh in the nation in terms of new cases per 100,000 people over the last two weeks, and the number of open beds on ICUs continues to get smaller. Below, we take a closer look at the expected restrictions and share some tips for staying healthy during this shutdown.

Expected Restrictions

Gov. Walz is expected to shut down in-person dining at bars and restaurants, close gyms and fitness centers and put organized youth sports on hold for the next four weeks.

“The idea that we just can go on with the way things have been with the data we have simply isn’t sustained by the facts, nor in good conscious can I, as governor, put people at risk of what’s coming,” said Gov. Walz. “The virus cares about none of those things we like to do, and it will simply bring death and destruction, overwhelming our health care system.”

Restaurants and bars are still expected to be able to offer takeout during the four-week period, but other businesses like gyms and fitness centers will be closed for at least four weeks.

Staying Healthy During The Shutdown

Staying healthy during shutdown will be both important and harder than normal to achieve, but here are some tips on how to do so.

Exercise – Find ways to exercise on your own since gyms will be closed. Bust out the exercise equipment that you have at your house, do some outdoor workouts, or find some “no equipment” exercise routines online by doing a bit of searching. Carve out time for exercise on a regular basis over the next four weeks.

Grocery Store Social Distancing – While you shouldn’t hoard, consider buying some foods in bulk so that you can limit the amount of trips you need to make to the grocery store over the next few weeks. And if possible, try to order your groceries online and do contact-less delivery or pickup to limit your exposure to others.

Healthy Takeout – We will be doing our part to help businesses and restaurants through this tough time, and we hope you do the same. It’s acceptable to order out a little more than normal, but please make sure you’re still making healthy choices. Don’t order pizza one night, fried chicken the next night and then a Friday fish fry to round out the week. Still strive to maintain a healthy and balanced diet even if you’re ordering from places that offer some more unhealthy (but delicious) options.

Destress – Stress can actually cause physical problems for your health, so do what you can to reduce or eliminate stress in your life. Disconnect from the television or internet and play a game with your family, or dive into a new book series. Find ways to limit stress in your life, and your physical health will improve.

If you can follow the above tips, we’re confident you’ll have a good chance at coming out the other side of this pandemic in great health. For more tips, or to talk to a orthopedic specialist about your foot or ankle pain, reach out to Dr. Silverman’s office today.

The post How To Stay Healthy During Another Shutdown appeared first on Lance Silverman, MD - Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Surgeon.

To get a better understand of what life will be like as we transition out of social distancing, we can take a look at a case example out of Germany. In the community of Gangelt, a large portion of individuals were exposed to the SARS-CoV2 during a Karneval gathering. 1,000 individuals in a community of 12,529 were tested as a part of this case study, and the results of 500 were used to get a better understanding of the situation.

Researchers believe that roughly 15 percent of the community has recovered from the coronavirus and developed an immunity to the current strain. Not only can this 15 percent no longer get the coronavirus, but they can’t pass it on to others. This is a micro version of herd immunity, and it will significantly slow the spread of the virus because SARS-CoV2 has fewer places to thrive. Even in smaller segments, as more people recover from the condition, the virus will die out faster simply because it can’t move as freely as it once could, because a portion of carriers will be immune.

More Steps Taken

However, simply letting the virus run its course and eventually developing herd immunity isn’t the only way the town of Gengelt expects to deal with the virus. Researchers say that a few additional steps will greatly limit the virus’ ability to find new hosts, even with a portion of the town being immune. Those steps include:

1. Social Isolation – We’re already in this stage, but limiting contact with others can help the virus die out faster. As we near the end of this stage, we transition to…

2. Gradual Isolation Loosening – More businesses and areas like parks will begin to reopen, but mass gatherings should still be avoided. Researchers say this gradual isolation loosening must be paired with…

3. Increased Hygienic Behaviors – It’s inevitable that more people will potentially be exposed as we gradually reopen the country, but we can reduce the spread of the virus by continuing to practice very thorough hygiene. Not only will this help prevent us from contracting the condition, but if we catch the virus, it can help us limit the spread, which is especially important in patients who are asymptomatic.

4. Eventual Return To Status Quo – Over time, with these measures in place, the virus should die out as more people become immune and fewer people contract the virus. Gatherings will slowly be allowed to become greater in numbers, and we’ll eventually return to a normal activities. It’s uncertain when exactly this will happen, but if we continue isolating and practice good hygiene as places begin to return, we can get here sooner.

While this research is pre-publication, it is very encouraging and not entirely unexpected. Like every epidemiologist will tell you, continued ongoing surveillance measures are necessary. For example, monitoring sewage for COVID viral RNA, just like we do for so many other diseases. This isn’t the CDC’s first go around. They have been monitoring Influenza-Like Illnesses for a long time.

Together, we can get through this, one step at a time.

The post What Will Happen As We Come Out Of Social Distancing? appeared first on Lance Silverman, MD - Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Surgeon.