Yes, this image of what could be the Galactic Empire’s next Death Star from Star Wars ins in fact corona virus 🦠
So in response to questions, here’s my understanding and summary of the guidance I’ve read from the CDC and the medical/scientific community with a few Tips:

1. This Virus lives a long time on surfaces (over a week). It’s important to think about this as we make contact with lots of surfaces every day from doorknobs to handshakes. So we have to think about every surface as if it could be infected.
   🦠 Wash hands often.
   🦠 Avoid touching your face.
   🦠 Instead of handshakes, maybe try elbow bumps 🦠 Wipe phones📱with disinfecting wipes.
   🦠Push doors open with legs, and pull doors open with a wipe or elbow if possible.
   
   

2. Spread of the virus is asymptomatic, which means a person could be carrying it already, and spreading the virus without knowing. To contain its very rapid growth, it’s a good idea to minimize and avoid where possible:
🚫 large gatherings
🚫 travel
🚫 handshakes
🚫 touching your face

3. Don’t panic but Do take the virus seriously: it’s spreading faster than the flu, its mortality is way worse than the flu, our own body’s immunituy is worse at fighting it than the flu, and unlike the flue, there are no vaccines for it.
So please read for the recommendations of the CDC and follow the instructions of our Public Heath departments:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

The hope is that warmer weather will stop the spread of the virus, and slow down the epidemic. Hopefully soon we will also have a vaccine, so everyone can get that along with your flu shot 💉 next year!

In the meantime, I’ve cancelled/postponed travel plans and parties, and have decided to stay home more and focus on projects like the books 📚 I’m writing 👩🏻‍💻 So stay tuned for that! And Be well! 👩🏻‍⚕️