The rapid spread of the coronavirus has disrupted American life like few other events in history.

An invisible invader is making people ill, prompting events to be canceled and is stripping store shelves of certain supplies.

This is at best an uncertain time, and for many it may be a downright scary time. However, we Americans have something that will enable us to prevail. That something is knowledge.

Knowledge — true, verifiable facts — about the virus will keep us safe from it and eventually enable us to stop it. Relying on truth and facts works every time.

Those truths and facts won’t come from internet memes and social media rumors, however. They will come from people in the medical and scientific communities.

Most local people don’t have time to consult with experts. But in the pages of The Messenger and on the newpaper’s website and social media platforms they will find the facts they need provided by experts from agencies like the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Webster County Public Health Department and UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center. A link on the newspaper’s website will take readers to the virus information provided by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Also in the newspaper, readers will find information from leaders of Fort Dodge, Webster County, the Fort Dodge Community School District and Iowa Central Community College about the impact the virus is having in the area.

The Messenger has been a trusted source of news and information for more than 160 years. It will remain a trusted source throughout the coronavirus pandemic.