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People need to take responsibility for their health

Individual actions are key to reducing COVID-19 spread

There appears to be a growing cry for the state and local governments to require people to wear masks to combat the surge of COVID-19.

Whether or not the government has the power to issue such mandates seems unclear. It’s also unknown how such mandates could be enforced.

What is clear, however, is that each individual needs to take responsibility for protecting themselves from a disease that has killed more than 200,000 Americans.

There are multiple ways a person can reduce their risk of contracting COVID-19. Wearing masks around other people is one of those ways. Face masks have become political footballs, but there are now reams of scientific data showing that mask use helps reduce the spread of the disease. Forget the politics, and forget the debate over mask mandates. When just about every doctor, nurse and public health expert urges the public to wear masks, common sense should dictate that people wear masks.

Social distancing is another way to reduce exposure to COVID-19. Being back to back and belly to belly with others in a crowded place is a bad idea right now. It is up to each individual to protect themselves by avoiding crowds.

Most of us were taught how to wash our hands when we were toddlers standing on a stool trying to reach the bathroom sink. Now is a good time to remember those lessons and give the hands a regular scrubbing.

Masks, social distancing and washing hands will help to control the spread of the virus. It is up to every individual to follow through with those and other preventive measures to better the chances of staying healthy.

Remember, the person most responsible for protecting you from COVID-19 is staring back at you from the mirror every day.

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