It is now clear to public health experts that the novel coronavirus epidemic in Washington State and other parts of the country is accelerating. The time has come for us to work together as a community to minimize the impact in the Tri-Cities.

The bottom line is this simple:

• The spread of coronavirus can be slowed down.
• Slowing it down saves lives.
• We should commit to working hard together to do this.
• Slowing the spread buys time for healthcare systems and our society as a whole to prepare, and we should lead the way as a proactive, compassionate community.

Though we haven’t seen our first confirmed case in the Tri-Cities yet, there are positive tests in surrounding counties and it now seems only a matter of time.

Because of the nature of the virus, the stakes may be quite low for many healthy individuals, but they are high as a community.

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