In January of 2020, revelations about COVID-19 began gaining widespread attention. At the time, the virus was little known to public health officials and consequently, much of their guidance on its transmission, mortality rates and prevention had a seat-of-the-pants quality about it. Soon we were being instructed to use hand sanitizer, not touch anything that could possibly host pathogens, cover the nose and mouth, keep at least six feet away from others, keep kids out of school and everyone out of church, limit family gatherings, shut down much of the economy except for “essential” services (elusive term!), etc.
