Correction: This column as originally published cited data from Knox County, Tennessee. It has been edited to accurately reflect numbers from Knox County, Illinois.
Overall, the Knox College community has done a pretty good job combatting the coronavirus. With only 25 total cases, we have had a much lower infection rate than many other colleges. Additionally, with surveillance testing, contact tracing and mask requirements, we are positioned to maintain our low infection rate. However, we can’t let our community’s current success fill us with a sense of invulnerability. Covid-19 in Knox County still has seen a recent rise in infections, now averaging at roughly 25-30 cases per day. We could still see a widespread outbreak. With this in mind it is important for us to re-examine our response and consider how we might improve to protect us now and in the future.
The first and most glaringly obvious way is to increase the percentage of our population that properly wears their mask. A recent study from researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill found that “the virus appeared to pick the nose as a fertile ground for infection.” Your nose appears to have more receptors than your throat or lungs for the virus to use making it crucial that you wear your mask over your nose and under your chin. Also, make sure that your mask is well-fitting! Not all masks are alike and some will definitely fit you better than others. If your mask is too tight it will probably be much harder to breathe and be more likely to slip under your nose or over your chin. At the same time if your mask is too loose it won’t be as effective at preventing the spread of the virus. If you wear glasses you may want to choose a mask that is a little bit tighter over your nose, or one with a nose wire, to prevent fogging. Overall, the best mask to wear is a washable cloth mask that is double-layered. Also, make sure you are washing your masks regularly.
Our community is doing a good job, but we could be doing better. Please wear your mask above your nose. Please wear cloth masks. We are not invincible, but if everyone does what they are supposed to do, we can keep our community as safe as possible.
