An abundance of caution. That, along with social distancing, is the phrase that will mark 2020.

Joe Paduda

So here’s where we are, typed as I wait to board a plane home.

This is from Johns Hopkins University. Best site I’ve seen for current infection rates and locations.

What we know about COVID-19

• It is most dangerous for the elderly and those with underlying health conditions such as COPD, asthma and other chronic conditions.
• It is much less dangerous for the rest of us.
• The overall fatality rate appears to be between 1% and 2%, but may well be lower, as we do not know how many of us are walking around with the disease and no symptoms.
• Most of the deaths in the U.S. occurred in a nursing home in Washington state.
• The epidemic appears to have peaked in parts of China, with fewer and fewer new cases appearing.
• Italy is the hardest hit. The death rate there appears to be about 8%. Again, that may be distorted due to inadequate testing.

What works

• Social distancing, defined as staying a few feet away from others wherever and whenever possible.
• Washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes, using sanitizers containing alcohol.

What we have to do

• Be realistic. There’s a ton of happy talk out there about how this isn’t that bad, it’s a made-up crisis, and somehow all will be fine and it will disappear in April and a vaccine will be here shortly. That's crap. A vaccine won’t be here for at least a year, hot and humid Singapore has a persistent outbreak and COVID-19 is much deadlier than the flu.
• But, chill. This isn’t Ebola, SARS or MERS. Yes, it may be 10 times worse than the flu, but it isn’t the Black Plague.
• Tip service workers. Baristas, Lyft drivers, Uber Eats and Instacart workers, bartenders, maids are getting crushed financially. Help them out.
• Be kind and thoughtful and nice. We will get through this, and we’ll be wiser for it.

Joseph Paduda is co-owner of CompPharma, a consulting firm focused on improving pharmacy programs in workers’ compensation. This column is republished with his permission from his Managed Care Matters blog.