Coronavirus: A Message of Love & Hope to Our Community

With every day, news of the coronavirus looms larger. It’s something we’ve all talked about — with equal measures of eye-rolling and more than a little concern.

But in times like these, let’s take a moment to pause, take a deep breath, and keep our heads firmly on our shoulders. There are simple things you can do to protect yourself and those you love: wash your hands, stay home if you have a cold, cover your mouth when you cough and of course wear a mask.

Image | Gooch

There are many great resources for information that you can consult. Trust these over what you read on Facebook or Twitter. As I firmly believe — knowledge is not only power, but it’s the greatest deterrent to ignorance.

CDC — https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html
SF Dept. of Public Health — https://www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/coronavirus.asp
Poz.com — https://www.poz.com/article/people-hiv-need-know-new-coronavirus
NIH — https://www.nih.gov/health-information/coronavirus#!/detail/403327

Lastly, a special word to our Queer community-at-large: The majority of us are strong and healthy. But, that doesn’t make you immune to it. And, it especially won’t stop you from being someone who might carry it. So take extra precautions to protect those around you who may have comprised immune systems. Many of our elders are HIV positive or have AIDS, which makes it much harder for the body to fight off infections and diseases.

Many of my friends — and yours — are artists, shop owners, and servers who are living paycheck to paycheck. They do not have the luxury of working from home. Please shop and eat locally. Make an extra effort to support small businesses. These spaces are a vital part of our community.

We will get through this together. We’ve been through worse. What has always made us strong is our sense of community and is that bond of shared support, concern, and education that will ensure all of us are taken care of.