There are discussions circulating about a number of staff members at North Shore Health who have or are participating in the Sturgis motorcycle rally in South Dakota. There are a lot of questions regarding how this impacts our community as a whole and within North Shore Health. I understand the frustration about this and the requests that these individuals quarantine. We have not and will not be asking these individuals to quarantine and this is an explanation of why.
I want to say first off that I believe it to be a very bad decision to hold a gathering that will attract over 250,000 people from across the country in the time of this pandemic. There is no way around the fact that large gatherings have played a major role in the spread of this virus and this is the largest event to happen in our country since this pandemic began.
That being said, when it comes to the risk of contracting COVID-19 and bringing it back to our community, Sturgis is almost certainly not our biggest threat. Sturgis is many different things. The risk of getting COVID-19 while riding a motorcycle across the Black Hills and staying in a campground away from other people is astronomically low. While there are very real risks regarding indoor gatherings at the Sturgis event, we are trusting those who have gone to this event to know what is a dangerous situation and avoid it. We have to trust each other through this pandemic. We have never asked people to quarantine based on attendance at a large event, including the protests that occurred in the Twin Cities. At North Shore Health we need to be honest with each other about our activities and situations that have the potential to spread this virus. With that honest information we work together so we can plan and monitor accordingly.
I am taking this opportunity to stress the fact that we are also trusting everyone reading this. The risk of going to a bar in Sturgis is exactly the same as going to a bar in Duluth. People gathering together indoors as a family can spread this virus as easily as those doing the same at Sturgis. We are currently at a very critical point when it comes to COVID-19 in Cook County and we have to be careful. We all know the things it takes: to limit groups, avoid large gatherings indoors, stay home when we are sick, following guidance for isolation and quarantine for those who are sick, and getting tested when we have symptoms. It is more important how we act than where we go.
Finally, I cannot stress enough that we need to realize the risk that we pose to our greater community. COVID-19 is in Cook County. To this point we have been worried about others bringing this virus to us. Now we need to consider that we may be bringing it to them. As you plan events and travel, there is an increasing possibility that we may have the virus and not know it. Until our society can come to grasp with this concept and embrace it, I fear that we will not be able to get ahead of this virus.
In all sincerity, Dr.
Farchmin, Grand Marais
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