文章最初发布于2020年12月21日.
社会距离, 接触者追踪, isolation and quarantine have become common phrases in the world of 新型冠状病毒肺炎. You have heard time and time again that you should keep your social circle small and decrease interactions with individuals outside of your household, and – in many cases – you may be doing exactly that. But what if we told you your “COVID Bubble” is likely a lot larger than you think?
通过完成你自己的接触追踪, you can quickly see how the people you interact with – and the people 他们 interact with – can impact your risk of exposure to 新型冠状病毒肺炎. During a season in which gathering with family and friends is practically second nature, this lesson has become more important than ever.
Read on to learn more about 新型冠状病毒肺炎 “bubbles” – and why 他们 might not work as well as you think 他们 do.
“泡沫”概念
“泡沫”概念, which is geared toward slowing the transmission of infectious diseases, gained speed shortly after the global spread of the novel coronavirus. 最简单的, your “bubble” is an unofficial term for the group of people you spend time with, 无论是在家里还是在外面. 这个泡泡可能包括你的家人, 同事, a select group of friends and anyone else you see on a regular basis.
In theory, the smaller your bubble, the lower your risk of contracting 新型冠状病毒肺炎. Unfortunately, this concept can give many a false sense of security. 这是为什么.
重叠的“泡沫”
At first glance, your bubble may appear small and well controlled. In reality, your bubble likely overlaps with tens (or even hundreds) of others.
For example, each person in your bubble has their own bubble. And each person in that bubble has another bubble. Depending on how dedicated you are to 接触者追踪, 这种扩张可以一直持续下去, 成为一个令人眼花缭乱的潜在风险网络. To put it into more concrete terms, take a minute to think of your own life and relationships.
首先，谁在你的泡泡里? 包括同事、家人和朋友.
现在，单独考虑每个成员. 他们各自有多少家庭成员? 他们的孩子是否参加了面对面的课程? Do 他们, or their spouse, work in an office environment or as an essential employee? Does their daughter work at a local grocery store? 他们的儿子参加篮球训练吗? As you continue to think in terms of these branching contacts, you may be surprised to find how large your bubble truly is.
你的泡泡有多大? 真的?
你的泡泡:5个人
成员一:15人
成员二:12人
成员三:5人
成员四:10人
成员五:4人除了你泡泡里的5个人, you are also (unknowingly) linked to the 46 people in their combined bubbles. This number of contacts continues to grow as you look at the social interactions within each overlapping group.
破裂的“泡沫”:聚集的危险
Based on the example above, it’s easy to see why gatherings have been deemed high risk. Even though you have made every effort to be careful (keeping your circle small, 戴上你的面具, 洗手), the 50+ people you are unknowingly linked to may not be taking 新型冠状病毒肺炎 quite as seriously. And while you wouldn’t intentionally carry those risks to your loved ones, 不管怎样，你可能会把他们带在身边.
事实上, 聚会结束的时候, your family and friends may have “invited” hundreds of people (and their germs) to your celebration.
重叠气泡的概念, along with possibility of spreading 新型冠状病毒肺炎 without symptoms (or before symptoms appear), highlights the importance of avoiding crowds and gatherings: even with people we love and trust.
管理你的“泡沫”
虽然“泡沫”方法并不完美, it can still be a useful tool for monitoring and tracking your potential exposures. To make your bubble as safe as possible, consider the following guidelines:
- When choosing your members, be clear and honest about your expectations. Consider connecting virtually with anyone that doesn’t share the same level of concern or respect for guidelines.
- 保持你的泡泡一致. No matter the size, adding or changing members increases your risk of exposure.
- Continue 戴上你的面具 and maintaining 6 feet of distance between yourself and others – even members of your established group.
- 要考虑到你的泡沫. If you or someone you interact with is linked to a high-risk individual, take extra precautions to protect those who are medically vulnerable.
- If you interact with someone outside of your bubble, take note. This can help with 接触者追踪 should you need it.
- If you or someone in your bubble tests positive, the entire group should be prepared to quarantine or self-isolate.
绘制你的“泡泡”
Use the document below to create a visual map of your bubble:
Were you surprised by the number of people in your extended bubble? It’s easy to see how our choices are all connected – and how working to protect ourselves and others can have a huge impact. Remember: for every person you see, there are dozens you don’t.