Mayor's update: Keep your distances; kids, too; will take a little longer than we first hoped; beware of a rebound

By Grayson Vandegrift
Mayor, City of Midway

Another week in the books, and I’m so proud of how 99 percent of you are doing the right things to protect yourself and to protect the most vulnerable of us. To those who are still bucking some of these important, live-saving guidelines: There’s still time to join the team, but you need to do it right now.

We are beginning to see more cases in Woodford County, and although there are still no confirmed cases in Midway, we have to act like the coronavirus is here, because that’s the best way to fight back against this virus. In fact, the CDC says that one in four coronavirus cases is asymptomatic. But, an asymptomatic person can still transmit the virus to others, and the person you could transmit it to might not be physically as prepared as you. That’s why it’s so important that 100% of us follow these guidelines stringently. No one is immune, and no one is an exception. This is the first time in our lifetimes that every single human on earth is going through an experience that personally affects them, and we have to do it together.

And in Midway, we are. Thank you so much to the vast majority who are making the necessary sacrifices to protect each other and to save lives. There are one or two things that concern me, and one I addressed in a written message over the weekend. [Editor's note: Vandegrift said at the end of Monday's City Council budget workshop that some restaurants had called him to apologize.]

The other is reports I’m receiving that play dates are happening for kids here and there. Folks, I get it; I have a 3-year-old myself. Our children don’t understand this, and they want to see their friends. It’s very difficult to keep them occupied and happy during this crisis, as Katie and I are finding just as much as anyone. But we can’t be risking others. I know it’s hard to hear this, because we want so much for our kids to experience normalcy, but like Gov. Beshear has said; kids are the most resilient of us. So please, let’s not do anything that could further community spread and put other people in serious danger. We also need to limit any gathering of people outside our immediate family, and believe me, I know how hard that is. I sincerely thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

There are lots of ways to still entertain your kids in new and creative ways, while still practicing social distancing. One way is to take them to Walter Bradley Park. There are no current plans to close the park, as so far all reports, and my own experiences taking Jackson almost daily, is that people who are there are practicing social distancing well.

One more way to entertain the kiddos is the newly created “Window Walks.” Today, in light of April Fool’s Day, residents are encouraged to put funny jokes (keep them appropriate for children, please) in your windows or on the backs of your vehicles and kids walking this afternoon with their parents can get a hearty laugh. Here’s one of mine for the day: “what do you call a boomerang that won’t come back? A stick!” This Saturday, April 4, is Yard Art, April 8 is encouraging words, and April 11 is Easter Eggs. This is a great event that both younger and older can participate in. I’ll let you know as the creators of the event extend them through this period.

I know how hard this time can be on all of us, and I continue to encourage you to take care of your mental health as well as your physical self. Remember to limit how much cable news you take in, rely more on local news and official government sites for pure information. Take walks when the weather is nice, just keep using social distancing. Set aside time each day for stress relief and look for new ways to help yourself relax. The battle in our minds right now is just as important as the battle on the ground. Taking care of your mental health will help us remain focused and determined to beat this thing.

And we’re going to beat this thing, but it’s going to take a little longer than we all at first had hoped. I know this is difficult to hear, but I think we really need to prepare ourselves to do this through the month of May, perhaps even longer. The virus in Kentucky is expected to peak in the coming weeks, and then we should see a decline in cases as long as we keep following these guidelines of social distancing, good personal hygiene, and only going out of the house for essentials and safe exercise or activity. But, even as the cases decline, we’re going to have to remain vigilant so that we don’t allow it to make a comeback, and that’s going to take some time. History, both distant and recent, is full of examples where pandemics, including this very one, rebound because we loosen our practices too soon. Let’s not do that, and let’s do our very best to beat this thing on the first try.

As the virus does peak, there are going to be times when it’s easy to get frightened, even more than we already may be. Don’t let it overcome you, fear is a natural, and helpful, reaction, but only if we are able to control our fears and remember that we can do this, we are doing this, and we will do this. Keep practicing those good social distancing techniques, keep washing your hands often and having good personal hygiene, and keep showing why Midway is so very special. Thank you, and God bless.

UPDATE: The mayor posted on social media a request that people paying bills or dropping off correspondence at City Hall tape or clip their envelopes rather than sealing them, which "can potentially put our clerks in harm's way. Thank you for all you're doing! We're doing great, and we're doing it together."