Staying at home and social distancing continues to prove to be the best way to ensure containment of COVID-19

As spring approached, I faithfully prepared my Sportsmobile camper van for the camping season by getting its fluids up to date, thoroughly cleaning her, and making seasonal improvements as I always do. Then along came SARS-CoV-2, or COVID-19 as we know it. Right now you’re being bombarded daily with information so I will spare you a lot of information you hear over and over. That said, I do want to share with you a few thoughts as the Field Medic Columnist for OutdoorX4 Magazine.

As a lifelong healthcare professional and medical provider, I started my career at a young age working with HIV/AIDS patients at a time when nearly anyone who contracted the disease were dying. This was the most impactful time of my career, likely rivaled by the current pandemic. I worked through SARS, H1N1, Ebola, West-Nile virus, Hantavirus, and even the horrific events of 9/11 as a Firefighter and Medic. As a front-line emergency medical provider, I have never been more personally concerned about an outbreak. I am concerned not only for my own health but also whether I have become contaminated and have passed it at home to my family from an Emergency Department shift.

Coronavirus, in various strains, has been familiar to us for decades and is one of the causes of the common cold. COVID-19 is a particularly virulent (or nasty) new strain of the virus that can run the spectrum from mild disease to especially dangerous to deadly as we have seen. It is difficult to predict who will get serious complications; however, we know it affects all age ranges and when symptoms worsen, they typically do so within hours. The recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control, public health departments, and medical professionals to stay at home, shelter in place, and social distance are incredibly imperative in preventing further spread and mortality. Washing hands frequently and not touching your mouth, eyes, and nose after touching anything is of critical importance. Of course, these are all things we know. The virus is not absorbed through your hands or skin and if washed off, will not contaminate you. The virus can live on solid surfaces for many days but there is good evidence it will not be spread through contact with clothing. It is primarily spread by droplet contact and aerosolization through coughing, sneezing, etc. So please, heed the recommendations to isolate, social distance, and wash frequently as it may save your life or that of a loved one.

What about social distancing in the desert or other places? I live in Utah and the problem here is that people have flocked to the deserts and other areas, making it hard to go anywhere off the beaten path and be away from others. People are not respecting the land and are leaving feces and other signs they were there. As much as my soul requires camping and nature in order to feel replenished and healthy, I realize that for the sake of controlling this pandemic, the best thing all of us can do is heed the recommendations of medical and public health professionals, including myself, and stay at home. If we do this, we will get through this sooner rather than later, and it will become a historical event and one in which we can return to our undoubtedly changed but relatively normal way of life.

In the meantime, clean your camping equipment, service your favorite camping and travel vehicle, whether it’s a bicycle, motorcycle or overland rig, clean out your garage, check off items from your honey-do list, fix something broken, or build something you have been wanting to build. Stay home, be safe, and take care of yourself and your family.

About Fernando Rivero
Originally from Uruguay, Fernando emigrated to the U.S. at a young age. He has always loved adventure travel and has traveled for many years in his Sportsmobile camper van, Land Rover, or on his BMW R1200 GSA. Fernando enjoys most outdoor activities and is an avid skier, mountain biker and hiker. He has a passion for medicine and currently works as an Emergency Medicine PA in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he has spent a majority of his healthcare career.

Fernando has done international medical service work and for many years has worked with underserved and homeless populations. He previously worked as a respiratory therapist and had a very rewarding career as a firefighter/paramedic and fire captain. Fernando is passionate about teaching, has taught emergency medicine courses for over 20 years, holds a Master of Public Health with a focus in Global Medicine and Health, and was on the faculty of Westminster College in Utah, where he taught graduate Public Health classes.

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