Don't expect a quick reboot from coronavirus

When things go wrong on your old PC, you can hit the “control-alt-delete” buttons and reboot the machine.

Sure, you will lose whatever you are working on at the time, whether it’s the great American novel or an email to grandma, but at least you’ll get the computer running again, cleared of whatever bug was causing it to not function.

We may not have asked for a great reset, but thanks to the COVID-19 bug, we got one.

Yes, a lot of things were lost in the process. The high school track season for one thing, along with most spring school activities; YMCA soccer, a majority of the performances of SWNCTA’s fabulous “Hunchback of Notre Dame” production.

Family gatherings. Traditional Easter services.

A letter from the Buffalo Commons committee announced that headliners for the storytelling and music festival have been canceled, with hopes of a smaller event featuring local talent.

And on and on. Even those of us who consider ourselves introverts are learning we’re not all that fond of social isolation when it’s enforced to the point it affects our abilities to complete basic tasks like earning a living or shopping for groceries.

Like the familiar logo that appears on our computer screens, the reboot of familiar activities will be a relief when it happens.

But don’t expect activities to spin up very quickly.

With no reported COVID-19 cases in our immediate area, we’re far from experiencing the peak effects of the pandemic, and the return to what passes for “normal” probably will take longer than we expect.

Residents of Wuhan, China, are only now being cautiously allowed to return to normal activities, after 2 1/2-months of quarantine, which pushes our reboot date to mid-summer, provided the virus stays under control in China and elsewhere.

Gov. Pete Ricketts hinted that some restrictions might be eased in May, such as allowing slightly larger gatherings and reopening sit-down restaurants, but he’s right in urging caution to avoid a rebound in coronavirus cases.

And, Ricketts medical adviser Dr. James Lawler says the pandemic won’t truly be overcome until public health officials find a vaccine for the virus.

We’re relatively unaffected in Nebraska because we had more time to react than did the larger states, but “there’s a lot of room for improvement,” including more testing, and things could quickly get worse, said Dr. Lawler, an infectious disease expert at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Meanwhile, don’t assume we can drop our guard.

Follow 10 steps urged by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services:

-- Stay 6 feet away from others.

-- Stay at home and only grocery shop once per week alone.

-- Wear a cloth face covering in public (grocery stores, pharmacies etc.) when you can’t stay 6 feet away from others.

-- Work from home.

-- Hold conference calls or virtual meetings instead of in person.

-- Stay home if you or someone in your house has a sudden onset of cough or shortness of breath or a fever.

-- Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based sanitizer.

-- Wash hands right before you eat.

-- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze then throw the tissue in the trash.

-- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces, especially counters, handles, doorknobs, tabletops, remotes and keyboards.

-- Wear cloth face coverings in public settings where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

Visit CDC.gov for more information on cloth masks.