Question: I was just reading this article in the NY Times, “In Texas Beach City, Out-of-Towners Drove In an Outbreak,” which my neighborhood listserv is ranting about. We live in a small beach town that had been relatively COVID-free… that is, until a few weeks ago when we started opening up. Folk here who run Airbnb are totally into the move forward, but our county test positivity rate has doubled in two weeks! What do you think about the issue of tourists and travelers spreading the virus?

Answer: That article on Corpus Christi was such a good, sad read. For those of you who didn’t read it, the summary is: Corpus Christi had gotten daily case counts down to zero; it became known as a safe place; tourists flocked to the town; meanwhile, the town was unprepared with no mask regulations, no processes to help people maintain 6 feet of distance, etc.; now it is a hot zone with cases growing rapidly; some residents blame outsiders and some blame themselves. So how is this story relevant to other towns? Here are my thoughts:

1. No place is special. No place is immune. If Town X hasn’t been hit, it’s not because Town X is special or immune. Town X has just been lucky. And luck runs out.
2. We are interconnected. One take-away could be to shut your town off from others. This would be an exceptionally difficult path to follow. First, I’m not sure that towns or counties have the legal authority to close themselves off. Even if a town were able to do so, they would be forgoing the revenue that tourists bring, which could prove too economically damaging. Such towns would also presumably need to keep their residents within the town borders — no one comes, no one goes. Back in the pandemic of 1918, Gunnison, Colorado did this self-imposed quarantine to keep the flu out, and it worked. But given our interconnectedness, I’m doubtful it would work today. A related, more moderate solution would be to have everyone who comes/goes self-quarantine for 14 days. Hawaii has taken this approach and kept daily new cases relatively low, though daily cases are now back at peak levels (~30 new cases/day) even with the quarantine measures in place. This would be challenging to implement at a local level — who will enforce it?
3. Public health regulations and practices are imperative. Towns and communities must practice public health interventions before embarking on reopening. Masks must be required of employees and customers. “No mask, no service.” When expecting lines, markers should be painted on the ground to keep people paced 6+ feet apart. Can markers be made on beaches? Add them! What does your community want to do about bars and places where people put their guard down? Consider keeping them closed. Will folks renting their houses agree to only rent to families (e..g no party houses)? Does your community have the ability to track individuals who have been exposed? If not, set it up now!
4. It’s easy to blame others — “outsiders” — for problems. But Corpus Christi’s problems were also of their own doing. The town was not prepared. It continued operating as if the pandemic didn’t exist. This is a recipe for disaster. Please use this story as a cautionary tale. Make changes to your community now to limit the spread.
5. Be prepared to shut things [back] down if case numbers [continue to] rise. To use an analogy — We are like dry brush. Little fires can quickly turn into out-of-control blazes.