COVID-19

Yesterday, I received some hard news from our Council President Heidi Leiser-O’Neil. She tested positive for Covid-19 and is quite ill. We were able to talk briefly and have been texting and she requested the prayer support of the congregation. She said when it started, it felt like allergies, but she is now experiencing shortness of breath, changes in how things taste, and extreme fatigue.

Please pray for Heidi and Marty. They are up in Rosholt and Heidi is in communication with her doctor as she combats this virus. We all know Heidi is tough lady with a lot of energy and a big heart. She has had some Covid scares already as her daughter had Covid and recovered in April. Let’s all pray for Heidi’s recovery and return to health.

If you are concerned you might have Covid, please talk to a doctor and get tested if you have symptoms or think you may have been exposed. I have had allergy symptoms and because the West Allis Health Department recommended getting tested to make sure they weren’t Covid related, I went to the free drive through testing site at 2701 S Chase Ave in Milwaukee and heard back within 24 hours that I was negative.

It’s difficult to eliminate all risks of contracting or transmitting this virus, but it’s important for all of us to stay alert to our symptoms and contacts and do what we can to avoid spreading the illness asymptomatically.

We all want this thing to go away but we can’t wish it away and it’s best to assume that the people in contact with us are sick instead of assuming that they are not, to help us take appropriate precautions to reduce transmission. The only way to contain a public health threat like this is for everyone around us to take it seriously and for us to lead by example with our words and practices.

If you haven’t known anyone who has gotten Covid, now you do. There are 8 million more cases in the US like Heidi’s. Wisconsin is again a hotspot with over 3000 new cases a day and we all should continue to take precautions and be reminded of the real dangers of the virus.

Please pray for Heidi and remember to join our synod in praying for all those that have contracted Covid-19 and all those that care for them at Noon everyday.

Pastor Josh