Kansas officers try to de-escalate some of the stress from coronavirus worries

Lowering stress during the COVID-19 pandemic could strengthen immune systems and make people less susceptible to the illness.

The first report of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, was in December 2019 in China. The first U.S. case was announced Jan. 21. Kansas followed with the first presumptive positive test on March 7. Eight cases, including one death, have been reported in Kansas in a week. The rise in cases has caused panic, tangible by the cleared out shelves in stores for hygiene products.

Kansas officers have started doing what they have been trained to do, de-escalate stressful situations.

On Saturday in a Facebook post, the Park City Police Department asked people to remember to hide valuables in their vehicles to prevent break-ins. The post included a photo of toilet paper on the dashboard of a vehicle. Toilet paper has been flying off store shelves as people prepare for the possibility of isolation.

The Lawrence Police Department tweeted Friday that the virus is “less than ideal,” even mentioning “it sucks,” but promised to keep people informed with information from credible sources and “bring some levity” to the situation.

In another tweet, Lawrence police encouraged people to wash their hands: “But this time with soap and water.”

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommends people wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds at a time. The KDHE also recommends people avoid touching their face.

Wichita Police Department chief Gordon Ramsay tweeted a photo earlier in the week of a person wearing a pet cone and a dog telling the person: “It’s for your own good. You have to stop touching your face.”

More than 155,000 cases and roughly 5,814 deaths have been reported worldwide since the disease was discovered in December, according to Worldometers. The organization estimates 2,500 of those cases are in the U.S. with roughly 55 deaths.

The Center for Disease Control reported that the flu season in the U.S. has so far been more deadly. The figures from fall 2019 to March 10 show that roughly 36 million people were infected, resulting in approximately 22,000 deaths.

Some experts suggest the fear of the coronavirus relates to it being new and relatively unknown.

This story was originally published March 14, 2020 at 5:13 PM.