Fact: The United States has the highest COVID-19 disease toll in the entire world.

Well, this is just in the numbers. According to Statista, the United States is the world leader with over 3 million cases, and second comes Brazil, an entire million behind. Additional statistics indicate that by state, 4, if countries alone, would appear on the global leaderboard. COVID-19 is here, it's present, and it's spreading fast.

Fiction: If a COVID-19 carrier is wearing a mask, you will not be infected

Masks certainly reduce the potency of COVID-19 spread between two people, but it does not eliminate the possibility. Because masks are meant to prevent those who have COVID-19 from spreading it to others, the people who have it should be the ones wearing the masks, primarily. However, in light of asymptomatic carriers, no one has any ability to know, without testing, who does and does not have the potential to carry the disease. So it's very important that everyone wear a mask, to be sure that all asymptomatic carriers are covered, and spread is prevented.

Fact: It is unsafe to go to public places

Taking prior knowledge into account, and knowing that not everyone is in favor of wearing a mask, especially in areas without a mask mandate, it's not going to be safe in public or crowded areas. Hence the 6 feet social distancing rule. But here's something that might make you a little scared: those 6 feet tapes that you've seen in restaurants, buildings, etc? Many of them are only 6 footsteps apart. You've probably noticed that they're a bit small, but never questioned it. Well here's the facts: the CDC recommends that people stay 6 entire feet, the height of an average NBA player, away from each other. So taking into consideration the lack of serious implement of these practices by others, it's not a good idea for you to expose yourself to them.

Fiction: Protests are not a threat to spreading COVID-19

Let me be clear. I fully support the Black Lives Matter Movement, I love and appreciate all black people and people of color, and advocate for their cause. But if we are looking at the facts OBJECTIVELY, it is true that public protests and demonstrations have a higher chance of spreading COVID-19 to others. Because not everyone is going to wear a mask, not everyone is going to stay 6 feet apart at all times, and there's not way to require and maintain that. So, please attend protests, I'm not arguing against it, just quarantine for 14 days after. At least, that's what experts recommend.

Fact: If EVERYONE quarantines for 6 weeks, COVID-19 will be greatly reduced

The CDC has officially said so, tweeted so, and put it all over their website. But let me paint you a picture, just to make it a little more clear: No one exits their home, except for groceries and maybe a walk/run. Everyone who does so remains 6 feet apart and wears a mask. You don't put yourself in contact with anyone but your family. Gradually, without contact, all those who are sick will recover, and those that they initially spread the disease to will recover as well. So once the population recovers entirely, people can go back to work, to school, to life, safely.

Fiction: You can catch COVID-19 and become immune

It's important to remember that COVID-19 is a new disease, and there's a lot unknown and untested about it. The CDC and other organizations are doing their best to run tests, and understand exactly how dangerous this disease is. And there have been reports of people who have gotten is previously, contracting it again. So even though we don't understand who is at risk, why only certain people get it twice, it's important to stick with what we do know, and stay safe by social distancing and wearing a mask at all times.

For more information, please visit the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

Stay safe, and let's get through this!