Coronavirus In Bucks County: Police Officer With COVID-19 Advises Young Adults To 'Think About Your Grandparents'
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP, Pa. (CBS) -- A Bucks County police officer who tested positive for the coronavirus has a message for young people. Middletown Township Police Officer Ryan Morrison learned he tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday.
Morrison never had any symptoms while working and has not returned to work since becoming symptomatic.
In a video posted to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office's Facebook page Sunday, Morrison said he began having symptoms on Thursday. At first, he said he thought the chances were "very slim" he had it.
"At the same time, I had the fever, I have this symptom, I have that symptom, why not just go get tested and clear it rather than be selfish and try to go to work with that," Morrison said. "Would I have done that, the chances of me spreading it would probably be a lot higher now than I'm isolated."
Morrison offered some advice for the public in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
"If you can stay isolated, there's no point in going out. I was never really afraid of the virus, but at the same time, I thought that was a selfish outlook on it," Morrison said. "Just because I could probably get over the virus, it doesn't mean someone who's in their 60s or 70s who have underlying illnesses can get over the virus.
"So if I'm selfish and go out in the public and encounter someone or give someone else the virus that eventually makes its way to an elderly person who dies, that's kind of due to my selfishness. If you can stay in, think about your grandparents, your parents, individuals who possibly can't get over this virus. Think about them rather than yourselves. Put that into perspective."
Avoiding crowds, staying in your home, and keeping nonessential businesses closed are paramount importance in slowing the spread of COVID-19.
Pennsylvania has over 475 COVID-19 cases while Montgomery County officials reported its first death Sunday night. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney issued a stay-at-home order effective at 8 a.m. Monday.
