There were no masks and scant few gloves available in the painting supply section of a big box hardware store on a recent visit. My Kroger app told me that, due to high demand, they are restricting the purchase of sanitizers and cold and flu related products. Shelves in a discount store were emptied of disinfecting sprays and hand sanitizers. Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has come to the United States — and with it a lot of bad information.
The Marion County Health Department’s Web site, with information derived from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control, notes that COVID-19 is a “novel” (new) virus strain that was first reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The source of the virus is thought to come from bats, but the research has been inconclusive. An accurate interactive map of current COVID-19 infections is available at https://bit.ly/32KMSVx (Johns Hopkins).
The virus is spread the way many viruses spread (including the common cold and flu), through droplets sneezed or coughed by an infected person. The symptoms of COVID-19 can include a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. The CDC believes at the time of publication that symptoms may appear in just 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure. There is no vaccine available at this time.
The Marion County Health Department also notes that, at this time, the risk of COVID-19 transmission is low. This is a peak time for respiratory illnesses like a cold or flu, and the symptoms are similar. Please call your healthcare professional to discuss your concerns.
Most COVID-19 infections have been mild, but for those with a weakened immune system, the elderly, or individuals with compromised lung function are at greater risk for complications. The virus as about a 2 percent death rate, which is higher than the rate for the flu. As of the time of publication, over 3,000 people have died all over the world. The flu shot will not protect you from COVID-19 — they are different viruses.
The hardest hit areas at this time are China, South Korea, northern Italy, and Iran. The U.S. government has imposed travel restrictions to some areas. Foreign nationals who have visited China since mid-February cannot enter the U.S., and American citizens or lawful permanent residents and their families who have visited China are being directed to one of 11 airports for health screenings. Visitors returning from China are being monitored for 14 days. This is to prevent possible exposure to the general population.
Non-essential travel to mainland China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran is not recommended — in fact, some airports in these nations are closed to non-essential travel.
To prevent the spread of any virus, public health agencies recommend simple, inexpensive steps to stay healthy. Those tips include:
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds several times a day. Clean under fingernails with a brush.
• If you are unable to wash your hands, alcohol-based hand sanitizers are better than nothing.
• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue and throw it away. Cough into your arm or crook of your elbow.
In addition, use sanitizing wipes on cart handles at stores. If none are available, wear a glove (even a winter glove or mitten) to avoid direct contact. Viruses can live for hours on surfaces.
Health organizations are asking the general population to not buy face masks — they are ineffective in preventing the spread, and there is a shortage for health care professionals.
