Coronavirus Disease – COVID-19
The World Health Organization announced an official name for the disease that has happened the last year 2019 which is the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak. Coronavirus is named for its appearance. Under the microscope, the virus looks like they are covered with a pointed structure that surrounds them like corona or crown.
Coronaviruses are a type of virus that has different kinds which some cause disease. This disease is caused by the new coronavirus that emerged in China last year 2019. Several coronaviruses reasons for respiratory infections which ranges from the common cold to more severe illnesses. These diseases include Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Patients with this infection will be evaluated and cared for differently than patients with common coronavirus diagnosis.
SARS, MERS, and COVID-19
SARS was identified in 2002 and caused an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome. In the year 2012, MERS was identified in 2012 and caused the middle east respiratory syndrome. In late 2019, COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China. This is considered a pandemic disease.
Symptoms
Some people don’t develop any symptoms or don’t feel any unwell and get infected. After exposure to the virus, the appearance of the symptoms may take up to 14 days. Symptoms of the disease may be very mild or more serious such as:
⦁ Cough
⦁ Fever
⦁ Difficulty breathing
Some patients may also experience:
⦁ Diarrhea
⦁ Sore throat
⦁ Runny nose
⦁ Nasal congestion
⦁ Aches and pains
How It Spread
By droplets from sneezes or coughs, COVID-19 can be passed from person to person. The virus can be spread between two people who are in close contact with one another. It may also be through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person. The droplets can land on surfaces around the person and objects. The reason why “1 meter or 3 feet distance” is important these days is because of the possibility others might catch the virus if they breathe in the droplets from the person infected who coughs out. People are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic. So, it is very important to practice social distancing these days.
How to Protect Yourself
⦁ Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. You can use hand sanitizers if soap and water are not available.
⦁ Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading to your community.
⦁ Do not touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
⦁ Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough or you may use your elbow. Throw the used tissue right away in a closed bin.
⦁ Clean and disinfect often especially touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, or toilets.
How To Protect Your Family
⦁ Avoid touching your face or anywhere in your house.
⦁ Regularly and thoroughly clean your surface.
⦁ When you cough or sneeze, use a tissue or the crook of your elbow. If you get mucus on your skin, clean it off at once.
During these uncertain and stressful times, we must maintain our emotional interactions with others. You can still use text messages, video chats, phone calls to be part of each others’ lives. Now that the virus has spread throughout the world, it is very important to follow the preventive guidelines.
If You Are Sick
⦁ Stay in touch with your doctor for medical care and stay at home
⦁ Separate yourself from others especially in your home and wear a facemask
⦁ Limit contact with animals and pets
⦁ You should not share any personal household items
⦁ Drink a lot of fluids to stay hydrated and rest at home
If you had close contact with someone with COVID-19
⦁ Monitor your health for symptoms during the 14 days after the last day you were in close contact with the sick person
⦁ You should not go to work or school and avoid public places for 14 days
⦁ Isolate your self at home and away from other people
⦁ Do not leave the house except if you will seek for medical help. Stay in a different room to other people if possible and wear a surgical mask when you are in the same room as others.
If you don’t have a high-risk condition but want medical help, tell them you were exposed to someone who is with COVID-19. If possible, put on a facemask before emergency services arrive or right away after they arrive. If these signs and symptoms develop, call for medical help right away:
⦁ Shortness of breath
⦁ Fever
⦁ Cough
⦁ Sore throat
⦁ Headache
⦁ Runny nose
⦁ Diarrhea
If someone in your house gets sick
The following are the things you can follow when someone is sick in your house:
⦁ By lessening the social contact, length of time contact, and space in your environment, designate personal space for them.
⦁ There is a release of the virus if a person is sick into the environment through coughing or just breathing. Home ventilation and good airflow are important. The virus stays in the air for hours.
⦁ If you will be serving their food, it is a wise choice if you can just leave it in their doors. Wash your hands and disinfect kitchen surfaces.
⦁ Keep the doors of their room closed. It can provide an extra layer of protection.
⦁ The sick person needs to limit the interaction with pets. The pet isn’t going to get infected but it can act like a contaminated surface for other people to get sick.
⦁ Clean your house as often as needed. Disinfecting each surface of your house can help avoid the spread of the disease. Wear facemask if you are cleaning. When handling laundries of an infected person, use disposable gloves as well.
Helping other people to STOP the stigma related to COVID-19
Some points you can do to help stop the stigma:
⦁ Speak accurately about the risk of the disease based on the latest official health information
⦁ Talk positively because, for some people, this is a disease they can overcome
⦁ You should not emphasize the message of threat
⦁ Do your part by working together with others to help prevent the spread of the disease
⦁ Choose words wisely before speaking or sharing it. The words being expressed will shape the popular language and communication on the COVID-19.
⦁ Help promote the importance of prevention and lifesaving actions. Misinformation and rumors contribute to stigma and discrimination.
Information about Blood Donations
Donated blood is a lifeline for people with cancer, the victims of car accidents, undergoing organ transplants, or those who may need blood products to boost their immune systems. Here are some things you need to know about giving blood:
1. People get it by respiratory droplets in the air after the infected person sneezes or coughs.
2. If you are sick or don’t feel well, you are not able to donate blood. Only healthy people can donate blood and must be 16 years old and weighs at least 110 pounds.
3. You cannot and you should not donate if you ever had contact with someone with COVID-19, as well as if you’ve been diagnosed with the disease or you have of it. You can wait for 28 days after your condition has fully resolved if you are infected. If you have the symptoms, stay at home and call your local health department. In the last 14 days, if you have been in contact with someone infected, it is recommended that you don’t donate blood.
Blood donation centers must observe cleanliness and proper hygiene twice as it was before. It is because of a quick spread of the COVID-19.
High-Risk People of getting the Disease
Based on the current information, older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions might be at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. People;
⦁ aged 65 years of age and older
⦁ who can live in a nursing home or long-term care facility
⦁ with a serious heart condition, chronic lung disease, any age with severe obesity, or those who are immunocompromised including cancer treatment. Conditions that may cause a person to be immunocompromised are prolonged use of corticosteroids and immune deficiencies.
People in the United States
For about 40,00, the coronavirus has also reached the US. The official in the state has already established testing centers in many areas. As the number of confirmed cases increases these days, the officials have ordered residents to stay at home and observe a strictly precautionary measure.
Pregnant Women
Pregnant women are sensitive to any conditions. You need to observe precautionary behavior strictly because they experience changes in their bodies that may increase their risk of some infections. You need to:
⦁ Avoid people who are sick or with any symptoms of the disease
⦁ Cover your cough or wear a facemask if going outside
⦁ Clean your hands often especially if you are doing tasks
Children
Children do not appear to be at higher risk of having this disease. You can teach or let your child practice respiratory hygiene. It is to help stop the spread of COVID-19. You may as well;
⦁ Launder items including washable plush toys as appropriate by the instruction of the manufacturer. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting and dry them, completely.
⦁ Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily in household areas
If your child is healthy or doesn’t show any symptoms, there is no need to use a facemask. Only people who have symptoms and are healthcare professionals are recommended to wear a facemask.
Pets/Animals
Animals can spread other diseases to people, it is always a good idea to practice healthy habits around pets and other animals. Pets have other types of coronavirus that can make them sick. The other coronavirus can’t infect people and is not related to the current COVID-19.
At this time, there is no evidence that the virus causes COVID-19 can spread to people from the fur or pets. You should restrict contact with pets and other animals while you are sick. It is also recommended that people sick with COVID-19 must limit contact with animals until more information is known about the new disease.
If you are sick with COVID-19, you should limit or might as well do not have contact with pets or animals. If you must care for your pet or be around animals, wash your hands before and after you interact with pets. If you plan to adopt shelter pets, make sure that they are free from any illness or virus.
