How to Protect Yourself from COVID-19
BY LIANN MELENDEZ — Staff Writer
On December 31st, 2019, in Wuhan, China, the first report of the new coronavirus, now formally known as COVID-19, was detected. Since then, the respiratory illness outbreak has infected over 86,000 people all around the world.
So far, in America there have been over 1,360 reported cases and about 35 deaths linked to this disease. However, China, South Korea, and Italy have not been so fortunate, as the total number of diagnosed cases and deaths increase each day.
In light of these tragedies, doctors are feverishly working to find a vaccine for this virus, leaving individuals like you and I to wonder, how do I protect myself in the meantime?
For one, it’s important that you contact your healthcare provider and follow the advice given to keep you and others safe from COVID-19.
Still, if you speak with any public health figure, they will most certainly emphasize the importance of washing your hands frequently with soap and water for about 20 seconds. This means washing your hands before, during, and after preparing food, after toilet use, and most especially after handling animal waste.
Throughout the day, your hands touch many surfaces that may be contaminated, which not only supports the significance of washing your hands, but it also should caution you from touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. If your hands make contact with a COVID-19 contaminated surface and follow it by making contact with your mucus membranes, then you are transferring the virus from that surface to you.
Additionally, with the knowledge that COVID-19 is mainly spread person-to-person, it’s vital that you maintain a social distance of at least 3 feet when in close proximity with a sick individual. When someone coughs or sneezes next to you, it’s possible that you breathe in small liquid droplets that they produce and spray which may contain the virus.
If all else fails and you find that you are displaying symptoms of COVID-19, the best you can do for yourself and others is seek medical help immediately.
Typically, the symptoms of the COVID-19 virus are shown as followed:
- Patients report first having a fever, which is closely followed by a dry cough.
- About a week later, patients experience shortness of breath, in which case according to WorldOMeter, 20% of patients seek medical help for.
It is possible however, that an individual may be infected with the virus and not show signs of having it until 2–14 days later.
While it is important to watch the news for any updates concerning the new coronavirus, it is just as important to recognize when what you are hearing and seeing isn’t helpful. Checking the news from time to time will not only keep you up to date, but will also help prevent you from becoming stressed and panicked if you were to constantly be hooked on it.
This is where Dr.Mike’s advice becomes key, “Stay alert not anxious.”
It’s only a matter of time when the vaccination for the new coronavirus is discovered, but in the meantime it’s up to you and I to prevent the spread of it — and that starts with looking after our own health.
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