Know the Facts About COVID-19

COVID-19, the new name for the disease being caused by the recent coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 is all over the news. You may hear one thing from one source, then hear the opposite thing from another source. That makes it hard to know what’s true. Read the following to get the real facts about the disease.

Path to improved health

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease. It was first reported in China in December 2019. Because this is a new disease, doctors are still learning about it. You can expect them, along with other health experts, to provide new information about it frequently.

Common symptoms of COVID-19 include a fever, cough, and shortness of breath. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers a person to have a fever when he or she has a measured temperature of at least 100.4 °F [38 °C]. These symptoms may occur 2 to 14 days after being exposed to the virus. Most people who come down with COVID-19 have mild symptoms. These symptoms can make you feel like you have the flu. However, some people have more severe symptoms. In these cases, the virus may lead to pneumonia.

How do people get COVID-19?

The most common way to get COVID-19 is by inhaling respiratory droplets in the air. When a person with COVID-19 coughs and sneezes, tiny droplets leave their mouth and nose and go into the air. You can’t see these droplets. If you’re within 6 feet of that person, you may breathe in those droplets. You won’t even know you’ve done it. But by doing that, you may get the germs that cause COVID-19 in your body.

COVID-19 also can be shared if you touch a surface an infected person has touched. Some examples include door handles, elevator buttons and shopping carts. The germs can get into your body if you then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.

Who is likely to get COVID-19?

While there are many cases of COVID-19 in the United States, the overall risk of getting sick with it in the United States is still low for now. However, some people have a greater risk of becoming sick.

Those include:

·         Travelers returning from international areas where there is a high concentration of COVID-19 cases.

·         People in contact with travelers returning from international areas where there is a high concentration of COVID-19 cases.

·         People in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.

Most of the people who are getting sick with COVID-19 are adults. While some children have become infected with it, too, most of them have had milder symptoms than adults.

If people 65 years old and older get COVID-19, they’re more likely to have a severe case. Likewise, people who have health issues, such as heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes are also at risk of getting a severe case.

COVID-19 compared to influenza

Around the world, more than 100,000 people (as of the date of this article) so far have had COVID-19. In comparison, at least 22 million people in the United States have had influenza this season.

Things to consider

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and nervous when thinking about COVID-19. Here are some steps you can take to keep your stress under control.

·         Talk with your family doctor. Ask him or her what you should or shouldn’t be doing. He or she also may suggest ways you can help your kids deal with any stress they’re feeling, too.

·         Wash your hands frequently. This will help get rid of viruses and other germs on your hands. If you’re not near soap and water, use a hand sanitizer that contains between 60% and 95% alcohol.

·         Don’t touch your face, especially your eyes, nose, and mouth. These are the locations where a virus can enter your body.

·         Surgical masks are not effective at protecting wearers from respiratory illnesses like the flu or COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend wearing surgical masks.

·         Stay healthy. Eat a balanced diet. Get plenty of sleep. Exercise. Don’t use tobacco products or alcohol to deal with your stress.

·         Get your news from trusted sources. Make sure the online news articles you read are from a trusted news-based organization. Aside from your doctor, you can trust information from the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Surgeon General, and the World Health Organization. You can also rely on news presented by your local or state public health agency.

·         Don’t panic. You can do this by staying informed and knowing the facts.

If you or someone in your family begins to feel sick, stay home. Don’t go to work or school. Call your doctor. He or she will advise what you should do next. If you or someone in your family develops a fever, cough, and has trouble breathing, call your doctor right away or go to the emergency room.

Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

National Institutes for Health, MedlinePlus: Coronavirus Infections

World Health Organization: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Recently, an outbreak of the coronavirus (now called COVID-19) in China has caused global concern. It came from a seafood and meat market in Wuhan, China, in December. It has since spread to other countries, including the United States.

Despite Wuhan and other Chinese cities being quarantined, the COVID-19 has spread to almost 70 locations internationally. In the U.S., COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in New York, California, Oregon and Washington State. Deaths have been reported in both Washington State and California.

What is a coronavirus?

A coronavirus is a virus that is found in animals and, rarely, can be transmitted from animals to humans and then spread person to person. In addition to COVID-19, other human coronaviruses have included:

• The MERS virus, or Middle East respiratory syndrome.
• The SARS virus, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, which first occurred in the Guangdong province in southern China.

What are the symptoms of a coronavirus?

COVID-19 symptoms range from mild to severe. It takes 2-14 days after exposure for symptoms to develop. Symptoms may include:

• fever (The Centers for Disease Control considers a person to have a fever when he or she has a measured temperature of at least 100.4 °F [38 °C])
• cough
• shortness of breath

Those with weakened immune systems may develop more serious symptoms, like pneumonia or bronchitis. You may never develop symptoms after being exposed to COVID-19. So far, most confirmed cases are in adults, but some children have been infected. There is no evidence that children are at greater risk for getting the virus.

What causes a coronavirus infection?

Humans first get a coronavirus from contact with animals. Then, it can spread from human to human. Health officials do not know what animal caused COVID-19.

The COVID-19 virus can be spread through contact with certain bodily fluids, such as droplets in a cough. It might also be caused by touching something an infected person has touched and then touching your hand to your mouth, nose, or eyes. 

How is a coronavirus diagnosed?

If you believe you have COVID-19, you should contact your family doctor immediately. Before going to the doctor’s office, call with your concerns. This will allow the office to collect information and offer you guidance on next steps. To diagnose you, your doctor may run tests to rule out other common infections. In some cases, your doctor may suggest you self-isolate to prevent the spread of infection.

Can a coronavirus be prevented or avoided?

Try to avoid people who are sick or meeting in large groups. Stay home if you are sick.

Cover your cough with a tissue or cough into your upper sleeve or elbow.  Do not cough into your hands.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty. Avoid touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.

The Centers for Disease Control has issued travel advisories for several affected countries. If you are traveling to an area where the COVID-19 is present, speak with your doctor.

Coronavirus treatment

There is currently no vaccine or treatment for COVID-19. Symptoms of a coronavirus usually go away on their own. If symptoms feel worse than a common cold, contact your doctor. He or she may prescribe pain or fever medication.

As with a cold or the flu, drink fluids and get plenty of rest. If you are having trouble breathing, seek immediate medical care.

When possible, avoid contact with others when you are sick. If you have COVID-19, wear a facemask to prevent spreading the virus to others. The CDC does not recommend wearing a mask if you do not have COVID-19.

Resources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• National Institutes for Health, MedlinePlus: Coronavirus Infections
• World Health Organization: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak