COVID–19 has taken over. The news. Daily conversations. The workplace. The classroom. Even impacting how we interact. COVID–19 has earned its pandemic status because there is currently no vaccination or treatment for it. However, the best defense against these unknowns and the continued spread is education – getting to know the virus, the risks and actionable steps for prevention.
The Virus Everyone is Talking About
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which can cause illness in animals or humans. COVID–19 is the newest addition to that family, causing a respiratory disease with the ability to spread person-to-person. With little to no pre-existing immunity, this new virus has quickly spread worldwide.
Currently, all 50 states in the U.S. have reported cases to the Centers of Disease Control (CDC). Cases have been linked to travel, close contact with an infected individual and community-acquired instances where the source is unknown. While symptoms can include fever, dry cough, tiredness, aches, nasal congestion, shortness of breath and/or trouble breathing, according to WHO, symptoms may not appear until up to 14 days after exposure. Carriers are just as contagious as someone who has tested positive.
Assessing the Risks
Risk depends on a variety of virus characteristics such as how well it is able to spread, the severity of the illness and medical measures available to control the impact. As the outbreak expands, so does the risk.
Per the Harvard Medical School, your chances of dying from a heart attack are roughly 10 times your chances of dying from coronavirus, however, your chances of getting coronavirus are 100 times greater than having a heart attack.
You’re at the highest risk of exposure if:
You live where community spread is elevated
You work in the healthcare industry
You have traveled or been in close contact with someone who has
Those with a high risk of death are:
The elderly
People of any age with a chronic medical condition like heart and lung disease
Those with any condition that weakens the immune system like cancer
Protecting Yourself and Others
While taking precautions won’t eliminate risk, it does significantly reduce it. Sources like WHO and the CDC cite that COVID–19 is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person, passed through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. This is why social distancing is so important to flattening the pandemic curve.
While the best way to prevent illness is by avoiding opportunities for exposure altogether, understandably, that may not be possible for everyone. If and when you leave your home, keep these precautions top of mind:
Limit contact with people outside your family, especially people you haven’t already come into contact with
Try to remain roughly six (6) feet away from others, especially those coughing or sneezing
Clean your hands often and for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer when washing your hands isn’t an option.
Avoid touching your face. Once you touch a contaminated surface, you can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth.
Frequently disinfect high-touch surfaces like countertops, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom fixtures and phones
As we all grapple with this new normal, knowing that we are taking steps to understand risks and prevent spread can provide a much-needed sense of control and comfort. Look to national and local authorities for the the most up to date information.
