REVISED UPDATE – April 13, 2020 – In the space of a few weeks, the country has shut down over the Coronavirus. Most States have asked their residents to “shelter in place”, which means staying home as much as possible. Since we posted this over a month ago, new information has become available about the Coronavirus, and the disease it causes called COVID-19. The United States now has the most cases worldwide, and New York, New Jersey, Louisiana and Washington State have borne the brunt of the increases. This post is meant to direct you to some more sources of information that are credible and add to our practical tips to deal with the news you are hearing, even though the news is very stressful.
Our knowledge about the virus is changing day to day, but we do know a few more things now– that the virus is more easily transmitted than we had thought, although it is mainly transmitted through fluids and droplets of the infected person and which you touch and transmit to your eyes, nose or mouth. We also know that some people don’t even have symptoms but can still be contagious, that older people are at the most risk, that you should avoid crowds and public places, and most importantly, you need to stay home and self-quarantine, even if there is no case identified near you. That may mean buying food that will last for a few weeks and stocking up on essentials (no, you really don’t need 50 rolls of toilet paper), and washing your hands with soap and water is just as or more effective than using hand sanitizer!
Public health experts now suggest you wear a mask whenever you are in public. You don’t need one of the N95 masks (don’t believe the online scams). Health workers are the ones who really need them. Simple cloth masks or even scarves will do the trick. Masks mainly prevent you from transmitting your sneezes or coughs to someone else. Ordinary masks do not protect you from getting the coronavirus. If you want to know more, the best site is the CDC site, which has up to date information and you can access it here.
So what to do in the face of so much of the media attention? First of all, do not feel anxious for your personal safety unless you have been in direct contact with someone who has the virus or who has travelled from the locations most impacted. If there are a lot of cases in your area, of course, you will want to take more severe action. More practically, when you go out, do not push elevator buttons with your fingers, shake hands, touch bars or handles in public places. The virus can remain on hard surfaces for several hours and even several days.
When you get home, ALWAYS wash your hands with soap and hot water for 20 seconds (some say you can sing happy birthday through twice to test the time limit!). It wouldn’t hurt to buy a thermometer if you don’t have one, so if you believe you have a fever, you can take your own temperature and call your doctor. Not all people who are sick with the virus, however, even have a fever in the beginning, so if you feel ill and want to see the doctor, call first so the staff can prepare for your visit. Public health workers caution against just showing up in a doctor’s office or ER without warning the staff.
The hygiene requirements for avoiding the flu are good practices any time of the year. If you live alone and become ill, going out to the store might be a trip too far for you. Be sure you have a good supply of your medications, and it doesn’t hurt to stock up on household supplies, some cans of soup or frozen dinners, and items that you can ultimately use even if you don’t have the flu. Also check out the food delivery services in your area like Whole Foods, Amazon, Instacart, Von’s, that all deliver food to your door for a fee. Many say that they can’t get a time scheduled for Amazon or Whole Foods deliveries and instead resort to Instacart or actual trips to the grocery store (wearing a mask and even gloves). Many restaurants are now offering take out or delivery services that you can take advantage of with a simple telephone call and credit card. When you receive a food or other package, wash your hands thoroughly both before and after touching it or putting it away.
Keep in touch with friends and family via the internet and phone, and enjoy some TV shows you have been meaning to watch or read a book you have handy. Within the next few weeks, we hope to know a lot more. Your local health department and the CDC are the best sources of information to keep you healthy and safe!
Meanwhile, we are updating this post frequently as new information is available! Check out our “News and Views” page on our blog for additional resources.