Preparing for Coronavirus: Dos and Don’ts

Feb. 28, 2020 — General public wellness officers have been urging people today to prepare — not stress — for the new coronavirus (also acknowledged as COVID-19). People calls took on additional urgency as circumstances of the virus have started out to spike in countries exterior China. Here’s what you want to know to secure on your own right now:

Dos and Don’ts for Absolutely everyone

DO
wash your hands for at minimum twenty seconds, several times a working day. Use soap and water or a hand sanitizer with at minimum sixty% alcohol:

• Before cooking or feeding on
• Soon after making use of the toilet
• Soon after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing

Really don’t contact your eyes, nose, and mouth. If you have by some means come into speak to with the virus, touching your face can aid it enter your physique.

DO find out the signs and symptoms, which are very similar to flu:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

Most circumstances do not get started with a runny nose.

Really don’t use a mask unless you are sick. Masks aid secure some others from catching the virus, but carrying a person when you are balanced will not do considerably. Demand has been so superior worldwide that shortages have started. Depart the masks for people today who genuinely want them, like the sick or wellness care experts.

DO look at getting additional safeguards and remaining out of public destinations if you are around sixty yrs outdated, or have a problem, as you have a greater risk of establishing the ailment. Observe that as of now, the maximum-risk groups surface to be seniors and people today with preexisting problems like coronary heart ailment, long-term respiratory diseases, and diabetes.

Really don’t journey if you have a fever. If you get sick on flight, inform crew promptly. When you get property, speak to a wellness expert.

DO reconsider journey to influenced countries. Currently, the CDC advises from all nonessential journey to China and South Korea. For people today in a greater-risk group — seniors and people today with preexisting problems — the agency indicates suspending nonessential journey to Italy, Japan, and Iran as nicely. Locate the newest advisories listed here.

Really don’t stress. At this place, circumstances of COVID-19 in the U.S. quantity in the dozens. Only a person has no very clear relationship to another region or sick particular person.

DO: Prepare by making absolutely sure you have materials at property in case somebody will get sick and needs to be quarantined. This would include prescription medications for any person in the relatives, other wellness materials this sort of as around-the-counter suffering relievers, and disinfectants to clean home surfaces. Scientific studies recommend that coronaviruses can live on surfaces for a few several hours or up to several days. Thoroughly clean them consistently with a disinfectant to get rid of the virus.

When COVID-19 has not yet been declared a pandemic, a government net web page also indicates keeping a 2-7 days offer of food stuff and water in the case of a pandemic and acquiring copies of digital wellness records.

Dos and Don’ts When You Really don’t Sense Well

DO
seek aid early if you have a fever, cough, and a challenging time respiration. But don’t just fall into the closest urgent care clinic. Connect with your doctor to uncover out the protocol to start with, to make absolutely sure you will not unfold the ailment to some others.

Really don’t go out besides to see your doctor, right after calling to start with. And if you do have to go out, steer clear of public transportation, taxis, and experience-sharing.

DO cough or sneeze into the criminal of your elbow or a tissue, and dispose of the tissue promptly in a lined bin. (You should be undertaking this irrespective of whether or not you suspect COVID-19 — you don’t want to unfold a frequent chilly, both.)

Really don’t hold out with your relatives or pets if you suspect you have the virus. In buy to secure them, consume and slumber individually from them, try to remain in a person space, and use a independent toilet if feasible. Yes, pets are bundled in the suggestions. There has been a person report of a puppy tests constructive in Hong Kong for the virus. But officers there mentioned they are not absolutely sure the puppy is in fact infected. The CDC says authorities don’t know for absolutely sure irrespective of whether pets can catch it.

DO use a mask thoroughly all around some others if you suspect you may well have the virus — the mask by itself can be a supply of infection if you don’t adhere to the rules. The Entire world Health and fitness Business has videos on when and how to use a mask.

Really don’t access for antibiotics. If you happen to have some lying all around from a prior ailment, you may well be tempted. But antibiotics do the job only on ailments prompted by micro organism, and the coronavirus is — you guessed it — a virus.

WebMD senior wellness writer Brenda Goodman contributed to this report.