What Families Everywhere Should Know About COVID-19
Social gatherings, schools, restaurants, and other public places are shutting down all around the world. Communities everywhere are being encouraged to practice social distancing due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. Social distancing means avoiding large gatherings, including: shopping centers, movie theaters, stadiums, schools, etc. If you must be around people, the CDC advises that you stay 6 feet apart if possible.
“Social distancing is pretty much like using common sense,” Dr. Gordon shared with Cleveland Clinic, “We don’t realize how interconnected we are until we’re asked to avoid people. But how many people together is too many? That’s a moving target,” he says.
This halt to everyday life may come as a shock, but these practices are crucial to control the spread of the virus. While staying home, and away from friends and loved ones may put a damper on everyone's mood, it is ultimately for the best. Common symptoms of coronavirus include: fever, cough, shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, and bluish lips or face. According to the CDC these symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. Even though the virus causes only moderate symptoms in most people, individuals with vulnerable immune systems are at a high risk for severe health complications such as pneumonia and death.
The most at risk individuals at this time are the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, or those who are immunocompromised, explains infectious disease specialist Alan Taege, MD. When someone is immunocompromised, this means that their body has a minimal ability to prevent and recover from infections. There are many long-term conditions and medications that weaken the immune system. Cancer treatments, for example, can weaken people’s immune response, as well as medications prescribed after organ transplants. It is important that we all take the necessary precautions to keep ourselves and the people around us healthy.
Staying home during the coronavirus outbreak is the best thing you can do. Spend some quality time with the members of your household, or snuggle up with a good book until this pandemic comes to an end. You can even check in with friends and family virtually! We all must do our part to keep this virus at bay.