Help stop the spread of COVID 19!
COVID 19 is a respiratory virus that can cause infections of the nose, throat and lungs. They are most commonly spread from an infected person through:
respiratory droplets generated when you cough or sneeze
close, prolonged personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
touching something with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands
It is important to help stop the spread of COVID-19 because:
1) We want to protect our more vulnerable populations
aged 65 and over
with compromised immune systems
with underlying medical conditions
2) We do not overwhelm our health care system as we do not have enough hospital beds or ventilators if a significant percentage of our population gets sick.
Right now, the best way to stem spread is good hand washing hygiene and social distancing.
Together, we can slow the spread of COVID-19 by making a conscious effort to keep a physical distance between each other. Social distancing is proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of illness during an outbreak. With patience and cooperation, we can all do our part.
This means making changes in your everyday routines to minimize close contact with others, including:
Social Distancing is the act of shutting down schools, working from home (as much as possible), no group gatherings, and public events. It also means making daily choices to stay away from each other as much as possible.
It’s important to take the following measures to do your part to stop the spread of COVID-19!
1) Wash your hands throughly when you come in the house, before you eat, and of course after using the restroom. Soap and water is the best method but if not available then hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol will suffice.
2) No playdates, parties, sleepovers, or families visiting each other's houses. We are trying to create distance between family units and between individuals across those family units. Even if you choose only one friend to have over, you are creating new links and possibilities for the type of transmission that all of our school/work/public event closures are trying to prevent.
3) Go for a walk/run or hike outside, but maintain distance (ideally 6 feet between people outside your family). Try not to use public facilities like playground structures as coronavirus can live on plastic and metal for up to 3 days, and these structures aren't getting regularly cleaned. Avoid all contact sports like soccer, basketball and football among others.
4) Reduce the frequency of going to stores for the time being. Consider ordering online and if that is not a possibility then wear gloves (not medical - but perhaps washable) while in the store and of course washing hands before and after really well. Please leave the medical masks and gloves for the medical professionals. Maintain social distance from folks.
5) Take-out meals and food are riskier than making food at home given the links between the people who prepare food, transport the food, and you. It is hard to know how much that risk is, but it is is certainly higher than making it at home.
6) Stay home and away from others if you are sick and for at least a couple of days after symptoms resolve. Right now, until we have more testing, that means even respiratory symptoms without a fever. Unless you have a confirmed test for another respiratory virus, you do not know if you have COVID-19. For instance, if your doctor runs a respiratory panel that confirms rhinovirus, then you don’t have COVID-19.
PLEASE REMEMBER that these measures are temporary SO Let’s all stick together and follow the same simple rules-- like good hand hygiene and social distancing, then we can stem the spread of COVID-19 quickly and get back doing to the things we love—like sports, travel, gatherings, and even school.
For up to date information on COVID-19, visit the CDC website: www.cdc.gov.
Image Source: CDC