by Kara Machowski
Who is most at risk?
Right now very few children have been infected by the disease and zero moralities have been reported. Those who are 50-59 should take into consideration that they lie in the 1.3% range of those who have become infected (not out of 100) while 60-69 are 3.6%, 70-79 at 85 and those over 80 are those who should be most worried at 14.8% and have a 21% chance of dying due to the illness. Other outliers are those who currently suffer from a respiratory illness or preexisting disease.
Another concern is with those who are being treated with immune suppressants, which lessons the chance that their immune system would be able to fight off the illness. However, there have been reports of persons who are testing positive for the disease without even noticing any symptoms. There is a major concern for our youth, especially being that they come into contact with more individuals in a school day than most adults who run errands or work out of the house. However, very few reports have been made for those under the age of nine and there have been zero fatalities in that age range.
Should I worry about buying a mask or shortages and should I wear one?
There have been numerous opinions by health officials on if you should be wearing a mask or not. Right now, the most recommended mask is the N95 mask. If you are someone who is truly worried and traveling, coming into contact with someone who has or possibly has the virus then it is certainly recommended to wear a mask. But until there is a major spread in the United States, residents shouldn’t be worried about masks. There is still a possibility of containing Covid-19 in certain sects and only those in infected areas should really be questioning that. The CDC does recommend a ‘6-foot rule’ and still theorizes that spread can occur from a cough or sneeze nearby as well as on surfaces that have come in contact with the disease.
When do I panic?
The answer is never! Just look to Wuhan where the most cases have been reported and the most deaths have occurred, and there are no circulating videos of residents ‘freaking out’. So far Wuhan has taken grand precautions, while some say it was too late, they have slowed down the number of infected and even have seen a drop in the mortality rate due to new medicines being implemented to help fight those who are critically infected.
Right now, your city and state are going to be the most informative resources of current actions that you should take. While the white house would most certainly confirm any new major shifts with Covid-19, they aren’t going to be the first to tell you whether you should stock up on supplies, stay home or even if you should buy a mask. Watching major news networks can garner new information, but repetitive information could cause you to feel more anxious than you should be. but And major news networks are less informed on what is going on locally to you and local news would be your best source of what's going on with novel coronavirus near you.
All the stores are sold out of hand sanitizer, should I bite the bullet and buy $100 two packs on Amazon?
NO! NO! And NO! Do not overspend on jacked up hand sanitizers! Firstly, Amazon is looking into putting a price cap on items like face masks, hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes and other coronavirus preventatives. Major retailers like Target are beginning to realize the shortage and are going to be supplying their chains with new stocks of hand sanitizer. Plus, if you're just a splinter of crafty, you can make your own hand sanitizer at home with less than 5 products. All you need is 99% isopropyl rubbing alcohol (or vodka), aloe vera gel and a scented oil or favorite perfume! The scent is optional of course.
What do I do if I feel sick?
If you are ill, (unless you are in dire need of medical attention) you should only be calling your physician to seek medical advice. Most physicians recommend that if you do feel ill and haven't come into contact with someone who may be infected and or don't live in an infected area, then you should just self quarantine yourself. And if your physician suspects that you are infected, it would give them ample time to prepare testing for your visit and to make sure proper sanitary precautions have been implored. The last thing you want to do is show up at a hospital, wait for care and possibly infect other people who are sick, as they are the ones who should be kept most from those who may be infected by Covid-19. If you have traveled recently, came into contact with someone who has the virus, or are experiencing symptoms and fear you may be infected with Covid-19 you should call NHS and dial "111" to inform them of your concerns.
Twitter : @KaraMachowski
Email : Artkara@hotmail.com
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