COVID 19 aka Coronavirus: The 411

Let me begin by saying that I am a lawyer, not a doctor. Nothing in this article should be considered a medical opinion or medical advice. If you are exhibiting any signs or symptoms of COVID 19, please get in touch with a medical professional right away.

So precisely what are the signs and symptoms of Coronavirus? According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the three leading indicators for possible Coronavirus are:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of Breath

The CDC recommends that you call your doctor if you have any of these signs and symptoms AND have either been in close contact with someone you know to have been diagnosed with COVID 19 OR if you or the person with whom you have had close contact has recently traveled to EITHER a location where there is a known widespread of COVID 19 or an ongoing spread of the Coronavirus within the community.

As of March 8, 2020, the CDC has recommended that all travelers avoid/defer all cruise ship travel worldwide, particularly travelers with underlying health issues. Please note that this is only a recommendation and not a ban. If you choose to take that cruise, you could be subject to quarantine procedures of the government of the country you are visiting. Additionally, if you plan on keeping your travel plans, the CDC recommends reviewing travel.state.gov before your departure for the latest updates from the US Department of State.

The international areas with an ongoing spread of COVID 19 are China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong. However, according to the World Health Organization, there are confirmed cases of COVID nearly worldwide, including in the United States.

However, the CDC has issued travel health notices of varying levels for each region, ranging from a Level 3 Travel Health Notice (China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea) to a Level 1 Travel Health Notice (Hong Kong).

A Level 3 Travel Health Notice is a Warning to avoid all nonessential travel. 

A Level 2 Travel Health Notice is an Alert to practice enhanced precautions. This means they recommend that all older adults and those with chronic medical conditions consider postponing all nonessential travel (treat it like a Level 3 for this group of high-risk travelers; otherwise, it is okay to travel to this area. However, they recommend limiting your contact with others for 14 days upon your return and monitoring your health for the symptoms set forth above).

A Level 1 Travel Health Notice is a Watch. The recommendation is to avoid sick people and clean your hands often (meaning it’s okay to travel to this area, you just need to be cognizant should you develop any signs or symptoms COVID 19).

Concerning cleaning your hands, the CDC recommends washing your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water OR using a hand sanitizer with an alcohol base of at least 60%. The alcohol content should at least be on the drug facts label. Also, please be aware of the expiration date on your hand sanitizer. According to healthline.com, if a hand sanitizer is past its expiration date, that means its effectiveness has dropped below the percentage listed on the drug facts label. While it still may have some benefits, the safest option would be to replace it, so you know you are getting the minimum recommended 60% alcohol, typically ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol.

As we have seen with all the memes and videos of health and government officials talking about the importance of good hand washing, it is difficult for most of us to avoid touching our eyes, nose, and mouth throughout the day. However, if your hands are visibly dirty, you should use soap and water. Otherwise, hand sanitizer with the recommended alcohol content is sufficient. At a minimum, you should wash your hands after using the restroom, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose (a general good hygiene tip even without the threat of Coronavirus).

Despite the overwhelming concern over COVID 19, most healthy people under 60 will only have mild symptoms. However, as of this writing, there is no vaccine to prevent COVID 19, and no treatment or cure. The best practice is to avoid or limit your exposure by:

Avoiding close contact with those who are sick

Staying home when you or your children are sick

Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

Regularly cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, handles, keyboards, phones, etc.

Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the garbage

Wash/sanitize your hands per above.

Generally, practice good hygiene. This can help to prevent not only Coronavirus but other illnesses as well.

Please visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html for additional information and tips and staying healthy and informed.

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