Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19 has dominated news feeds and conversations for weeks. Reliable information can be difficult to find on something that is changing this quickly. Fortunately, as the nation’s health protection agency, the the Center for Disease Control (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/ can help. The CDC has dedicated a page (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html) for sharing the latest information including symptoms, prevention and treatment, testing, and situation updates as the virus spreads and scientist work on a vaccine. Number of confirmed cases in the United States are updated daily at at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html which include a map indicating states affected as well as overall number and a link to the global cases data and maps.
The CDC on Social
Media
In addition to efforts to update their website, the CDC is
keeping us informed through official social media accounts. You can follow them to get the latest updates
right to your feed.
Virus Protection
While, as of March 4, 2020, no vaccine exists against
COVID-19, there are steps you can take to lower the risk of contracting this
and other viruses.
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o
Rinse:
Run clean water over your hands to rinse loose dirt
o
Soap:
Apply soap and build a good lather (lots of foam) to cover your entire hand
including between fingers, under your nails, and in the web by your thumb.
o
Scrub:
Scrub these same areas diligently for 20 seconds or more.
o
Rinse:
Rinse all of the lather from your hands.
Leave no suds behind.
o
Dry: After
thorough cleaning, dry your hands using an air dryer or clean towel.
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Hand sanitizer use information can be found at
the same site.
It is not as effective as proper handwashing, but is better than no
sanitization effort.
·
Keep your
distance:
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If you are well, stay away from those who are
ill with a virus or use barrier precautions such as gloves and masks when
caring for them in a home or health care facilty. Wearing a face mask when healthy and not in
contact with someone who is ill is not recommended
o
If you are ill, stay home. Use barrier precautions such as a mask and
tissues to keep the disease from spreading to those who are caring for you or
visiting.
·
Cover up
your coughs and sneezes: Use a disposable tissue if possible so it can be
thrown out immediately. If tissues are
unavailable, cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow since that area is
less likely to come in contact with others or with commonly touched surfaces
than your hands are.
·
Clean,
clean, clean. Disinfect and clean frequently touched items and
surfaces often. Door knobs, counters,
phones, and keyboards are a few areas that should receive attention.
For more information about this and other prevention methods
visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html.
Stay aware and stay healthy.
-Tabitha
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