You May have thousand more questons inside your head , noone can give you a straight answer because they do not know the virus yet. They just start to get to know with what we are dealing with , advices coming from all directions just believe the people you trust if you want to stay alive<.h4>

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COVID-19 Coronavirus Signs And Prevention: What We Know

While news reports talk about "the coronavirus," this new virus is one of many coronaviruses, part of a large family of viruses that are known to cause respiratory illness in people and animals.

"Coronaviruses are something that have been around for a very long time," Erik Mikaitis, MD, Franciscan Health vice president for medical affairs at Franciscan Health Crown Point, told Lakeshore Public Radio.

"Typically, the normal strains we're exposed to will cause upper respiratory infections, coughs, sniffles. We have had new viruses that come about that are part of that same coronavirus family."

Coronaviruses range from the common cold to more severe respiratory diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The new coronavirus has been officially named as COVID-19 by the World Health Organization. (Its temporary name was 2019 novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV.)

How did COVID-19 get that name? COVID-19 stands for:

COVI - coronavirus

D - disease

19 - the year the virus was discovered

A novel coronavirus, COVID-19 is a new strain of a virus that had not been previously identified in humans. More than 43,000 known cases have been confirmed in more than a dozen countries.

This new coronavirus has been known to spread person-to-person.

Signs and symptoms of illness from the novel coronavirus include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Early symptoms of exposure to the coronavirus are similar to that of the flu. They include:.

Chills, or repeated shaking with chills

Body aches

Sore throats

Headaches

Nauseau or vomiting

Runny nose

Muscle pain

New loss of taste or smell

These symptoms may appear in a person who had been in close contact with a person who has contracted the virus. If you have had close contact with someone who was confirmed to have, or is being evaluated for, a COVID-19 infection and develop a fever or any of the symptoms, the CDC recommends you call your healthcare provider immediately.

Common signs of infection from other coronaviruses can include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection from those viruses can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

Yes, some coronaviruses, including COVID-19, can be transmitted between people, usually after close contact with an infected patient. As with cold or flu viruses, the COVID-19 coronavirus can be spread through coughing and sneezing, close personal contact and touching surfaces that have the virus on them.

How Can I Protect Myself From Coronaviruses?

The best way to protect yourself from the spread of coronaviruses is by avoiding close contact with people who are sick, washing hands frequently and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. “I think the biggest thing is making sure that you're not talking too closely to people and not coughing without covering your cough or sneeze,”

Erica Kaufman West, MD, Infectious Disease Physician with Franciscan Physician Network Infectious Disease Dyer, told Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. on a Facebook live. “That’s the biggest preventive defensive thing that you can do.”

Additionally, health experts are recommending safe food practices and avoiding animals and uncooked meat if traveling in affected areas.

"Anyone who’s sick, if you’re sneezing those droplets, it’s about a 6 feet radius of those droplets traveling out. If it lands on surfaces, those surfaces can be contaminated several hours," Dr. Mikatis said.

"If you think of someone sneezing and then touching a door knob, that’s contaminated, and if you touch that and then you touch your mouth or your nose, you’ve basically infected yourself. Be very mindful of not touching face when you’re in public without first washing your hands."

Are Face Masks Recommended To Protect Myself From The COVID-19 Coronavirus?

Everyone should wear a cloth face cover when they have to go out in public, for example to the grocery store or to pick up other necessities.

Children under the age of 2 should not wear a face mask.

Cloth face coverings should not be placed on anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.

The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.

Do NOT use a facemask meant for a healthcare worker.

Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.

How Should I Stay Safe While Traveling?

Older travelers and those with underlying health issues may be at risk for more severe disease and should discuss travel to affected areas with their healthcare provider.

As the novel coronavirus situation evolves internationally, take time to become informed about travel precautions before any business travel or vacations.

"Before traveling, always check the CDC website for updates and see a travel medicine doctor," said Kanayo K. Odeluga, MD, MPH, Medical Director of Franciscan WorkingWell Chicago Heights. "An informed traveler is a safe traveler." Additionally, travelers may be asked questions about their health and travel history upon arrival.

If I Am Sick And Think I Was Exposed To The COVID-19 Coronavirus, What Should I Do?

The CDC recommends that if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately. Emergency warning signs include*:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

Persistent pain or pressure in the chest

New confusion or inability to arouse

Bluish lips or face

*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning. If sick, avoid contact with others and do not travel or use public transportation.

Just as if you had a cold, practice such measures as washing hands often with soap and water and covering your mouth while coughing and sneezing.The CDC also recommends that if you have the novel coronavirus you should:

Stay home except to receive medical care.

Separate yourself from other people in your home when possible.

Wear a facemask when around others.

Avoid sharing household items.

Clean surfaces including counters, door knobs, light switches, toilets, phones and tablets.

Monitor your symptoms - and get medical care quickly if your illness worsens or you have trouble breathing.

If I Think I Was Exposed To The COVID-19 Coronavirus But Am Not Sick, What Should I Do?

The CDC recommends that if you have had close contact with someone who is confirmed to have, or being evaluated for, COVID-19 infection, you should monitor your health beginning when you had close contact with that person and continuing for 14 days after the last contact. Call your health care provider if you develop a fever or any of these symptoms:

As long as you do not have any symptoms, the CDC says you can continue with daily activities including work, school and other activities. Someone who has completed quarantine or who has been released from isolation does not pose a risk of infecting other people.

How Can I Prevent Coronaviruses From Spreading In My Home?

If a family member or other person living with you becomes ill from the coronavirus, the CDC recommends these and other tips to prevent the spread of the virus within your home:

Follow the directions of your healthcare provider.

Restrict visitors, including the elderly and persons with heart, lung and kidney conditions, or diabetes

Wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds at a time.

Use a separate bathroom and bedroom.

Make sure shared air spaces have good air flow.

Use facemasks, gowns and gloves as appropriate. Do not reuse these.

Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.

Do not share household items.

Thoroughly clean surfaces and laundry.

Continue to monitor your own health.

Living with someone who has COVID-19 in your home does not mean you will actually get the virus.

“There's not 100% transmission rate, first of all. We anticipate the transmission, we know the household transmission rate from data from China is about 10%,” Dr. Kaufman West said. “Anybody that's symptomatic we say should get their own bedroom. They should eat alone, they should watch TV alone. They should basically be alone.”

Is There A Vaccine For The COVID-19 Coronavirus?

Clinical trials are now underway to test potential vaccines."We have a vaccine to prevent the flu, and we don't yet for coronavirus," Dr. Doehring said.

How Is The COVID-19 Coronavirus Diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider may order lab tests to confirm COVID-19 infection or to rule out flu, MERS or other viruses.

Is There A Medication For The COVID-19 Coronavirus?

According to the CDC and the US Food & Drug Administration, there is not a specific antiviral treatment for the new coronavirus like there is for the flu. A clinical trial is underway of one potential treatment. As the coronavirus is caused by a virus and not by bacteria, an antibiotic will not be helpful for treatment.

Stay Connected With Loved Ones

New parents anticipate being able to share in the joy and growth of our sweet blessing with the support family and friends in person, not through FaceTime. My daughter's grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and great-grandparents have not seen her for a few months. And it's hard.

Then I think about close friends of mine who took their new baby home recently. Those early days, right after delivery, were the hardest. Due to social distancing guidelines, my friends don't have the luxury of family and friends coming by with meals and open arms ready to help and give mom and dad a break.

I encourage you to check in on your friends and family members who are new parents. Support them from a distance!

What is the difference between isolation and quarantine?

Isolation and quarantine are public health practices used to protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.

Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.

Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms.

Can you be legally quarantined?

According to the U.S. Constitution, yes. The federal government can use isolation and quarantine to protect people from contagious diseases. States also have the authority to institute isolations or quarantines. Breaking a quarantine has consequences that range from a fine to imprisonment.

But government-mandated quarantines are rare. You have to go all the way back to the infamous Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919 for the last enforced, large-scale isolation and quarantine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In response to suspected or confirmed coronavirus exposure, some have been asked to self-quarantine. And while it’s highly recommended that you do, these quarantines are currently voluntary.

“For anyone who has close contact with someone infected with the coronavirus, it is important that you listen to instructions from your health department,” Dr. Gordon says

What exactly is “close contact?” It’s defined as being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of someone with COVID-19 for a prolonged period of time. That includes if you are living with, visiting or sharing a healthcare waiting area or room with someone with COVID-19. Or if you have been coughed on by someone with the disease.

Health departments identify close contacts through what’s called contact tracing, Dr. Gordon explains. “They will notify you if they think you have been exposed to a known case and provide you with instructions for next steps,” he says. Unsure if you qualify as having been in close contact? Reach out to your local health department.

What happens when you are quarantined?

While not all quarantines are the same, look to the CDC for how best to do your part. Currently, the CDC recommends:

Make it a staycation: Avoid leaving the house unless absolutely necessary (read: visiting your healthcare provider, though see the next bullet for how to do that). That means following all “shelter-in-place” orders in your area

Call ahead: While your local or state health department will most likely keep tabs on your health, you may need to see your doctor, too. “First, try a virtual visit. Or at least, call ahead first, so that the medical facility can take steps to prevent others from getting infected,” says Dr. Gordon.

Worried about Fido? At this time, the CDC says there’s no evidence that companion animals, including pets, can spread COVID-19. But it may still be good to still use caution. If you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, avoid “petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked and sharing food [during a coronavirus quarantine],” recommends the CDC.

Have your own stuff: Don’t swap unwashed “dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels or bedding with other people or pets in your home,” says the CDC.

Wash, rinse, repeat: “Hygiene is an integral part of this, even at home. Handwashing should be your first line of defense when under quarantine,” relates Dr. Gordon. “And don’t forget to cough or sneeze into your elbows or a tissue that you then throw away.”

Other protective measures

Social distancing: Social distancing involves avoiding large gatherings. If you have to be around people, keep 6 feet (2 meters) between you when possible. “Social distancing is pretty much like using common sense,” Dr. Gordon says. “We don’t realize how interconnected we are until we’re asked to avoid people.”

But he notes that terms like “mass gatherings” or “congregate settings” are vague. They’re used to describe things like shopping centers, movie theaters or stadiums.

But how many people together is too many? “That’s a moving target,” he says. There’s no official definition, though the CDC recently advised that all U.S. events of 10+ people should be cancelled or held virtually.

Wear a cloth face mask: The CDC now recommends doing so in public, especially in places where it’s hard to maintain at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and another person

Staying calm: “While fear is normal, educating yourself is a great way to counterbalance your anxiety,” says Dr. Gordon. “Stay informed from reliable sources — but not too intensely. Hyper-fixating on the news can be just as detrimental.”

Cooperating with the authorities: Following quarantines and other public health mandates like shelter-in-place orders help slow — and stop — the spread of contagious diseases.

Being cooped up inside may seem unbearable. But the time WILL pass, and your forced staycation may save lives.

Certain populations are more at risk for severe illness

M I Ro

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