Experts advise: Stay informed, take precautions.
The headlines are relentless as news continues to evolve about the threats posed by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
A quarantine is in effect in Northern Italy. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics torch will be lit without spectators. Stock markets have been plunging. People are being warned not to travel on cruise ships.
And, with the lack of a vaccine and antiviral medications for COVID-19, uncertainty continues over how far the disease will spread and how many deaths it will cause.
In the midst of uncertainty and the ever-changing developments, experts are advising the public to take precautions to limit the potential for exposure, and to help reduce the spread of the virus.
In some places, the reactions to the spread of the virus have included closing schools, requiring workers to work at home, and urging elderly people and those with compromised immune systems to limit their activities to avoid exposure.
Those most at risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 include older adults and people who have serious chronic medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease, according to experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Precautions are being taken at the local level.
Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning is letting the public know how the district is responding to the threat, and offering suggestions to parents as they prepare for Spring Break, which is March 16 to March 20.
Browning shared that information in a video that’s been posted to YouTube.
The Diocese of St. Petersburg also has issued guidance, based on protocols from the CDC.
The Diocese advises individuals to stay home from Mass, church activities and school if they are sick, or their immune system is compromised.
“It is not a sin and it will not impact your grades,” the Diocesan advisory says.
Practices that may be altered at Mass, because of COVID-19, include the sign of peace, which is typically a handshake. Some churches are opting not to do that.
Others are offering Communion in the form of bread in the hand only, and not on the tongue. Certain parishes also have suspended offering communion in the form of wine, to avoid sharing a common Communion cup.
In a number of televised interviews, experts have said it’s important to take precautions to limit possible exposure.
Washing hands and sanitizing frequently touched surfaces and avoiding touching your face is important, they said, because the virus enters the body through the mouth, hand or nose.
They also said that the number of deaths and disruptions will rise — as efforts continue to limit its spread, isolate those who are infected and develop a vaccine for COVID-19.
Stop the spread of germs
To prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, like COVID-19:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then dispose of the tissue immediately
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose with unwashed hands; use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if soap and water are not available
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
- Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care
Symptoms for COVID-19
- Fever, cough, shortness of breath
- Symptoms typically appear two to 14 days after exposure
Source: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Keep informed
- World Health Organization’s https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports/
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Published March 11, 2020
