COVID-19 – Knowledge is Empowering

If you haven’t already, watch this video from Dr David Price of the Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine at Weill Cornell in NYC – knowledge is empowering!  Dr Price recorded an exceptional video call with his family and friends on how to protect yourself and family from the perspective of a healthcare provider working with patients who need to go on to mechanical ventilation in the epicenter of the US outbreak – New York City. So in other words, someone with direct first hand knowledge of COVID-19. It’s the first thing in weeks that has given me hope and confidence to act without being afraid. 

Fears

You don’t have to be scared and you can protect your family. I think addressing fears that people have is key as it seems like social distancing will be here for a while. But, it doesn’t mean we have to be afraid of our neighbors, the mailman, or the person shopping next to us at the grocery store. We are all going through this together – so be kind!  The video is about 50 mins long (but it’s worth it), and the first 15-20 minutes are the most helpful. I put an expanded list of the main points I took away below. If you just want the quick hits you can visit my earlier post.

How Do You Get COVID-19?

• The overwhelming majority will get COVID-19 by touching someone/something that has COVID-19 germs and then touching your hand to your face (eyes, nose, mouth)
• Sustained contact (15-30 mins) with someone who has COVID-19 in a closed room without a mask when the disease is aerosolized.

Symptoms of COVID-19

• fever, cough, sore throat
• Affects the lungs
• 80% of people don’t feel good, mild cough, headache
• 5-14 days is the duration of the virus

COVID-19 Is In Your Community, but If You Protect Yourself You Won’t Get the Disease

1. Know your hands are clean at all times. Keep hand sanitizer with you and use it to keep your hands clean when you go out. 
2. Break the connection between your hands and face. You must train yourself to stop touching your face.  
3. You don’t need a medical mask, they are not protecting the general public from getting COVID-19.  However, wearing a mask, scarf, or bandana in general can be a good way to help you break your connection between your hands and face.  There is still a severe shortage of medical masks so if you have some, donate them.
4. Social distance (3-6 feet) yourself from others when you have to go out. 
5. Shrink your social circle. Find your isolation group of 3-4 people and set boundaries. The people who are going to get this are maintaining large social circles. You can go to the store without fear as long as you keep your hands clean, don’t touch your face, and social distance..

What Should You Do When You Get COVID-19? 

The vast majority of the spread in the world is through family transmission. You can treat someone who has COVID-19 at home. 

If you have a fever and you are otherwise fine, isolate yourself from your family for 7 days (separate bedroom and bathroom).  You don’t want sustained contact with the person who is sick.   

If the sick person has to interact with people, before they leave the bedroom, wash hands, and put on a mask. Anything they touch needs to be washed. The caregiver can’t be in and out of the patient’s bedroom touching the thermometer.   When the fever is gone the person who is sick can begin interacting with the family more.

Exceptions 

If you have a person in the incredibly vulnerable population, they need to be completely isolated from the sick family member. But simply being in the home w/ someone that has COVID-19 is okay as long as you keep your hands clean and don’t touch your face. Knowledge is empowering.

Mild colds

If you suspect you have a cold, take the precautions like you have COVID-19 and isolate for 1-2 days. If after 1-2 days, it feels like all the other colds you’ve had then you don’t have COVID-19. 

When Should You Go to the Hospital

Go to the hospital if you have shortness of breath of any kind. Don’t just go to the hospital because you have or suspect you have COVID-19.  If you are being put on a ventilator it’s because you can get better and will come off the ventilator (in approx 7-10 days).

Should I Get Tested

That depends on testing in your community. If you have symptoms like the flu, it’s likely it’s COVID-19. Knowing the test result will not change how you treat it.   If you have clear access to testing, then get it. If negative when tested then you can have full interaction with your family. If not much testing is available, don’t jump the line to get the test over someone one that has shortness of breath.

Is It Safe to Run/Walk Outside with Social Distancing

Yes. Use hand sanitizer on your hands after touching stuff and don’t touch your face. Keep 3-6 feet apart. Don’t get sloppy and don’t assume your old lifestyle.

Remember, knowledge is empowering, and sharing is caring. I hope this empowers you to feel safer about others and less fearful.  The more people we can share good information with the better.   Now back to the Quarantine bucket list. What knowledge is empowering to you these days? What are doing to be less fearful? Leave me a comment below. We’ll get through this.

Wash your hands, 🧼🧼🧼👌👌👌

Ms BA