A Physician’s Perspective on Corona Virus + Best Precautions to Take
This title is not clickbait, my dad has been in the medical field since he was 18 years old (you do the math.) He is a cardiologist and practices internal medicine every day with geriatric patients. So here’s his take on COVID-19, plus our collaborative advice:
+ Should people be worried/ in a panic about this threat?
“People should be concerned, but not necessarily in a panic.”
+ How is COVID-19 Spread?
“This disease is spread in two ways through droplets. When you sneeze or cough, the air droplets can be left on surfaces- if you touch one of these contaminated surfaces and then touch your face anywhere from eyes, mouth, or nose, you can become infected. Another way to get infected is if someone infected with COVID-19 around you is coughing or sneezing and you breath in the air droplets.”
+ What are the most simple ways to protect yourself?
“Washing your hands, not touching your face, vampire cough (into elbow), avoiding contact with people that are showing cough, fever, or shortness of breath. Clean the surfaces of your living spaces as well as your job with alcohol based antiseptics. Lastly, avoid any crowds.
+ What are the most common symptoms?
“Dry cough, high fever more 37.4 degrees celsius, shortness of breath, and fatigue. If your symptoms are mild, you should stay home, and call the health department be tested at one of their sites. But if you have more severe symptoms, you could contact your primary care doctor or go to the emergency room.”
+ Who is most susceptible to falling ill from COVID-19?
“People who are more than 60 years old, with comorbidity like diabetes, heart failure, chronic pulmonary diseases like emphysema. Cancer patients on chemotherapy, people with immunodepression, as well as anyone on medications that depress the immune system. ”
+ Additional facts to take note of?
“Regular flu has a mortality rate of 0.1% COVID-19 has a mortality rate of 2.5-3% which is very high in general. Again, this is not a reason to panic because worldwide 80% of patients infected recover or only show mild symptoms.”
“In closing, the most important idea is that we have to combat this disease by working together as a community to avoid the spread of the illness. It is essential to keep in mind to help more elder people who are the most susceptible.”
