Coronavirus: Important advice for everyone
- Stay home as much as possible, especially if you are over 65 or have underlying health conditions.
- Practice social distancing. The CDC advises staying 6 feet away from others in public.
- Feeling like you are getting sick? Don't go to the emergency room. If you are mildly ill, stay home, check your temperature at least twice a day, and limit your contact with others in your household. Wear a face mask when you are around them.
- If symptoms worsen, call your doctor or an urgent care clinic for advice on where to go for testing or treatment. Testing is still largely limited to those with a doctor's order and more severe symptoms.
- Don't call 9-1-1 for testing. Call it only for a medical emergency, such as difficulty breathing or an extremely high temperature.
CORONAVIRUS TIPS
CDC recommends preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases:
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
• If you are concerned you might have the coronavirus, call your healthcare provider before going to a hospital or clinic. In mild cases, your doctor might give you advice on how to treat symptoms at home without seeing you in person, which would reduce the number of people you expose. But in more severe cases an urgent care center or hospital would benefit from advance warning because they can prepare for your arrival. For example, they may want you to enter a special entrance, so you don’t expose others.
Source: CDC
About the Author
Norder is Senior Editor for Investigations at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The investigative reporters she directs work to independently examine the workings of government and other powerful institutions and individuals. Their goal is to help improve the lives of Georgians.
