SUMMARY
The coronavirus, officially named COVID-19, is spreading in the U.S. While most communities aren't currently experiencing extensive circulation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging the public to be prepared for the possibility of widespread transmission. Avoiding contact with sick people and taking everyday preventive measures to avoid the spread of germs is still the number one course of action at this point in time.
How can I protect my family ?
Speaking with the New York Times, Dr. Mark Mulligan of NYU Langone Medical Center said that taking common precautions known to help prevent the spread of flu can also help protect your family against the coronavirus. These include:
Encouraging children to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, blowing their nose, coughing or sneezing. (If you don't have access to soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, as long as it's 60 percent alcohol, will suffice.)
Keeping kids as far away as possible from anyone who is coughing or sneezing (and don't bother with wearing surgical masks if you are healthy).
Speak with your doctor if you, your baby or toddler have a cough, shortness of breath, and you’ve recently traveled to China or been exposed to someone who has these symptoms and was recently in China.
Who is at risk ?
While pregnant women and young children tend to have weaker immune systems, which makes them especially vulnerable to getting sick, so far this coronavirus has proven to be most severe to the elderly and those with pre-existing illnesses.
That said, if you live in the United States, your risk of being exposed to coronavirus is directly related to the rate of transmission in your immediate community. For most, but not all, U.S. communities that risk, according to the CDC, is still relatively low.
Here's what we know about the coronavirus:
It has deadly relatives. The virus is new, but it's part of a family of viruses that originates in animals and is known to sometimes be deadly to humans (such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, another coronavirus that killed almost 800 people in the early 2000s but has since disappeared). However, some coronaviruses aren't dangerous at all. The problem is, health authorities don't know yet how dangerous this particular virus is or how easily it spreads.
Symptoms can be mild. Coronavirus symptoms are indistinguishable from other common respiratory illnesses. They include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Some people with coronavirus don't show any symptoms. Others develop pneumonia, which can be life threatening.
It's concentrated in China. As of now, 109,577 people have been infected with the coronavirus. Most are in Wuhan, China, where the outbreak originated. Over 3800 people, all but 686 in China, have died from the disease, and these numbers are expected to keep rising. Most of the deaths are of older folks with underlying health problems.
S. cases are rare. Currently, 539 people in the U.S. are confirmed to have coronavirus. Twenty two people are reported to have died. Health authorities are carefully monitoring those who are sick, and doing everything in their power to stop the disease from spreading. So far, very few young children are known to have been infected.
Meanwhile, the flu has, so far this season, been a bigger threat to children. To protect against the flu, make sure everyone in your household has received a flu shot. And read up on what to do if you catch the flu during pregnancy or if your baby gets the flu.
Stay informed about the latest developments involving COVID-19. If you have plans to travel to China, keep abreast of the latest travel advisories. The CDC is currently advising people to avoid nonessential travel to Wuhan. You can also go to The New York Times to get live updates on the situation.
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