COVID-19’s Threat
WHO has officially announced that Covid-19, aka Coronavirus, a worldwide pandemic.
There has been a lot of talk, speculation, and panic over this novel Coronavirus since its emergence in December. This particular strain originated in Wuhan, China and has quickly spread to 192 countries. There are only 194 countries in the world.
As of this writing there are currently 468,905 confirmed cases and 21,200 deaths related. 114,218 people have recovered. Out of the 333,487 current cases 318,695 of them are in mild condition while 14,792 are in serious or critical condition.
The virus has been in the US for a fairly short amount of time but we already have 66,489 confirmed cases and 944 deaths. To track these numbers live, checkout Worldometers.
That’s confirmed cases.
Unfortunately, the CDC and state health departments were not prepared for this despite what they kept saying. The tests were faulty. There weren’t enough. And hospitals weren’t testing folks who had not personally traveled to China until recently.
Italy has put the entire country on quarantined lock down. Yes, the entire country. There are not flights in or out of the country. Only those who are imperative to their jobs are permitted to go to work. Entire towns are blockaded by military and police. All non-essential stores are closed and large gatherings have been canceled.
On March 11th, President Trump declared a state of emergency because of the SARS-COV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.
According to The Blaze, ” President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus outbreak during a news conference Friday afternoon, freeing up billions of dollars in federal funding to combat the spread of the infectious disease.”
We’ve seen schools and non-essential business close down here in Pennsylvania.
“We strongly urge non-essential businesses across the commonwealth to do their part by temporarily closing as we work to flatten the curve and protect the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians,†said DCED Secretary Dennis Davin. “We understand that businesses are an economic driver throughout Pennsylvania, and a temporary closure will be a financial and community disruptor. DCED is committed to working with the business community to provide helpful resources for financial assistance.â€
Non-essential businesses include public-facing industries such as entertainment, hospitality, and recreation facilities, including but not limited to community and recreation centers; gyms, including yoga, barre and spin facilities; hair salons and barber shops, nail salons and spas; casinos; concert venues; theaters; sporting event venues and golf courses; retail facilities, including shopping malls except for pharmacy or other health care facilities within retail operations.
You can read that on Wolf’s website here.
Note: Since these announcements, more authoritarian control has reigned in our State due to those not listening. Police are now enforcing this as an order. Like it or hate it, you can blame those who didn’t police themselves.
What are the symptoms of Covid-19?
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by mild symptoms including a runny nose, sore throat, cough, and fever. Illness can be more severe for some people and can lead to pneumonia or breathing difficulties. More rarely, the disease can be fatal. Older people, and people with other medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), may be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill.
People may experience:
runny nose
sore throat
cough
fever
difficulty breathing (severe cases)
Pretty generic right? Right.
*Note: Recently, other symptoms have been added and include loss of smell/taste, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea
So what do you do if you have come into contact with a confirmed Covid-19 patient? Or have traveled to an area with know Covid-19?
Call ahead before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room. Tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms. Contact your state health department.
But most importantly, Until you have been advised what action to take, please stay at home and avoid contact with other people.
There are simple things you can do to help keep yourself and others healthy.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Have things to say about this topic? Then comment below or start a topic in the forums.
