Covid-19 and what you can do to stay healthy

With fear of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) growing throughout the country everyday, many organizations have recently decided rethink holding certain events.

Upon receiving several notifications of cancellations, this edition of the Shoshone News-Press does not contain a calendar of events, as it is difficult at this time to determine which events are still scheduled and which ones are not.

To address the growing concerns regarding the disease, Idaho Gov. Brad Little will host a press conference Friday morning in the Governor’s Ceremonial Office in Boise to update Idahoans on the proactive measures being taken to protect citizens during the novel coronavirus outbreak. As of Thursday afternoon, Idaho is one of the few states in the nation with zero confirmed cases.

Idaho public health experts, the Department of Health and Welfare and all local Public Health Districts, will support any decision made by a venue or event manager to postpone or cancel mass gatherings and public events. For the purpose of this guidance, mass gatherings and events are defined as a public gathering for business, social, academic or recreational activities including, but not limited to, community, civic, public, educational, leisure, or sporting events; parades; concerts; festivals; conventions; fundraisers; and similar activities.

Idaho public health experts recommend postponing or canceling mass gatherings and public events in any of the following situations:

• The event will draw audiences or participants from communities, states, or countries with confirmed community spread of COVID-19 disease. Your local public health district can assist you in making this determination.

• The event will be held indoors and bring together more than 250 individuals where social distancing of 6 feet or more is unlikely or not possible.

• The event’s primary audience includes or may expose high-risk populations, including adults over the age of 60 years and people with underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes, regardless of the number of attendees.

Idaho public health experts recommend event and venue managers consider using virtual gatherings (e.g., webinar, video conferencing, live stream, etc.) as a mechanism to minimize the risk of COVID-19 exposure to the general public and vulnerable populations, when possible.

Idaho public health experts recommend that facilities housing large numbers of people (such as long-term care facilities, jails and corrections, shelters, etc.) should implement policies now to minimize risk to their populations by limiting visitors, providing proper hand washing and hygiene facilities for staff, visitors and residents and enhancing screening for staff and visitors for symptoms of COVID-19.

With no vaccine available at the moment, the Panhandle Health District stresses that individuals maintain healthy hygiene habits that they would normally practice to avoid catching other diseases such as the flu or the cold:

• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

• 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.

• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if unable to wash hands with soap and water.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily.

• Wearing a facemask when you are around other people or before entering a health care setting, but only if you are sick. Facemasks may be in short supply and they should be saved for those who need them.

• Avoid crowds, minimize outings and avoid non-essential travel.

PHD explains that the coronavirus is mainly spread between people who are in close contact with one another (about 6 feet) and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

It may be possible that a person can get coronavirus by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or possibly their eyes, although this may not be the main way the virus spreads.

Symptoms of coronavirus include fever, cough and shortness of breath. People are most contagious when they are showing symptoms. Symptoms appear between two and 14 days after exposure to the coronavirus.

Eighty percent of cases experience mild illness, which does not require hospitalization, and 15-20% of cases develop serious illness. Early information from China, where COVID-19 first started, shows that some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness. This includes older adults (60-plus) and people who have serious chronic medical conditions (heart disease, diabetes and lung disease).

If you are sick (with any illness) you can help reduce the spread of the virus by staying home and self-isolating until symptoms resolve.

If you feel like you have symptoms, call your provider versus visiting the office or the emergency department.

“We know that the information about the coronavirus can be concerning,” PHS explained. “Please do not hesitate to call our coronavirus hotline at 877-415-5225 with any questions or concerns. You may also visit our website www.panhandlehealthdistrict.org/covid-19/ or the CDC website www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.”