CONFRONTING CORONAVIRUS

By Jeff McDanald, Contributing Writer

The outbreak of coronavirus, or COVID-19 as it is officially known, has sickened more than 90,000 people worldwide and is spreading rapidly beyond China, where it was first discovered. The illness has been diagnosed in 60 countries with over 3,000 deaths, according to world health officials. These numbers will likely be higher by the time you read this.

The first cases of COVID-19 showed up in Wuhan, China, late in 2019. The leading hypothesis about the origin says the emerging virus spread to humans from an animal source, possibly bats, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This transfer of a virus from animal to human has been seen previously in other outbreaks, including Severe Acute Respirator Syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012.

It’s important to realize diseases can make anyone sick regardless of their race or ethnicity, and people of Asian descent are not more likely to get COVID-19 than any other American.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear between two and 14 days after exposure. These include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Older adults and people with underlying health conditions may be at increased risk for severe cases of the disease.

What can you do when faced with a global health crisis? Wash your hands! Whether it’s a cold, flu or an aggressive coronavirus, washing your hands sits at the top of the list for protecting yourself from getting sick. Hum the birthday song as you wash up – and use soap. This is a simple way to mark time while you’re scrubbing your hands. (You’ve probably heard this life hack before, perhaps from your mother.) Singing the song twice through takes about 20 seconds, the minimum recommended time for hand scrubbing, according to the CDC. This advice goes along with avoiding touching your face and keeping your distance from people who are sick, both of which are building blocks for your personal defense strategy.

Beyond the health risks, the coronavirus is wreaking economic havoc on a global level. Financial markets around the world have shown steep declines. According to the research firm Capital Economics, COVID-19 will cost the world economy more than $280 billion in the first quarter of this year. Japan has concerns about holding the 2020 Olympic Games, which are expected to draw 600,000 visitors from nearly every country beginning in July. Apple says to expect iPhone shortages because of supply chain shutdowns.

Is there any good news in all this? Take comfort in the fact that the vast majority of those who contract the virus experience only mild symptoms. The mortality rate for those infected has been running at less than 2 percent and is expected to decline.

Call your healthcare professional or local health department if you have symptoms to reduce the risk of developing a more severe infection. You can keep abreast of updates from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services at www.kycovid19.ky.gov.

Sources • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov) • The Lancet (www.thelancet.com) • World Health Organization (www.who.int)

You can take comfort in the fact that the vast majority of those that contract the virus experience only mild symptoms.