There’s a lot of information out there about COVID-19 and it can feel overwhelming trying to learn more about it.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a respiratory infection. There are many types of coronavirus, some linked to the common cold, but this one is new and was detected toward the end of 2019.
COVID-19 is the official name given to the virus by the World Health Organization. Before WHO officially named the virus, it was also referred to as coronavirus, the novel coronavirus and 2019-nCOV (to indicate the year when the virus was first detected).
The coronavirus gets its name from the way it looks: It has a core of genetic material covered by an envelope with protein spikes that resemble a crown. In Latin, a crown is a corona. It’s called a novel coronavirus because it’s new and hasn’t been detected in people before.
The illness was first detected in December 2019 in a group of people in Wuhan City, in the Hubei province of central China, following exposure to live animals at the Huanan Seafood Market. But a recent study found that while the market boosted circulation of the virus, it’s believed the virus was introduced from outside the market and did not originate there.
Recent cases, however, have surfaced without exposure to animals or food markets, with the virus spreading between people who have had close contact with each other. It remains unknown how easily this happens.
What are the symptoms?
COVID-19 is similar to other respiratory illnesses and symptoms include a fever, dry cough, sore throat and headache. There may also be aches and pains, fatigue and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea.
While most cases are mild, some individuals may experience more severe symptoms such as shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, and may experience pneumonia in both lungs. Those with health issues or underlying conditions may also have a harder time recovering.
It may take up to 14 days after exposure for symptoms to appear.
How is COVID-19 spread?
COVID-19 is transmitted through liquid droplets or particles when a person coughs or sneezes. These droplets, if containing the virus, can infect a person by entering through the eyes, nose or throat. It’s not believed to be airborne and it’s not known to infect via the skin.
However, the virus can survive on some surfaces so if a person sneezes into their hand, shakes your hand and your then rub your eye with your hand, transmission is possible through self-inoculation.
How do I stop the spread or prevent it in the first place?
The best thing to do to prevent spread of the virus is to wash your hands often. When you do, wash for at least 20 seconds (Tip: Singing Happy Birthday from start to finish is approximately 20 seconds.) Hand sanitizer may help in a pinch if you’re not able to wash your hands. If you need a refresher on how to wash your hands properly.
Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough but use the inside of your elbow – also known as the vampire cough! – instead of your hands, to prevent transferring contaminated droplets onto other surfaces.
Health officials say a mask can be worn by those who are sick to prevent further spread of the virus; however, if you are healthy, the mask will not prevent you from getting sick. Experts say there is no need to stock up. And please – don’t steal from hospitals or clinics. Leave those supplies for healthcare workers.
Instead of shaking hands, consider just smiling and nodding, as some local communities are doing during this time.
What’s the difference between a cold, a flu and COVID-19?
All three are respiratory illnesses but each is caused by a different virus. The cold is caused by the rhinovirus, the flu is caused by the influenza virus, and COVID-19 is caused by the novel 2019 coronavirus. All three can lead to pneumonia if complicated by other health issues or underlying conditions.
The cold is generally more mild than the flu or COVID-19, with the most common symptom being a runny or stuffy nose. The average adult gets two to three colds a year and recovers in about a week to 10 days.
The flu and COVID-19 cause many of the same symptoms (see above section), such as a fever, coughing or headache. The flu takes about a week to two weeks to recover from, while the WHO believes the recovery period for COVID-19 is approximately two weeks for mild cases and three to six weeks for those with severe or critical cases.
The cold, flu and COVID-19 are all spread the same way, from close person-to-person interaction, though the cold and COVID-19 can also spread through liquid droplets or particles when a person coughs or sneezes.
What should I do if I think I have COVID-19?
In B.C., health officials have placed an emphasis on detection, which means the threshold for who can be tested is being kept low so anyone experiencing respiratory symptoms and who has recently travelled or had contact with a traveller can be tested. The results are confirmed in-province and don’t need to be verified by the national testing centre.
If you are feeling ill or have recently travelled and feel ill, you should contact a healthcare provider to see about being tested for COVID-19. If you plan to visit a doctor’s office, a walk-in clinic, an emergency room or any public health facility, call ahead so healthcare providers can prepare for your visit to prevent possible spread to other patients.
How do I self-isolate or quarantine if I have COVID-19? What’s the difference between isolation and quarantine?
Isolation is for individuals confirmed to be ill. Quarantine is for individuals have been exposed to someone who is sick and aren’t sure if they’ll start experiencing symptoms sometime soon.
To self-isolate if sick, just stay home. Do not receive visitors, don’t go to school or work, don’t visit public areas including places of worship, stores, shopping malls and restaurants. Reschedule any appointments you may have.
If you need to leave your home for medical care, do not take public transit, taxis or ride-hailing.
If you need groceries or have other needs, use a delivery or pickup service instead of going out yourself but be sure to avoid face-to-face contact. (Face-to-face contact is defined as being within one to two metres of another person.)
Someone in my family has symptoms. What should the rest of us do?
If someone in your family is showing symptoms, it’s best if everyone sharing the home or close quarters with the symptomatic individual is monitored for COVID-19 symptoms to be sure the virus has not already spread.
If only one person in the home is infected, then the other individuals should stay elsewhere if possible, particularly if they have weak immune systems or other health conditions.
Those who have no other options and who must stay in the same home should ensure the infected individual stays and sleeps in a room with good airflow that is away from others. The infected individual should use a separate bathroom and wear a face mask if in the same room as others. Face-to-face contact should be avoided, while food and other things can be dropped off outside the infected person’s room.
Should I be concerned if I have a loved one in a care home?
Authorities are, however, asking that people not visit care homes if they are feeling unwell. If a visit during this time is absolutely necessary, individuals should only visit their own relative and no one else at the care home. Visits should be kept short and people should visit individually and not in large groups.
How long can the COVID-19 virus survive on surfaces?
Viruses in the coronavirus family generally don’t survive very long on surfaces as they are sensitive to the environment, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control also found that similar coronaviruses can last up to nine days on inanimate surfaces at room temperature but that they are quickly rendered inactive with common disinfectants. On surfaces like copper and steel, similar coronaviruses last about two hours.
What that means is, your fear of catching COVID-19 after touching a package shipped from a country where the virus has been spreading is likely unfounded. During the delivery process, the conditions a package would typically pass through would include a number of temperature changes, which makes it very difficult for the virus to survive.
How many cases of COVID-19 are there in B.C. right now? Has anyone in B.C. died from COVID-19?
The first case of COVID-19 in B.C. was detected in a man in his 40s who had travelled to the Wuhan region in China’s Hubei province. That case was announced on Jan. 27, 2020.
As of March 11, 2020, there had been 46 cases of COVID-19 announced, with four of those fully recovered. Several individuals are in hospital receiving treatment and at least two of the cases are residents of a senior care home. One of those care home residents died on Sunday, March 8; the man was in his 80s and had previous health conditions complicating his recovery.
There are also a small number of community transmitted cases. A large number of the reported cases are linked to travel in China and Iran, along with one case linked to Germany, one to Egypt, and one to Hong Kong.
Click here for a regularly updated list of B.C. cases, including both those who have since recovered and information on whether the individual had travelled or was infected locally.
What supplies should I stockpile or what should I buy to prepare for quarantine?
First off, don’t panic and know that there’s a difference between stockpiling supplies and hoarding an obscene amount of toilet paper. There’s no need to hoard supplies but if you want to be ready for a possible quarantine period, it doesn’t hurt to have a few extra things on hand.
The goal of stockpiling supplies is so that you don’t have to leave your home during the quarantine period and can comfortably prepare meals, go about your day, wait it out and, if sick, recover. The recommended quarantine period is 14 days, which is the expected incubation period for COVID-19, so you should need no more than 14 days worth of supplies.
If you do run out of supplies while in quarantine, have a delivery service or a friend or family member living separately from you or who is not in quarantine collect the needed items and drop them off to your home. Have them leave the items outside your door and avoid face-to-face contact if possible.
Questions about travelling
Travelling during the current outbreak depends on your level of comfort, with some countries requiring extra precautions.
Read on for information on whether you should change your travel plans, what countries have been issued travel advisories and whether you need to quarantine yourself upon return.
Should I be concerned about travelling right now? What precautions can I take if I plan to travel soon?
If you are travelling to coronavirus-hit countries or locations, be sure to wash your hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available. When eating and drinking, stay away from raw or undercooked food and meat and avoid high-risk areas such as farms, live animal markets and areas where animals may be slaughtered.
Health officials are urging people to avoid travelling on all cruise ships to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus.
If you are not concerned about the health aspects but worried about logistics and possible cancellations, check with your travel provider, purchase travel insurance and read up on local advisories before travelling. Be sure to really read the fine print though – some travel insurance providers are not covering travellers if they knowingly travel to a high-risk location where COVID-19 has been widespread.
Do I need to wipe down my airplane seat, tray table and seat-back screen?
Again, it depends on your level of comfort. In general, it’s not a bad habit to be aware of how you interact with your surroundings.
Even prior to the introduction of COVID-19, many travellers have made it a habit to wipe down their tray table and armrests with disinfecting wipes upon boarding a plane, particularly when planes see a high turnover of passengers in a short amount of time.
Keep in mind that even after you’ve wiped down a surface, it’s where you put your hands that’s important. If the surface is wiped and clean, but your hands are still touching your face non-stop, you may still end up picking up something you didn’t plan to.
Be sure to wash your hands before and after you’ve wiped down your seat and try to keep your hands off your face.
Not to mention, dispose of your wipes properly after using. Be mindful that you’re not leaving dirty wipes and tissues on your plane seat or seat-back pocket for someone else to deal with.
WestJet, one of Canada’s two main carriers, issued a statement recently that said it was boosting its cleaning procedures and clarified the procedures already in place on board its aircraft. Both WestJet and Air Canada, along with a number of other airlines, have waived their change fees for new bookings made through March 31, 2020.
What about when I return from travelling? Do I need to go into quarantine?
At this time, all visitors and returning travellers from China or Iran being asked to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival home, due to larger outbreaks in those two countries, and monitor for symptoms.
Travellers or visitors who have been to other countries are being asked to monitor themselves and their children closely for symptoms.
Source: British Columbia based The Vancouver Sun