Coronavirus, airborne pathogens, incubation period, deadly, contagious, epidemic, pandemic — these unnerving, dreadful words are popping up in your news and social media feeds in recent days. Honestly, it sounds like one of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, but it’s not and it can be terrifying, right? Don’t panic. Get the information you need about the viral outbreak as well as learn how to protect you and your family.
What is it?
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, China. Cases of the disease are being reported in a growing number of countries including the United States.
How does it spread?
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person in close contact with one another through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or exhales. The CDC suggests “close contact” be kept to a minimum of six feet with anyone who might be sick — this is twice the distance — compared to what health professionals have defined it in past outbreaks, like SARS.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms are fever, tiredness and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually.
What should I do if I have symptoms?
If you develop symptoms such as fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, stay home and call your healthcare provider.
The Medical University of South Carolina is offering free virtual screenings for anyone in South Carolina who thinks they may be experiencing coronavirus symptoms. You can book a MUSC Virtual Care Visit and speak to a provider online — using the promo code COVID19. You can also call (843) 792-7000 to access the service by phone. MUSC said the healthcare provider you speak with will determine if you need additional in-person case. The free virtual screenings are available 24-hours-a-day.
Prisma Health is also offering free access to virtual screenings for those who think they may have coronavirus. The online tool prevents patients from having to visit an emergency room or doctor’s office. If you’re experiencing coughing, fever or shortness of breath, schedule a Prisma Health Virtual Visit and use the promo code COVID19.
What is a virtual visit?
If you schedule a virtual visit, don’t expect to receive a positive or negative coronavirus test result. The only way to test for coronavirus right now is to have an in-person test done by a medical professional that is then verified by state and federal officials. However, the online visit could help determine if you (and family, friends or coworkers) should be tested for coronavirus.
What about older patients are those with medical conditions?
Older patients and individuals who have severe underlying medical conditions or are immunocompromised should contact their healthcare provider early, even if their illness is mild. If you have severe symptoms, such as persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips of face, contact your healthcare provider or emergency room and seek care immediately. Your doctor will determine if you have signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and whether you should be tested.
The numbers continue to increase every day — doubling in some countries overnight. The virus has found a foothold on every continent except for Antarctica. Students at Johns Hopkins University’s Whiting School of Engineering began tracking COVID-19 data in real-time with an interactive dashboard, as you can see below.
The World Health Organization Declared the Novel Coronavirus Outbreak a Pandemic
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said what has been increasingly obvious for weeks, “We’ve been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we’re deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity and the alarming levels of inaction. We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized by pandemic.”
The news came after identified cases doubled in the United States in the space of just two days, Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany said that 60 to 70 percent of Germans could become infected, and Italy locked down its entire population and warned the world that they were running out of ICU capacity — while experts warned many other countries were on track for large outbreaks and health care capacity issues.
“Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO’s assessment of the threat posed by this coronavirus. It doesn’t change what WHO is doing, and it doesn’t change what countries should do. Several countries have demonstrated that this virus can be suppressed and controlled,” Ghebreyesus said. — Vox
It’s a novel virus named for the crownlike spikes that protrude from its surface. The coronavirus can infect both animals and people and can cause a range of respiratory illnesses from the common cold to more dangerous conditions like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS.
Illness due to infection is generally mild, especially for children and young adults. However, it can cause serious illness — about 20 percent of people who are infected need hospital care. So, it’s quite normal to worry about how the coronavirus outbreak will affect you and your family.
We can channel our concerns into actions to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our communities. First and foremost among these actions is regular and thorough hand-washing and good respiratory hygiene. Secondly, stay informed and follow the advice of the local health authorities including any restrictions put in place on travel, movement and gatherings.
Early information shows that some people are at higher risk of developing serious illness including older adults, and people who have serious chronic medical conditions (or are immunocompromised) like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, lung disease or cancer.
If you’re at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, you should:
If there’s an outbreak in your community, stay home as much as possible. Watch for symptoms and emergency signs. If you get sick, stay home and call your doctor. — CDC People at Risk for Serious Illness from COVID-19
While this virus seems to have emerged from an animal source, it’s now spreading from person-to-person. There’s no reason to think that any animals, including pets, in the United States might be a source of infection with this new virus. At this time, there’s no evidence that companion animals including pets can spread or be infected with coronavirus. However, since animals can spread other diseases to people, it’s always a good idea to wash your hands after being around them.
You can reduce your chances of being infected or spreading coronavirus by taking some simple precautions:
Protection Measures for People Who are in or Have Recently Visited Areas Where Coronavirus is Spreading
If you develop symptoms such as fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, stay home and call your healthcare provider.
The Medical University of South Carolina is offering free virtual screenings for anyone in South Carolina who thinks they may be experiencing coronavirus symptoms. You can book a MUSC Virtual Care Visit and speak to a provider online — using the promo code COVID19. You can also call (843) 792-7000 to access the service by phone. MUSC said the healthcare provider you speak with will determine if you need additional in-person case. The free virtual screenings are available 24-hours-a-day.
Prisma Health is also offering free access to virtual screenings for those who think they may have coronavirus. The online tool prevents patients from having to visit an emergency room or doctor’s office. If you’re experiencing coughing, fever or shortness of breath, schedule a Prisma Health Virtual Visit and use the promo code COVID19.
What is a virtual visit?
If you schedule a virtual visit, don’t expect to receive a positive or negative coronavirus test result. The only way to test for coronavirus right now is to have an in-person test done by a medical professional that is then verified by state and federal officials. However, the online visit could help determine if you (and family, friends or coworkers) should be tested for coronavirus.
What about older patients are those with medical conditions?
Older patients and individuals who have severe underlying medical conditions or are immunocompromised should contact their healthcare provider early, even if their illness is mild. If you have severe symptoms, such as persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips of face, contact your healthcare provider or emergency room and seek care immediately. Your doctor will determine if you have signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and whether you should be tested.
Lexington County Public Library branches will begin allowing patrons inside the facilities, offering limited in-person services such as browsing, computers by appointment and mobile printing. Our highest priority is the health and well-being of our patrons, staff and volunteers. The library is closely monitoring the latest information and guidelines provided by the CDC and DHEC and we’ll continue to evaluate services daily. We encourage the public to practice social distancing. Lexington Main, Irmo and Cayce-West Columbia Branch Libraries will be open to the public during the following hours:
Please call all other branches for current hours of service. Limited services being offered in the branches include:
Patrons are required to have temperature taken upon entering and wear a mask at all times while inside of a library facility, and masks should fully cover the nose and mouth. All library buildings are adhering to occupancy limits, so you may experience a wait before entering a branch. We encourage patrons to limit time in the building to allow more patrons to have an opportunity to use the library.
The following are also/still in effect: