Stay Well: Tips from A Physician Who’s Worked Four Pandemics

Coronavirus is a rapidly evolving story. Scientists around the world are chasing the facts. We all know more today than yesterday. The World Health Organization (WHO) has a database of research on this disease that is the best source of real time information.  

Nobody can afford to tune out of this health crisis. Binge watch Ava DuVernay’s Queen Sugar but follow the news.

The WHO named the disease at the center of the global pandemic COVID-19. It stems from the disease-causing microorganism coronavirus, shorten to COVI. This group of viruses, discovered in the 1960s, infects birds and mammals. The “D” stands for disease. And the “19” refers to 2019, the year in which the outbreak started.

COVID-19 is a distant cousin of other coronavirus outbreaks, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS), and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS).

Outbreaks have many waves, not just one. Viruses can reproduce quickly and mutate in a host, making it more difficult to treat or find a cure. Travelers may bring the first wave. People in close quarters, such as cruise ships and prisons, asymptomatic individuals can generate the second and third wave. 

This virus spreads from person to person in many ways. If an infected person coughs or sneezes, the droplets with the virus can infect another person. Second, a healthy person touches a contaminated object or surface and touches their eyes, nose or mouth. This virus can remain on surfaces for hours or days depending on the porous nature of a surface.  Lastly, in countries without proper sanitation services fecal matter will spread disease.  

The chances of falling ill correspond directly with the strength of an individual’s immune system and amount of time you are in close contact with an infected person. The virus can be transmitted from person to person with as little as 45 seconds of contact.  

With COVID-19, a person can be asymptomatic or have symptoms that may seem like the flu, bronchitis or pneumonia.  Most people are either asymptomatic or feel like they have a bad case of the flu.  

In a fraction of patients, the disease advances to viral pneumonia. COVID-19 viral pneumonia has a 50 percent mortality rate. A patient’s lungs may fill with a viral load and become inflamed. Under a series of radiologic images, known as a CT scan, the lung tissue appears like ground glass. Despite being on a respirator, some patients die from suffocation. Survivors of this viral pneumonia are often left with pulmonary scarring and decrease lung capacity, resulting in chronic shortness of breath even when walking.  

Patients with preexisting illnesses, such as heart disease, chronic lung diseases, diabetes or obesity, are more vulnerable to requiring critical care, mechanical ventilation or death.  

No treatment currently exists for this novel virus. Antibiotics combat bacterial infections, not viral ones. A vaccinate may one day help, but it is at least a year or more away from that help. Fortunately, experimental drug and plasma trials are currently underway.

The best strategy is avoidance Here are some concrete steps that you can take:

·        Wash your hands: use soap and water for 30 to 60 seconds, scrubbing the back of your hands, wrist, cuticles and nail beds.

·        Use hand sanitizer: make sure it has at least 60 percent alcohol, wait for the liquid to dry before touching your face.

·        Keep your hands away from your face: don’t adjust your makeup, glasses or facial hair. Better still, no facial hair.

·        Practice social distancing: avoid spray from laughing, coughing and sneezing. If you must cough or sneeze, direct your mouth into your elbow.

·        Step up your cleaning: spray disinfectant on your counters, sinks and workspace.

·       Wear gloves: protect yourself in high traffic areas, such gas pumps and door handles.

·       Follow universal precautions, assume everyone can infect you and you can infect another person.

 Taking these seven steps will reduce your risk of exposure to COVID-19. Good public health is just a series of good habits. To combat this global pandemic, everyone must practice good public health.

Valda Crowder, M.D., MBA, is an emergency medicine physician who practiced medicine for over 30 years in hospitals throughout the United States. She has been a physician during four pandemics: Tuberculosis, AIDS, Ebola, and COVID19.