# The COVID-19 coronavirus in the eyes of an RN (Me) and how to protect yourselves. NO POLITICS



## Terri (May 10, 2002)

This is being widely discussed in Chat, but not all of us go there and so I decided that it should be addressed here as well. Because, while it is not usually life-threatening for young, healthy people it *IS* dangerous for people over 50 who have health problems. People with diabetes or high blood pressure or asthma or other health problems can be severely affected and may end up needing hospital care.

Also, COVID-19 is NOT “just another flu virus”. For some of us this will be much more dangerous
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To start with: how to NOT get it if it is currently in your area!

1. Avoid crowded places if you can. It is better if you do your grocery shopping early in the morning or late at night: the stores are at least half-empty and then you will not be standing in long lines next to a lot of people who might be ill. Remember, if a person has a light case they might not have any symptoms all, but they are still capable of infecting the person next to them. So avoid crowds, because your neighbor might not even know that they are ill.

2. Masks. There is a lot of misinformation regarding masks! The most commonly available masks are light-weight things that will decrease your chances of getting COVID-19 but not prevent it entirely. (I heard that this tip originally came from China: or so said the source that I heard it from).

THIS IS IMPORTANT! To properly wear a common style of mask: The metal strip of the so-popular light-weight masks have a metal strip that goes over the top of your nose. Pinch the metal band so that it fits the bridge of your nose while tugging the bottom so that the bottom fits below your chin.

To remove the mask, remove it by the ear pieces or the head band and not by the front of the mask! The front might be contaminated and you do not want contaminants on your hands.

3. THEN wash your hands with soap and water BEFORE YOU TOUCH YOUR FACE. Because you will have been touching the check out counter, the nozzle as you fill your car with gas, etc and who knows who touched it before you? And the COVID-19 can enter at your eyes and nose. So after you take your mask off, wash your hands with soap and water. And, also wash the handle when you turned the water on, because your possibly dirty hand touched that as well. It only takes a quick swipe with a soapy hand

4. Do not touch your face while you are in town. This thing can and will enter your body if you scratch your eyes or nose with a contaminated hand.

5. The above advice is from medical experts, but, I have one tip that is purely from me: I do not know who touched the raw produce last. I believe that I will start washing the bell peppers in soapy water, peeling off and discarding the outer leaves of lettuce, etc. Better yet, most of my raw produce will come from my garden.

THE SYMPTOMS

1. The most common early symptoms are a fever and a dry cough. This might be a cold but it might not. And, the sufferer is contagious BEFORE the symptoms set in, as well as after they feel better!Nobody is certain for how LONG they are contagious after they feel better, though


2. That this is just another flu. No, not really: COVID-19 is far more contagious, and while the death rate for young and healthy people is pretty low, us older folk have a higher death rate than the flu does. The only reason the flu has a higher death rate is because the flu is everywhere and COVID-19 is NOT everywhere..... yet.

3. WE ARE ALL GONNA DIE! Nope. Not hardly. They are still guessing at the death rate, but it looks like it MIGHT be about 3%. They are still trying to figure out the death rate. The illness has not yet spread enough in the USA or other countries to be sure of the death rate.

And, alas, that is the limit of my knowledge. There is a lot that is NOT known about it right now. The above is what I was able to find out from my most trusted sources.

Notice please that I have not given instructions on how to treat this. I am NOT practicing medicine without a license: the above is nursing care and knowledge only. I can tell you to treat the symptoms, which is ALSO nursing care, but I cannot talk about the treatment of the actual illness, as I do not know it myself. Treating the actual illness takes the knowledge of a doctor and not the knowledge of a nurse.

Lastly, as a 65 year old female with 2 chronic illnesses, if/when this thing hits my area I intend to stay home. Because this sounds like something that I do not need to get, and I would rather not get exposed if I can help it. To that end I have bought cat food and chicken food, and at my physical next week I will ask my doc for a prescription for 3 months worth of meds, instead of my preferred 1 month worth of meds


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## AmyCranberry (Jul 12, 2020)

First I hope you are safe and well.

Since there are human trials ongoing everywhere and currently we do not have any vaccine for covid 19, all we can do is- follow social distancing norms and wear our masks. we do not know that if it is airborne disease, or its molecular form stay very long in air, or it settled down.

Covid affects your immunity, so I would suggest to work on it. There are anti viral vegetables or foods you can take for you and for your family for better immunity.

Also. you must not visit hospital when it is not necessary as for now that place has maximum chance for getting infection.

Only when you have cold, cough and fever altogether, there are 20 percent chance that you are infected. Most of the time a paracetamol helps in such scenario.

Just stay strong and safe , wear masks


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