What You Need to Know About the Coronavirus

The spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) is currently making headlines everywhere. With thousands of people and counting around the world being affected, it’s a subject we should all be conscious of and educated on.

Who Is at Risk?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the following individuals “are at a higher risk of getting very sick from this illness”¹:

• Older adults
• People who have serious chronic medical conditions, like:
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Lung disease

The coronavirus can affect each person differently, but the recovery rate is much higher for younger, healthy individuals who receive adequate treatment. The symptoms can range from mild to severe and include fever, cough, and shortness of breath, which may appear within 2-14 days after exposure.²

What You Should Do

There are precautions you can take to prevent the risk of catching and spreading the disease, which include maintaining a clean personal environment and avoiding crowded public areas. The CDC recommends avoiding cruises and unnecessary air travel, avoiding contact with individuals who are sick, and stocking up on supplies. If there is an outbreak in your area, you should also stay at home as much as possible.¹

If you are exhibiting symptoms or have had contact with someone who has been, you should seek immediate medical attention and stay at home until otherwise directed to avoid spreading the disease.

How This Could Impact You

We are seeing extreme measures being taken around the world to combat the current outbreak. Travel has been restricted, sporting and entertainment events have been canceled, and many people have been quarantined. While most people will not be directly impacted by the disease itself, we are all seeing the residual effects through the shortage of preventative supplies and change in social dynamic.

While public health is the biggest concern here, it’s not the only impact we’re seeing from the coronavirus. The economy has taken a big hit since the outbreak began, and we can’t predict how long the negative impact will last.

The most important thing to remember is not to panic! Make sure you are taking the proper precautions to protect yourself and others as well as staying up to date on current alerts in your area and how to proceed accordingly. Your health is important, and you don’t want to compromise it, especially if you are already at risk.

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1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html#who-is-higher-risk
2. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html