Wash your hands often before eating or preparing food, before touching your face, after going to the bathroom, after leaving a public place, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, after handling the mask, after changing a diaper, after caring for a sick person. Visit the CDC website for guidelines on how to wash your hands properly and use hand sanitizer. And watch our video below on how soap kills coronavirus. There's a lot of science behind this basic habit.
It's been many months since COVID-19 changed our lives. We have adapted to wearing masks, to social distancing, to washing our hands constantly, and to working and learning remotely. But what do we really know about how to prevent COVID-19 infection? In addition, colder weather brings more people indoors, which is riskier than being outside because there is less airflow and it can be more difficult to keep people 6 feet apart. Meyer, there is a possibility that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can be transmitted through the air, making ventilation even more important.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 is still with us, causing more than 210,000 deaths in the U.S. UU. As we leave behind a chaotic spring and summer and approach fall, now is a good time to talk to the experts at Yale Medicine and review the standard and most recent tips on how to stay safe. Wearing a mask that covers your mouth and nose can prevent people who have COVID-19 from transmitting the virus to others.
Recent evidence suggests that masks may even benefit the user, as they offer a certain level of protection against infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone age 2 and older wear masks in public places and near people who don't live in the same household when they can't stay 6 feet away from others. While R0 refers to the basic or initial reproduction number, there is another measure called Rt, which is the current reproduction number and is the average number of people infected by an infectious person. If Rt is above 1.0, it spreads rapidly.
If it is below 1.0, it will eventually stop spreading. You can check the number for each state here. Washing your hands thoroughly remains a key step in preventing COVID-19 infection. Wash your hands with soap often, and especially after you've been in a public place or have blown your nose, coughed, or sneezed, CDC recommends.
CDC recommends washing your hands for at least 20 seconds, lathering the back of your hands and rubbing between all your fingers, under all your nails, and extending your hand to your wrist. After washing, dry them thoroughly (with an air dryer or paper towel) and avoid touching the sink, faucet, door handles, or other objects. If soap is not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content and rub the sanitizer on your hands until they are dry. While CDC states that the main way the virus spreads is through close person-to-person contact, it is possible to become infected with COVID-19 by touching a surface or object containing the virus and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
Remember that older family members and people with other medical conditions are the most vulnerable to COVID-19, so take extra steps to protect them, says Dr. While many restaurants offer outdoor dining, which experts say is the safest option, a recent CDC study showed that adults with COVID-19 infections were twice as likely to have visited a restaurant in the two weeks prior to illness than those without an infection. The study did not distinguish between indoor and outdoor meals, nor did it consider compliance with social distancing and the use of masks. People infected with COVID-19 were more likely to report having dined out in places where few people wore masks or had maintained social distancing.
But before leaving, you can check if the virus is spreading at its destination. More cases at your destination increase the risk of contracting the virus and of infecting it to others. You can see the weekly number of cases for each state here on the CDC website. Public Health Experts Say This Isn't the Year to Skip the Flu Vaccine.
While measures to prevent COVID-19, such as wearing masks, hand washing and social distancing, can also protect against the flu, the vaccine is especially important and safe, doctors say. Many people are likely to struggle to tell the difference between the flu, the common cold, and COVID-19, all of which have similar symptoms. For example, both COVID-19 and the flu can cause fever, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, cough, sore throat, runny nose, muscle or body pain, as well as vomiting and diarrhea (although the latter two are more common in children). Meanwhile, colds may be milder than the flu and are more likely to involve a runny or stuffy nose.
However, one difference is that COVID-19 is associated with a loss of taste and smell. At a time when routines are disrupted and many people are working at home, where snacks are available, some may be gaining weight (so-called quarantine). Now more than ever, doctors at Yale Medicine recommend that you focus on eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise and getting a good night's sleep. and find healthy ways to manage stress.
Meanwhile, obesity is emerging as an independent risk factor for severe COVID-19 illness, even among patients. A study, which examined hospitalized patients younger than 60 years of age with COVID-19, found that people with obesity were twice as likely to need hospitalization and even more likely to need intensive care than those who didn't. Since an estimated 42% of Americans are obese (they have a body mass index equal to or greater than 30), this is important. COVID-19 is likely to be with us for a while.
But even before a safe and effective vaccine is available, COVID-19 is a preventable disease, said Dr. . .
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