8 Facts About the Coronavirus You Should Know so You Can Protect Yourself
Eva Underwood • March 17, 2020
Toilet paper and bottled water are flying off the shelf at the grocery store. You get sideways glances if you cough at an airport. Your Aunt Sally won’t eat Chinese food and cousin Fred won’t drink a Corona beer. What is going on?
The Coronavirus. What exactly is this Coronavirus that has everyone in a tizzy? Here are 8 facts about the new Coronavirus, or COVID-19, that you should know.
- According to the CDC , on February 11, 2020 the World Health Organization announced an official name for a newly discovered disease. First found in Wuhan, China, the disease was named “Coronavirus Disease 2019”. The abbreviation you may see in the news or hear on the radio is “COVID-19.” In COVID-19, ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease. Another older name for the disease was “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”( ).
- There are hundreds of viruses within the Coronavirus family. COVID-19 is one that jumped from animals to humans. Part of the concern with diseases from animals is that our bodies aren’t accustomed to fighting off these illnesses.
- There is no vaccine yet. Scientists around the world are working on a vaccine and believe one will be available soon.
- COVID-19 is spreading. Many people recover from this illness, especially those with a normal immune system. However, some have passed away from this disease. .
- Many people wonder how different the disease is from the flu virus. According to Livescience.com, Scientists have decades of knowledge about the seasonal flu. Even though the flu can be deadly, they know what to expect each year. On the other hand, the new Coronavirus is uncharted territory. Scientists can’t predict how many deaths it will cause and how far and how fast it will spread around the globe. So far, COVID-19 looks more deadly than the flu, but it’s unknown if milder cases aren’t being tested and reported ( livescience.com ). It is very possible that some have had the disease and not sought treatment.
- COVID-19 is thought to be transmitted like the flu: in droplets from an infected person’s sneeze or cough. The virus has a 2-14-day incubation period where symptoms aren’t visible. Unfortunately, people could be infectious before symptoms begin.
- Most people get a fever with a dry cough, shortness of breath, a sore throat, and/or a headache with COVID-19.
- There is no need to panic! There is a lot of misinformation spread about COVID-19, and it is a great to arm yourself with correct, current information. Make sure to get your information from reputable sources. Do your own research. Great resources are the CDC and the WHO websites. You can also ask your doctor if you have any questions.
At Green Up to Clean Up, we take all illnesses seriously. We keep current with industry standards and best practices to combat the seasonal flu, common cold, and even mystery viruses like COVID-19. To protect yourself and those you love, there are some good habits to adopt that can help you remain healthy. These tips apply to your workplace and your home.
- Wash your hands! Hands should be washed with plenty of soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds.
- When there isn’t water, use hand sanitizer. Purchase hand sanitizer that is 70% alcohol or higher. It is believed that the alcohol in hand sanitizer would kill COVID-19. However, you should make sure to have your hands soaked with the solution and let it set on your skin before rubbing it in. Also, soap and water work better so always opt for a sink if there is one.
- Disinfect commonly touched surfaces at home (doorknobs, fridge doors, light switches, ect.)
- Open your windows once a day for an hour or so, even if it is cold. Do this especially if someone is sick.
- When you wipe down surfaces with antibacterial wipes, follow the instructions on the back.
- Don’t go to work or school when sick! Not only do you infect others, your immune system is working on overdrive. There is a chance you could come down with another disease.
- Always wear gloves for safety when cleaning.
Facilities that get a lot of human traffic like schools, medical offices, factories or office buildings are where diseases, like COVID-19, are spread. If you are responsible for a large building, it is in your hands to keep it safe. When you hire Green Up to Clean Up, you can rest assure that your building will be properly cleaned with Green Sealed cleaning solutions. For more information, you can CLICK HERE to fill out our contact form. You can also call us at: 219-728-1256.
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