The 2019-nCoV virus, also called the new coronavirus, spreads rapidly in different countries, which gives it the potential to become a pandemic, as the World Health Organization (WHO) recently warned. This fact, added to the growing number of infected (as in the case of Italy) is favoring a climate of alarmism.
The reality of this virus is that its potential mortality is very low, around 2% ; and people infected by it must follow a very basic recommendation: remain in their homes “isolated” for 14 days to avoid spreading, until the virus can be eliminated from their body.
In practical terms, having the coronavirus is similar to going through a type of flu: remember that coronaviruses are responsible for the common cold. Therefore, should we be concerned? The difference of this new coronavirus compared to other existing ones is that it does not have, for now, an effective vaccine or treatment.
This reality does not imply that we should not follow minimum precautionary recommendations. While researchers are working against the clock to find more clues to develop a vaccine for Covid-19, the goal of health authorities is to contain the spread of the virus as much as possible , and for this, citizen collaboration is needed.
Therefore, what basic precautionary measures should we carry out in the face of the international spread of the new coronavirus?
These are the basic recommendations of the WHO. It is worth mentioning that these recommendations are valid for any type of virus with a similar transmission : via tiny droplets during close interpersonal contact.
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water , or an alcohol-based sanitizer.
- Stay at least one meter away from anyone with symptoms such as coughing and sneezing.
- Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- If you have a fever, cough, and shortness of breath, seek medical attention and follow the instructions of your local health authority.
- Avoid contact with farm and wild animals and cook the meat and eggs you eat thoroughly.
- Do not use a mask if it is not necessary ; it is not convenient to waste resources. The only people who should wear a mask are medical personnel who treat patients, people caring for infected, and those who have the virus, to prevent its spread. The masks that protect against viruses and bacteria are of the type FFP2 and FFP3, and must be used only once.
- Stay informed about 2019-nCoV through reliable sources of information , do not spread false news and do not contribute to scaremongering.
