Pay attention to the headlines and you or your loved ones may be a bit freaked about all the talk surrounding the coronavirus. Declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization on January 30, 2020, the infectious illness—which may bear genetic similarities to SARS—has gone from its point of origin in Wuhan, China to cases in over 30 countries, including Thailand, South Korea, Australia, France, Italy, Canada, Japan, and the U.S. At least 2,121 people in China have died after becoming infected with the coronavirus, as well as 6 people in the U.S.
Should this be a cause for concern? Yes…and no. The term “coronavirus” may sound new (and therefore daunting), but it actually refers to a cluster of viruses that include the common cold, on the mild side of the spectrum, to SARS, which, to refresh your memory, rapidly spread around the globe, infecting over 8,000 people and killing close to 800 others in 2003. Meaning, you’ve probably been infected with a strain of the coronavirus at some point in your life.
However, this novel strain, COVID-19, is new to the medical community and has never before been seen in humans. (According to the CDC, COVID-19 may be linked to a seafood market in Wuhan, and is believed to have begun to spread through animal-to-human contact.) The mystery surrounding this strain can be scary, yes, but take it from the U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, who told CNN, “Caution is appropriate. Preparedness is appropriate. Panic is not.”
While the latter may be easier said than done, Adams has a point: Feeding your fear will heighten your anxiety, ultimately weakening your immune system and rendering you more vulnerable to viral infections and other illnesses. Rather, take caution and practice preparedness with these five tips on protecting you and your family:
1. Be mindful of your symptoms—and seek early medical care
The earliest reports of COVID-19 date back to December of 2019—a time of year when the cold and flu season was at its peak. It may be Spring now, but those wintry illnesses are still in the air. In other words, you may mistake symptoms for the common cold or flu for the coronavirus.
According to the CDC, the most prevalent symptoms—which typically appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus—include fever, cough and shortness of breath. This more or less mirrors the symptoms of the flu or a cold; the notable difference between them is that people infected with the coronavirus strain appear to experience significant (and potentially lethal) respiratory distress.
Your best bet? Dial up your doctor if you or your family feel unwell.
“Call your healthcare professional if you feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, or if you live in or have recently traveled from an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19,” the CDC recommends. “Your healthcare professional will work with your state’s public health department and CDC to determine if you need to be tested.”
2. Bolster your immune system
Presently, there is no vaccine for the coronavirus, nor are there specific treatments. And while the National Institutes of Health is at work on developing a vaccine and treatments, “it will be months until clinical trials get underway and more than a year until it might become available,” CNN reports.
What you do have at your disposal, however, is the chance to boost your wellness; after all, on the off-chance that you are infected, your recovery will essentially be based on the strength of your immune health.
With this in mind, pile your plate with foods that are especially high in vitamin C and zinc, such as blueberries, avocados and broccoli. Also, minimize stress—personal, or from the coronavirus scare—by exercising regularly: Both actions enhance immune health.
And, by all means, rest: Inadequate sleep can cause an uptick in stress hormones that will diminish your immune strength, just as it “may lead to more inflammation in your body,” WebMD says.
3. Become a cleaning machine
No, we don’t mean that your house needs to be spic and span or that your car should be gleaming: Rather, disinfect the objects and surfaces you touch on a regular basis, from your smartphone to your doorknob.
Why? Spread of the virus happens when someone comes into contact with an infected person’s secretions—mucus, for example, or droplets from a cough. To shield yourself, wash your hands too—and wash them well: The WHO recommends using an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water to “kill viruses that may be on your hands.”
Likewise, refrain from touching your eyes, nose and mouth: If you did pick up a virus through your hands and touch your face, “it can enter your body and make you sick,” the WHO also reports.
4. Stock up—but not on what you think
Photos of people donning surgical masks have taken over the internet, just as you may have seen people in your community wearing them while they’re in line at the store. That aforementioned Adams’ (and the CDC’s) advice? Don’t buy into the hype.
Yes, masks can be used to keep someone who is infected from spreading it to others, but “If you’re not sick, you don’t need to wear one, and if you do, it’s not preventing you from getting sick,” The Washington Post reports. “Common surgical masks block the droplets coming out of a sick person from getting into the air, but they are not tight enough to prevent what’s already in the air from getting in.”
Instead, stock up as you would for any emergency by ensuring that you have bottled water, non-perishable food, and adequate amounts of your prescription medications, as well as standard respiratory-illness treatments like decongestants and acetaminophen for fevers. And while you’re at it, be sure to pick up some immune-supporting supplements and herbs. Check out these previous VitaVibes articles for more information:
Zinc Supplements: Should You Take One?
7 Winter Herbs for Health & Wellness
3 Herbs a Doctor of Natural Medicine Recommends for Immune Support
The Ultimate Guide to Immune Support
5. Get some distance
Given that COVID-19 spreads person to person, it’s vital to maintain distance between you and anyone who is displaying symptoms (indeed, some reports suggest that it can be transmitted even before the infected person is exhibiting symptoms). The World Health Organization advises maintaining a distance of three feet between yourself and anyone who is sneezing or coughing. To this, it is also recommended to avoid places where large groups congregate.
Heed the CDC’s advice to refrain from traveling to restricted areas as well, and cancel or postpone your travel plans if, for whatever reason, you have a weakened immune system. (Young children and the elderly are at an increased risk for viral infections.)
And if you feel unwell? Please stay home. Whether it’s the coronavirus or the flu, you’ll be doing you, your community, and the globe a big, loving favor.