How to Feel in Control During the Coronavirus Epidemic
The new coronavirus that causes covid-19 disease is real and it is scary. People are getting infected. People are dying. You’re crazy if you’re not taking it seriously.
That said, 4 out of every 5 people who become infected with the coronavirus have mild to moderate symptoms—or no symptoms at all. More than 96% of people who become infected, recover from the disease. These are numbers worth remembering.
There are actions that you can take—on your own—that can protect you from getting the virus. We’ve all seen the flyers: wash your hands, don’t touch your face, keep away from sick people, stay home if you’re sick. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m an infectious disease epidemiologist and I’m going to tell you how I successfully do these things and why.
Wash your hands: In the absence of a vaccine, which is currently the case with the new coronavirus, washing your hands is an amazingly efficient way to prevent not only covid-19, but also flu, colds and bacterial infections. Although I’m not usually a germaphobe, I now carry hand sanitizer wherever I go and I wash my hands with soap and water every chance I get. I also have hand sanitizer right next to the entrance to my home and at my work site. The first thing I do when I get home or back to my desk is to use hand sanitizer (for 20 seconds), because I know everything else in the environments that I control are germ free.
Everyplace is sold out of hand sanitizer? The official advice is not to make your own. If you can’t find hand sanitizer or it’s $800 for a small bottle, I strongly suggest that you make your own. Mix 2/3s of a cup of alcohol with 1/3 of a cup of aloe gel. Do this only if professionally manufactured, alcohol-based hand sanitizer is not available.
Don’t touch your face: We humans like to touch things, especially our faces. I work in places where there are pathogens floating around that scare me. I worry about touching my face. (Full disclosure: I have worked with scientists in Wuhan on coronaviruses.) I want to do more than worry, but it’s hard! Think about it. Since you learned about ways to prevent coronavirus transmission, how many times have you rubbed your eyes (oops), scratched your nose (darn), been handed a piece of birthday cake at the office and popped it in your mouth (yikes). When in doubt, I follow the Shaman rule: No matter what happens, don’t let your hands go above your shoulders. Think of it as a mindfulness tactic to not touch your face.
Keep away from sick people: Easier said than done. What if someone sneezes or coughs all over you? Don’t freak out and scream at them. Do the doctor trick. Doctors breathe out and hold their breath for a second to wait for the sneeze or cough droplets to fall harmless to the floor. If you start screaming, you’re basically inhaling droplets. Which brings me to the next topic
Beware the droplet: Droplets are the mechanism that the virus uses to hitch a ride to the next person. Sneezing, coughing, even talking can help spread coronavirus. It gets worse. It turns out that the virus from droplets can last on a surface for a couple hours and up to a few days. Metal, glass and other hard surfaces are best for viruses. In practical terms that means doorknobs and handles, elevator buttons, phones and keyboards, public transportation poles and tray tables can all have virus on them. At home, remotes, toilets, light-switches, food preparation surfaces and faucets should all be cleaned and disinfected. Droplets are what make frequent hand washing with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer so important.
Please don’t stand so close to me: You may not yet know the term social distancing, but it starts with trying to keep three feet away from other people—and not touching them. As a hugger and a New Yorker, this one is really hard for me. I’m taking a lesson from a microbiologist I know. I either bump elbows or do a namaste hands together greeting. 🙏 People look at me strangely when I do this. I admit, I sometimes feel like a lone idiot, especially since the handshake is practically required etiquette in both business and social situations. I do it anyway—and people are catching on.
Other random pieces of advice: It’s not too late to get a flu shot. Being sick increases the risk of acquiring the coronavirus. You could also avoid a trip to the doctor in the middle of the coronavirus epidemic. The most important medical device you can purchase and use right now is…tissues. Not masks. If you’re not sick, don’t wear a mask because a) there’s a shortage and b) they provide a false sense of security. Pick up the phone and check in on elderly relatives, friends or neighbors. The elderly and those with chronic health conditions are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill with covid-19. Make sure to call first to reduce possible coronavirus exposure and to offer to lend a hand, such as food shopping, dog walking or going to the pharmacy to make sure that people have continued access to their required medications. Helping others also makes people feel good about themselves, which happens to improve immunity.
If you’re the sick one, you should stay home. Make sure to call your boss to let them know. If you feel really bad, and have the symptoms of severe covid-19 disease—fever, dry cough, difficulty breathing—call your doctor or your local health department first. Don’t immediately go to a doctor’s office, clinic or hospital, since they may have special rules in place to provide testing and care to people with suspected disease.
Final words of wisdom: With newly available coronavirus testing capability, there is going to be a huge increase in the number of cases identified. Don’t panic. Instead, give a little namaste that you have already begun to control the epidemic to the best of your ability.
When you’ve had it up to your ears with streaming services, why not read a book? Want to know how people amused themselves during the Black Plague in the 14th century? Pick up a copy of the Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio. Want to learn how plagues changed the course of history all over the world? Read one of my all-time favorite books: Plagues and Peoples by William McNeill. Better yet, read them out loud with a friend. Happy reading!
This article was originally published March 6, 2020 here: