Handy info regarding Covid-19 - Share with everyone please

1. COVID-19
All you need to know
by Elmari du Toit
(Professional Nurse & Educator)
March 2020
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2. What is the Corona Virus ?
It’s a family of viruses which causes flu-like
illness, e.g.:
• Respiratory infections
• The common cold
• Flu
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
• And the new Covid-19
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3. What is Covid-19
• It is the most recently discovered Coronavirus
• Discovered after an outbreak in Wuhan, China,
in Dec 2019.
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4. • A respiratory illness similar to the Flu
• In severe cases it can cause viral pneumonia
(difficulty breathing)
What is Covid-19
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5. What are the Symptoms ?
• Some people can contract the virus, but don’t
develop any symptoms.
• About 80% of people won’t need any special
treatment.
• One out of every six people may become
seriously ill.
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6. What are the Symptoms ?
Person with Covid-19 spreads to Others
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7. Who can get infected ?
• Anyone –
▫ the Virus doesn’t choose between race, ethnic
group, financial status or country.
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8. Who is most at risk ?
• Immune compromised people
• Any person who has a Lowered Immune system
• Older people
• High blood pressure
• Heart problems
• Diabetes
• Smokers
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9. Incubation Period
• This means the time between contracting the
virus & showing symptoms of the disease.
• Between 1-14 days
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10. How does the Coronavirus spread ?
Two ways:
1. From person to person through droplets
2. By touching infected objects and surfaces
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11. 1. Droplet infection
People can contract COVID-19 if they breathe in
droplets from a person who is infected.
• Through droplets from the nose or mouth
▫ when coughing, sneezing, talking or exhaling.
• Droplets can spray up to 1meter far
▫ stay more than 1m away from a person who has
Covid-19 or who is coughing or sneezing.
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12. 2. Infected Objects and Surfaces
• The droplets also land on objects and surfaces.
• By touching infected objects or surfaces, then
touching your eyes, nose or mouth, you can
contract Covid-19.
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13. How long does the Virus live on
Surfaces & Objects ?
• From 8 hours to a few days,
• Depending on the conditions
• It can survive on ANY surface
• The Virus dies in dry, warm conditions (above
30⁰ C).
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14. Cleaning and Disinfecting Surfaces
• Clean surfaces it with simple disinfectant e.g.
Bleach/ Dettol
• Dampen a cloth with disinfectant and wipe your
cellphone and other objects daily or even more
often
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15. Channel your Concerns into Actions
• Regular 20 second hand-washing and spraying
• Good respiratory hygiene.
• Follow the advice of the local health authorities
• Follow travel restrictions
• Avoid large crowds and large gatherings.
• Rather gather outside in the open air than in a
closed room
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16. Protect yourself
• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds
• regular soap and water is effective!!
• use anti-septic soap if it is available
▫ TIP: Sing ‘Happy birthday’ 2X while doing this
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17. • Spray your hands often
• with a 65% alcohol based hand sanitizer.
• Rub the sanitizer for 20 seconds into your hands
and nails.
▫ TIP: Sing ‘Happy birthday’ 2X while doing this
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18. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with
unwashed hands
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19. 19

20. Use alternative methods of greeting
• Don’t shake hands, kiss or hug.
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21. What else should I do ?
• Open public doors with your elbows instead of
your hands.
• Avoid touching surfaces in public areas with
your hands, e.g. lift knobs / escalators etc.
• Use your elbows where possible
• If you have to use your hands, wash or spray
them often
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22. • Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or
sneezing:
▫ Use your bent elbow
▫ Cover your mouth & nose with a tissue – dispose
immediately
▫ Cough or sneeze into the front of your shirt/blouse
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23. • When you seek medical attention, call your
doctor or ER in advance so that they can give
you advice regarding testing centres.
• Avoid traveling, especially out of RSA
• Stay away from high risk areas and places where
outbreaks occurred
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24. What should I do if I visited a high risk
area or country ?
• Self-isolate for at least 14 days.
▫ If you develop any symptoms, seek medical help
• Stay at home if you show symptoms such as
headache, low grade fever (>37.3 C) and slight
runny nose, until you recover.
• Spray your hands often with an alcohol based
hand sanitizer for 20 seconds.
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25. Should I take antibiotics ?
Antibiotics do not work against viruses;
they only work on bacterial infections.
• COVID-19 is caused by a virus, so antibiotics do
not work.
• Don’t use Antibiotics as prevention or treatment
of COVID-19.
• Antibiotics should only be used to treat a
bacterial infections.
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26. Boost your Immune system
• Eat a healthy diet
▫ lots of fruit and vegetables
▫ immune boosting foods
▫ Vit A, Multivitamin, Vit C & Immune boosters
▫ Regular exercising – running/walking/dancing,
especially outside in the clean air.
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27. • Avoid stress
▫ stress lowers your immune system and make you
more susceptible to illnesses
• Smoking lowers your immune system
▫ Nicotine depletes your body from essential
vitamins
▫ Avoid second-hand smoking
▫ Try to stop smoking
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28. Vaccination
• There is no vaccine or antiviral medicine to
prevent or treat COVID-19 yet.
• However it is recommended to get the Flu
Vaccine.
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29. Should I wear a mask ?
Only wear a mask if:
1. you are ill with COVID-19 symptoms
2. when you are isolated and come in contact
with an outside person
3. when caring for a person with COVID-19.
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30. Remember:
• Disposable face masks can only be used once.
• If you are not ill or caring for someone who is ill
then you are wasting a mask.
• There is a world-wide shortage of masks, so
WHO urges people to use masks wisely.
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31. Can I get Covid-19 from Pets
• NO !
• COVID-19 is mainly spread through droplets
from humans with Covid-19
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32. Hotline Number for Enquiries
0800 029 999
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33. Questions ??
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34. Thank You !!
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35. Resources
• https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
• https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-
2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks
• http://www.nicd.ac.za/coronavirus-update-2/
• https://www.youtube.com
• https://www.westerncape.gov.za/department-of-
health/coronavirus
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/cleaning-
disinfection.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov
%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-
ncov%2Fcommunity%2Fhome%2Fcleaning-disinfection.html
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