My job with the U.S. The Department of Health and Human Services is Community Outreach. The entirety of my time in Public Health has been working to ensure that patients, families and marginalized communities all over Northeast Ohio and the tri-state area have the information and emergency services they need to make informed healthcare decisions and can access support in times of crisis.
The goal of my column, One Lakewood Progress, has been this - that residents of Lakewood should have the information necessary to understand policies, whether local, state, or national and how they impact daily life.
This installment of One Lakewood Progress is, perhaps, the most important one I’ve written. We are experiencing unprecedented times in our country, in the trenches of the global pandemic that is COVID-19. This disease touches the daily lives of all Americans, and it presents a very real threat to our health and safety. With talk from the White House of ending the social distancing lockdown on Easter Sunday, people are starting to question whether or not the virus is really that serious to begin with.
Let me disabuse you of that notion.
What is COVID-19? Why is it so dangerous?
CO-ronaVI-rus D-isease 2019 is a respiratory virus first discovered during an outbreak in Wuhan, China in 2019.
COVID-19 is a brand new disease to humankind, which means that we have developed no antibodies against it through prior exposure. Because of this, the risk of infection is universal: if you come into contact with it, you are probably going to be infected.
What makes the disease even more dangerous is that some people can carry the disease and experience no symptoms. So, it is important to distinguish between the universal risk of contracting the virus, and the increased risk for negative outcomes to the disease for high-risk populations.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing (source: http://www.cdc.gov).
Who’s at Risk?
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), those at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19 include:
- *People aged 65 years and older
*People who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility
*People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
*People who have serious heart conditions
*People who are immunocompromised including cancer treatment
*People of any age with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] >40) or certain underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, such as those with diabetes, renal failure, or liver disease might also be at risk
*Having a condition that can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications
That is not to say that negative outcomes do not affect those who are not in the high risk category. Though different age ranges have different risk factors, nobody’s risk is zero. Nearly 50% of hospitalizations in the United States associated with COVID-19 are of patients under the age of 50.
Why Does Social Distancing Matter?
Many people mistakenly believe that contracting COVID-19 is like getting any other type of virus, like the flu. This is a misconception. Not only is COVID-19 not the flu, it doesn’t act like flu or share any genetic commonality with the flu. Most people have built up some antibodies to the flu over the years which decrease the chances of experiencing a severe negative outcome to the virus, especially since we have a flu vaccine.
With COVID-19, humans essentially have no protection from the spread other than social distancing because: 1. The disease is new and humans have yet to develop antibodies to the virus. 2. There is currently no vaccine to protect humans from COVID-19. 3. There is currently no antiviral medications to treat the virus.
Social distancing is our only defense against the virus. Social distancing also contributes positively to another important factor: the capacity of our public health system.
Slowing the spread buys our public health system and medical staff time to treat those who are gravely ill from this virus. Slowing the spread of the virus means that our hospitals, which are nearly filled to capacity, have critical care beds available to treat patients in need. Slowing the spread allows our country to catch up in producing much needed personal protective equipment, ventilators, and other critical supplies. Slowing the spread means that you don’t spread the disease to someone who may be at high risk in your family or in someone else’s family.
Slowing the spread is the best we’ve got right now.
What Can I do to Protect Myself?
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person, between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. This is why masks and protective equipment are critical for our frontline health workers.
Because we have a better idea of how the virus spreads, there are some simple, common sense things you can do to protect yourself.
- *Clean your hands often: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
*If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
*Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
*Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
*Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
*Wear a facemask around other people if you are sick.
*Listen to stay-at-home directives from State officials.
There are so many myths and misconceptions associated with this virus, primarily because doctors are still learning about it. So, know that information about the disease is constantly changing and evolving. What might seem to be true one day, can change the next. The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to listen to your local, state and federal public health officials and fact check with these websites when you hear any new information you are not sure about.
Great websites for up to the minute information on COVID-19 are:
*Coronavirus National Website: https://www.coronavirus.gov/
*Administration for Community Living: Coronavirus Info for Older Adults and People with Disabilities: https://acl.gov/COVID-19
*The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Website- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
*The World Health Organization COVID-19 Website- https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease ... virus-2019
*Ohio Department of Health COVID-19 Website - http://www.coronavirus.ohio.gov
*Ohio Department of Health Coronavirus Hotline: 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634)
*Coronavirus Self-Screening Tool at the Cleveland Clinic:https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/ ... oronavirus
*Coronavirus: What You Should Know from University Hospitals: https://www.uhhospitals.org/services/coronavirus
*Military Community, Coronavirus and Family Policy: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/coronavirus
*Military Health System and Coronavirus: https://health.mil/News/In-the-Spotlight/Coronavirus
*U.S. Department of Agriculture - FAQ’s about coronavirus, food safety and animals: https://www.usda.gov/coronavirus
What You Can do to Help Your Community
Besides following the precautions against spreading the virus that have been widely shared, there are some things you can do to re-establish the sense of community and connection we all have lost due to social distancing policies.
Get Involved in Making PPE for Hospitals: I joined the Million Mask Challenge and started to sew surgical masks for University Hospitals. You can join the Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Maskchallenge/. I have also sewn masks for doctors, care providers, animal hospitals, and people in need. If you can sew, you can make a difference! Here is a great tutorial to make a simple, pleated mask out of two strips of 100% cotton fabric and some elastic: https://youtu.be/9tBg0Os5FWQ
Deliver Meals to high risk Lakewood Residents through the Lakewood Senior Center: The Senior Center is looking for volunteers to deliver meals to Lakewood Seniors. Call Barry at 216-529-5005, if you’d like to volunteer.
Check on Your Neighbors: A phone call, video chat, or wave can do so much to lift someone’s spirit and it shows that we still care about each other.
Write Letters and Cards to Seniors at Nursing Homes: Nursing homes cannot accept visitors due to social distancing policies. This is a great project for children who want to help out during this time.
Check in with Friends and Family: Check in often with friends and family. Many people feel isolated, scared, or alone right now, and need connection with others, even if they may not say so.
Donate Money, Food to Blood:You can donate food or money to the Lakewood Community Services Center. https://www.lcsclakewood.org/how-to-give
There is also a severe blood shortage. Learn more about giving blood here: https://www.redcross.org/
Patronize Lakewood’s Restaurants: Restaurants have been hit hard by the shutdown. Most still offer take-out services. Your patronage will mean the world to them and their employees during this time.
Support Essential Workers: Our healthcare, grocery, warehouse, and delivery workers are all working hard to keep us fed and stocked during this crisis. Ask if they could use a meal, or maybe some coffee - a few kind words can go a long way.
A Final Note: Our Resilience as Americans
These are unprecedented days in our country. It has been nearly twenty years since we have been asked to be as strong, as vulnerable, or as compassionate - and to depend upon each other for our own safety.
What you do as an American during this pandemic matters. Whether it's making sure you are following the social distancing advice given by health officials, checking in on your neighbor by phone, dropping off groceries to your elderly or sick family, or just simply sharing helpful information - future generations will look back upon this time and upon what we do here to preserve our union.
For me, I find that being busy and helping others gives me a sense of purpose in a time full of uncertainty for so many of us. So, after not sewing for two years, I got out my sewing machine and got to work, sewing cloth masks for family, friends, and hospitals.
The shortages of PPE (personal protective equipment) are hard to fathom in a country known around the world for it's humanitarian aid, and it's ability to confront large conflicts and crises. But, the shortage is very real, and dangerous, and after hearing doctors, nurses, and other health staff plead for supplies, I decided I needed to do something. To act.
There is always something we can do to make a positive impact on our community. Just because we are confined to our homes doesn’t mean our spirit needs to be. Our spirit as Americans certainly have prevailed over hardship - and we shall do it again.
Be heartened by those who continue to step up in ways, large or small, during this time. It is difficult for many, but everyday we live, we must continue to look out for each other and do what we can. We must continue to stay the course.
Laura Rodriguez-Carbone