Preventative Actions to Prepare for the Coronavirus: Tips on How to Keep You and Your Community Safe
There have been growing concerns as cases of the coronavirus have been building up in the United States. Symptoms of a common cold, being a fever, cough, shortness of breath, and respiratory problems, are enough to incite mass hysteria, especially in states that have already seen cases of the virus. In response to this outbreak, Cliffside Park High School has designated students’ gym periods to explain how students can follow normal preventative actions in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Cliffside’s community and schools.
The key points of the presentation given by Mrs. Mariotti, Cliffside Park High School’s nurse, were to avoid touching your face with unwashed hands and to wash your hands frequently. Mrs. Mariotti stressed the importance of cleaning your hands after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, using the restroom, before eating or preparing food, after touching any animals or pets, and before and after caring for another person (ex: child or senior citizen). With the coronavirus being a novel virus, there are no vaccines to prevent it, and there is little information regarding its long-term effects, making individual hygiene all the more important.
On that note, here are some other tips on how to help reduce your, your family’s, and your community's risk of contracting the coronavirus. The first tip is to limit your interactions with others, especially if you show any of the aforementioned symptoms. It is best to stay home from school or work and schedule a doctor’s visit. It is also a good idea to stock up on cleaning supplies, non-perishable foods, medicine, and other basic household necessities. Of all those mentioned, cleaning supplies and medicine are by far the most important items in combating the coronavirus. It is important to keep the surfaces of your home clean, and one of the essentials in doing so is alcohol or products containing at least 70% alcohol. Basic over-the-counter medicines like Advil and Emergen-C are also important for lowering fevers and supporting your immune system. One thing not recommended by the CDC is the purchasing of masks, as they will do little to protect you. Masks should only be worn if you are infected, as they can help prevent the spread of the virus.
Another tip is to communicate with your family about emergency plans and other important topics such as school schedule changes and taking care of the elderly. In addition, it is recommended that small children receive the flu shot. Although coronavirus cases in children are rare, the flu vaccine protects older people from bacterial pneumonia. Finally, the most important thing is to limit traveling to and interacting with those who have traveled to affected areas, being China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, and Japan. As previously stated, the coronavirus is a new virus, and there is not much known about it, so it is best to keep up with the normal preventative measures to keep both you and your community safe.
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