EMERGENCY ACTION PLANNING > Blog > Biological Threat > Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

Author: danielkilburn 2020-02-02 0 Comments

Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is making news around the world.

Some things you might want to know.

DISCLAIMER;

The medical information provided in this article is, at best, of a general nature and cannot substitute for the advice of a medical professional i.e. a qualified doctor/ physician, nurse, pharmacist/ chemist or such. Emergency Action Planning is not a doctor.

Please note the disclaimer. I am not a doctor, I have not played a Doctor on a Movie or TV show, and I do not pretend to be a doctor even though I have taught First Aid and CPR for the American Red Cross.

With all the news about the Coronavirus it is important to recognize your risk factors.

https://www.scientificanimations.com [CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

Risk Assessment

Outbreaks of novel virus infections among people are always of public health concern. The risk from these outbreaks depends on the characteristics of the virus, including whether and how well it spreads between people, the severity of resulting illness, and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus (for example, vaccine or treatment medications).

This is a very serious public health threat. The fact that this virus has caused severe illness and sustained person-to-person spread in China is concerning, but it’s unclear how the situation in the United States will unfold at this time.

The risk to individuals is dependent on exposure. At this time, some people will have an increased risk of infection, for example, healthcare workers caring for 2019-nCoV patients and other close contacts. For the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus, the immediate health risk from 2019-nCoV is considered low. The goal of the ongoing U.S. public health response is to prevent the sustained spread of 2019-nCov in this country.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html#risk-assessment

https://scdhec.gov/health/infectious-diseases/viruses/novel-coronavirus-2019-nCoV

As with any type of illness. the healthier you are the better your odds at preventing your susceptibility of catching the illness. Additional information can be found in the EAP Workshop Week Seven. First Aid & Sanitation. https://wp.me/p7NwNC-iv

Can a face mask protect you?

At Emergency Action Planning we recommend the use of quality face masks when in an environment where the air quality can be hazardous because of potentially dangerous airborne particles. I keep the 3M N95 two-pack in my BOB (Bug out Bag) along with a Vogmask.

Because experts don’t yet know exactly how the virus is transmitted, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that health care workers treat it like an airborne pathogen — germs that can travel in particles or droplets in the air. That means health care workers interacting with a coronavirus patient should wear a heavy-duty mask called an N95 respirator. These respirators are designed to fit tightly around the nose and mouth, and, when worn correctly, block out at least 95% of small airborne particles, according to the CDC.

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/01/29/800531753/face-masks-what-doctors-say-about-their-role-in-containing-coronavirus?utm_source=pocket-newtab