Coronavirus CDC Warning Not Meant To Scare You, Just Prepare You
BOSTON (CBS) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said all Americans and U.S. health care providers need to be prepared for a likely coronavirus pandemic.
Now, it's hard to hear that and not begin to panic. The CDC announcement Tuesday was certainly sobering, but it may have also inadvertently scared people.
Read: CDC Information On Coronavirus
Remember, one of the goals of the announcement was to put institutions and local governments on notice about coronavirus to ramp up preparedness and brace for the worst.
That means that doctor's offices, hospitals, and emergency rooms need to prepare for a potential influx of patients.
Schools, offices and other locations where people gather need to prepare for disruptions if people get sick or quarantines are issued and develop contingency plans, like working from home.
So how worried do people need to be at this point?
The risk to individuals remains low. And while this novel coronavirus can cause severe illness and even death in some patients, it's estimated that 80-percent of those infected have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. But that also makes it harder to contain because you can't always tell without testing someone that they are infected.
Read: Mass. Monitors Hundreds For Coronavirus
What can we do to protect ourselves and our families? Should we wear masks?
I don't think the average healthy person should be walking around with a medical mask on.
It probably won't help much and we need to reserve those masks for people who are already sick and for health care workers who are at high risk of getting sick themselves.
Read: Mass.gov Coronavirus Information
Here's what you should do instead:
- Wash your hands frequently with warm soapy water for 20 seconds
- Don't touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
- Avoid being around others who are sick
- Be vigilant and stay informed as more information becomes available
