LIFESTYLE - Dr Pete Vincent of Netcare Travel Clinics and Medicross Tokai answers questions about Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19)
How can you tell when your symptoms are regular cold or flu, or Covid-19?
Covid-19 causes an infection in your nose, sinuses or upper throat. Early on, the symptoms are similar to the common cold. Then, very much like influenza, one develops a fever, cough and may become short of breath.
Symptoms develop anywhere from two to 14 days after exposure to the virus, and infections range from mild to serious. In a very small minority of patients, the virus can lead to pneumonia, respiratory failure or septic shock.
Information so far suggests that those most at risk are elderly males and people with other chronic conditions, which weaken their immune system. While the vast majority of people recover successfully from Covid-19, getting the infection once does not appear to provide much immunity against re-infection.
What do I do if I suspect I have Covid-19?
If you are concerned that you may be infected, phone your health-care provider to alert them to your concerns before going to see them, so that they will be ready to assist you when you arrive. This will enable the health-care team to take the appropriate precautionary measures to safeguard staff and other patients while you are being assessed, treated or, if necessary, admitted.
The other important factor is self-isolation. This means avoiding contact with other people by staying home for 14days, until the risk of passing on the infection has subsided.
Should I start wearing a mask?
For the general public, the use of face masks is not recommended, and the unwarranted purchase and inappropriate use of face masks could potentially deplete the availability of these resources for health-care workers.
*The following circumstances justify the use of face masks:
-People who care for individuals who are confirmed to have Covid-19 should wear a mask.
-A mother breast-feeding a baby if she is confirmed to have Covid-19.
-A person under investigation who is coughing should wear a mask to protect others.
-Health-care workers caring for persons confirmed to have Covid-19.
-The most important thing the public can do is to practise good hand hygiene and cough etiquette.
Covid-19 appears to spread through droplets from an infected person’s coughing or sneezing, rather than being an airborne illness. When these droplets containing Covid-19 fall on a metal surface, the virus can survive for up to 12 hours.
Disinfecting surfaces regularly, and washing hands with soap and hot water often is most important for prevention. Keep your hands away from your face, nose and eyes. The virus lives on the hands for 10 minutes so keeping an alcohol-based hand sanitiser or disinfecting hand rub with you meets the purpose of prevention, and is encouraged.
Which is the correct hand sanitiser to use?
The alcohol content of hand sanitisers should be at least 60%. The alcohol is important, as the virus has an envelope around it which is sensitive to alcohol. The high alcohol content in the sanitiser kills the virus.
Should I get these kinds of supplies at any store?
Best to buy it from pharmacies registered with the National Pharmacy Council.
*Vincent is of the Netcare Travel Clinics an Medicross Tokai