The Covid-19 coronavirus is the #1 health story around the world, but are we getting wrapped up in the hype and ignoring the facts?
As panic continues to spread across the globe, health officials, politicians, and medical suppliers are urging people to remain calm, so in the words of Taylor Swift, maybe we truly just, "need to calm down."
With the first coronavirus confirmed deaths in the United States on Monday, panic is spreading. On Monday, four residents of a nursing home in Seattle passed away from the disease.
While the disease continues to spread, medical suppliers are urging the general public to refrain from purchasing face masks as they are making them unavailable to health professionals who need them for their job.
United States health officials are also urging the general population to recognize those who are truly at risk of serious complications from the coronavirus. Dr. Tara Narula, a CBS News medical contributor told the news outlet that many people are at risk for being diagnosed with the disease, but the real risk won't be for a majority of the population, saying,
"We're really talking about those over 60,70, and 80. In addition, those with chronic medical conditions like chronic lung disease, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity - this is the population of people that needs to be a little bit more concerned."
To-date the Covid-19 coronavirus has killed over 3,000 people all over the world, but when compared to other diseases and epidemics, it really doesn't hold it's own.
In the United States, approximately 56,000 people die from the flu every year and when we're comparing the symptoms of the flu versus the coronavirus, in some cases, the flu can be much worse.
Symptoms of the Covid-19 coronavirus:
Symptoms of the flu:
While certain countries like Iran and Italy continue to see an uptick in confirmed cases of the virus, prevention and action plans are a good direction to go when dealing with the disease.
On Tuesday, the United Kingdom unveiled its action plan in preparation of a possible coronavirus outbreak. Notable items included anticipating up to a fifth of the workforce to be out sick, possible military support and response during an outbreak, and additional focus for police on maintaining order. As of Tuesday morning, the UK had 51 confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
With the right precautions set in place, protection from the Covid-19 coronavirus is practical. Doing simple things like making sure that you wash your hands and maintain general hygiene, especially if you've come into contact with someone who has the virus, is crucial since the virus is spread by human to human contact.
If you think you may have contracted the virus, seek immediate medical attention and limit your exposure to others.
For more information on the Covid-19 coronavirus and other virus and disease epidemics, check out Global Pandemics and Epidemics and How They Relate To You.