Covid-19 is a lower respiratory infection and is highly contagious. CDC updated symptoms April 27, 2020. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposureto the virus. People with these symptoms or combinations of symptoms may have COVID-19:
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Or at least two of these symptoms:
Fever
Chills
Repeated shaking with chills
Muscle pain
Headache
Sore throat
New loss of taste or smell
Some people will be sick enough to require being placed on a ventilator. After recovery, fatigue and cough may persist for several days to weeks. Even after recovery hand washing and social distancing should be practiced. We do not know if the infection provides protection against reinfection and if it does, we do not know how long the protection will last. It may be possible to get the infection again very soon after the illness. There is still much to learn about this new coronavirus.
For more information about symptoms and to use the symptom checker go to the CDC Website.
Current antiviral medication does not prevent spread of COVID-19. To help prevent the spread of the virus, follow these guidelines:
Remain at least 6 ft. from one another.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds, or use of liberal amounts of 60% alcohol hand wash solution. Use paper towels to dry your hands after using soap and water.
Disinfect frequently touched surfaces – including cell phones. Simple Clorox-type wipes can be used to clean the cell phone. This type of wipe does not damage the glass or the camera.
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. We may need to gently remind others to do so.
An additional health concern for college-age students is influenza. The flu is contagious 3-5 days before symptoms and 3-5 days after symptoms improve. Current antiviral medication used does not prevent spread of the illness. Those medications can make you feel better, but please stay away from others for 5 days after the start of symptoms.
Lenora Hatch,