Protect Yourself, Your Children and the Elderly from Coronavirus
Coronavirus (the novel Coronavirus – 2019-nCoV) can infect people of all ages (children, adults and older people). Older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to coronavirus as they become severely ill with the virus.
World Health Organization advises people of all ages to follow good hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene. In addition, pulmonologists, infectious disease specialists and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended several best practices.
The most important among such practices are the following:
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for up to 30 seconds. Always carry alcohol-based hand sanitizer wherever you go. If you do this frequently, coronaviruses on your hands get killed by soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub.
Clean and disinfect personal accessories or items – cell phone, keychains, keys, glasses, pens, and the other objects that you carry and use frequently (objects that are touched frequently).
Clean and Disinfect Surfaces: clean and disinfect other frequently touched surfaces including computer and laptop keyboards, mouse, door handles, doorknobs, chair handles, tabletops, sinks, faucets, taps, desks, computer switches, keychains, electrical switches, etc.
Avoid touching your hands to your nose, eyes and mouth: If your hands are contaminated, they transfer coronavirus to your nose, eyes and mouth – from there, the virus enters your body and creates havoc inside.
What Else You Should Do?
- Avoid handshakes
- Avoid outside foods
- Stay away from a large gathering
- Avoid public transportation
- Avoid going to public places – hotels, bus and railway stations, airports, parks
- Stock up on daily requirements and supplies
- Boost Your immunity – Eat healthy, Do some physical activity and Sleep well
Prevalence of Coronavirus Disease in the Elderly Population
One prominent thing that came out after the coronavirus pandemic across the globe is that the mortality rate is highest among older people (the elderly population). In China alone, nearly about 20% of people who died due to coronavirus infection were over 80 years – whereas the death rate was below 1 percent for those who were under 50 years age. This leaves older people and their families wondering what extra precautions they should take.
Apart from old age, weak immune system, other associated health conditions and underlying medical conditions could be the reason behind the vulnerability of the elderly to coronavirus infection.
If an old person gets infected then there is a huge possibility of severe and life-threatening disease. Even if the general health is good, older people are more likely to get a severe disease. The risk increases further if they have any underlying medical conditions. The reason could be due to a weakening immune system.
Elderly People can reduce the risk of infection by following very simple measures as given below:
- Take extra precautions if you have any underlying health condition.
- Diabetic individuals should take extra precautions
- Avoid visits with grandchildren
- When you go to a therapist ensure that he or she disinfects equipment (wipes down the equipment with disinfectant)
- Make sure the therapist washes his or her hands
- Avoid non-essential doctor’s appointment
- Avoid visits to shopping malls, parks and gatherings
- Talk to your doctor about stockpiling of two months of prescription medicines.
- Talk to your health care specialist about personal hygiene and additional protective cover.
- Avoid non-essential travel
You can reduce the risk of infection in children by adopting the following measures:
- Teach them the same things that one should do to remain healthy
- Teach them proper handwashing routine and make them carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Disinfect all the toys of children and the surfaces they touch frequently – such as doorknobs, TV remotes, handles, light switches, desks, sinks, taps, etc.
- Keep children away from sick people
- Launder items used by children and dry them completely
Let Us take the challenge to ourselves and Fight Together to Prevent Coronavirus in its Tracks
The Sunshine Centre for Respiratory Diseases is manned by consultants from diverse backgrounds with expertise in Pulmonology. The centre deals with all complex problems related to the upper & lower respiratory tract and offers treatment through a multidisciplinary approach. Apart from routine pulmonology, the centre offers thoracoscopy and therapeutic bronchoscopy procedures. The centre hosts a sleep lab, PFT lab, bronchoscopy suite and respiratory support unit with the availability of respiratory therapists round-the-clock. The centre also has speciality clinics for cough, asthma, lung cancer and NIV.
