Raise your hand if coronavirus is scaring you. You’re not alone, but we’re here to ease your anxiety. It’s no surprise that COVID-19, aka coronavirus, has people worried about their health. With over 400,000 confirmed cases on COVID-19 worldwide, people are focused on keeping themselves and their families healthy. However, we must know the facts so unnecessary fear doesn’t spread too. Below, we’ve gathered the top resources centered around COVID-19 and some creative ideas on how to spend your time during the quarantine.
What is Coronavirus?
What are the Symptoms of Coronavirus?
At this time, it’s believed that the symptoms of the coronavirus may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after the exposure. This is a big gap, which is why health professionals are recommending isolation. Patients with coronavirus have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Unfortunately, in more severe cases, coronavirus infection can cause:
- Pneumonia
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome.
- Kidney failure
- Death
What Steps Can You Take to Avoid Coronavirus?
The biggest question of it all! How on earth do I avoid coronavirus?! Read on.
- Stay Home –– It’s Called Social Distancing
- Boost Your Immune System with Healthy Foods
- Clean, Clean, Clean
Stay Home––It’s Called Social Distancing
Let’s face it, quarantine, isolation, and social distancing is not an ideal situation. However, public health officials and experts who have fought AIDS, tuberculosis, flu, and Ebola are all suggesting strict isolation as the solution to COVID-19. Here’s why:
- When there are large gatherings, the chances of the virus spreading quickly increases drastically
- Although the symptoms for coronavirus can take up to 14 days to be present, people could still be carrying the virus and could, therefore, be passing it on to others without realizing it
- At this time, we do not know of a safe and effective vaccine, nor do we know if a safe and effective drug will work to eliminate the COVID-19 infection once it has occurred. Staying away from people is your best option.
That being said, it doesn’t mean you have to be bored!
3 Ways to Creatively Social Distance
- SUPPORT LOCAL: Apps like Uber Eats and Grubhub are waiving delivery fees if you order from local restaurants. If you have the ability, this is a great way to ensure that businesses and drivers are still making an income, and you are limiting exposure to the outside world.
- HOST A VIRTUAL GAME NIGHT: Unfortunately, this is not the time to have friends over. We are learning that COVID-19 transmission can happen through carriers that don’t show any symptoms. Your solution? If you have access to the internet, use Google Hangouts or Facetime to open a “virtual room” that you can group video call with your friends and family. Bring your A-Game, as charades are going to be intense.
- SKIP CHURCH, BUT WATCH ONLINE: Whaaaaat? Someone’s telling you it’s okay to skip church? Absolutely. During the COVID-19 epidemic, we need to avoid large groups. If your church isn’t live-streaming or posting videos of the service, check out this free tool: Watch Church Live.
Safe Activities To Do During Coronavirus
Many of us are used to going, going, going, so social distancing may be difficult. However, just because you’re social distancing, doesn’t mean you need to be lonely or boring. Here are just a few ideas of things that you could do while you are at home:
- Go for a walk outside to get some fresh air
- FaceTime or call your family or friends
- Read a new book
- Cook or bake something you have been wanting to try for a while
- Start a new project around the house or do some yard work
- Find in-home workouts to do
- Volunteer! Even amongst coronavirus, volunteers are needed to provide meals to Arubah Community Clinic volunteers on Monday and Thursday nights! These meals are such a blessing for those that volunteer their time after working their own full-time jobs during the day.
Boost Your Immune System with Healthy Foods
You may want to rethink the extra toilet paper in your grocery cart and replace it with some immune-boosting foods. Has your local store run out of your favorite foods? Fear not–anything that makes your heart, lungs, and kidneys healthy will help make your immune system healthy. Below, we’ve shared a list of vitamins you should be incorporating into your diet and the corresponding foods, courtesy of ABC News.
Good Sources of Vitamins
- Vitamin A: oily fish, egg yolks, cheese, tofu, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes
- Vitamin B6 (riboflavin): cereals, legumes, green leafy vegetables, fruit, nuts, fish, chicken, and meat
- Vitamin B9 (folate): green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, and commercial bread-making flour
- B12: animal products, including eggs, meat and dairy, and also in fortified soy milk (check the nutrition information panel)
- Vitamin C: oranges, lemons, limes, berries, kiwifruit, broccoli, tomatoes, and capsicum
- Vitamin D: mainly sunlight, but is also found in some foods such as eggs, fish, while some milk and margarine brands may be fortified with it.
- Vitamin E: nuts, green leafy vegetables, and vegetable oils.
- Iron: meat, chicken, and fish. Vegetarian sources include legumes, whole grains, and iron-fortified breakfast cereals
- Zinc: oysters and other seafood, meat, chicken, dried beans and nuts
- Selenium: nuts, especially Brazil nuts and meat, cereals and mushrooms
Source: ABC News
Clean, Clean, Clean
Even though you’re social distancing, it’s still important to ramp up your disinfecting schedule! Every single day, we recommend wiping down your most-touched items such as your computer, mouse, phone, fridge, doorknobs, etc.
Parent Tip: Add sanitizing and disinfecting to your kiddos chore list!
What Should I Do If I’m Feeling Sick?
Per direction from the Tulsa City-County Health Department and the Oklahoma State Department of Health, under the Center for Disease Control (CDC), anyone who meets the criteria below is advised to call the department of health:
- Exposure to COVID-19 or someone who has tested positive for COVID-19; or
- Traveled within the past 14 days outside the country AND exhibiting symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath.
Tulsa County residents should call the Tulsa City-County Health Department. If you are outside of Tulsa County, please call the Oklahoma State Department of Health for direction.
- Tulsa City-County Health Department: 918-595-4399
- Oklahoma State Department of Health: 405-271-4060