What's the Deal with the Coronavirus?
There's been a lot of hype and a lot of talk and A LOT of worry about the Coronavirus lately. At Towson Integrative Health we have heard these concerns from our patients all the time lately. Many are worried about an epidemic or at the very least, a pandemic. Do we need to worry? Well, let's just look at some facts. First of all, Outside of China, there have been 12,668 cases from 76 countries with 214 deaths (case fatality ~2%). As of March 4, 2020, there have been 80 cases in the US and 9 deaths. As a comparison, the SARS outbreak from 2003 had 8096 confirmed cases and 774 deaths. (case fatality 9.6%). Most experts feel that the current Coronavirus should not be fatal to otherwise healthy adults. Symptoms can include fever, cough, body aches, fatigue; sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. Cases can be mild, moderate or severe and may sometimes result in pneumonia. The virus can be spread from person to person through droplets in the air from an infected person coughing, sneezing or talking.
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The best defense is a good offense. Here is advice from our Towson chiropractor, Dr. Abosh. Protect yourself by practicing healthy habits. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When should you wash your hands? After handling food, after coughing, sneezing, when caring for the sick, before and after eating, after using the bathroom for any reason, after handling animals. Another defense is the cover your mouth with your elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze and encourage others to do so as well. If you are in contact with someone who is sick, avoid close contact when you anticipate them coughing or sneezing.
If you suspect you are sick, seek confirmation from a doctor, and if you are infected with the Coronavirus, consider staying home for a few days to a couple of weeks to avoid spreading the virus. Additionally, practice good food safety. Use different chopping boards and knives for raw meat vs. cooked food. Cook your food thoroughly. A final piece of advice is to boost your immune system. Certain natural supplements can achieve this goal, such as zinc, garlic, echinacea, Vitamin C. Of course always check with your doctor or your chiropractor for advice on this subject. At Towson Integrative Health, Dr. Abosh is always ready to help and give you good advice. Stay healthy and stay safe our there.
