03/12/2020
HOW TO PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONGST US
The estimation is that 80% of the people who acquire this virus are going to have mild to moderate symptoms. Moderate is still quite sick and no joke, you will be very ill.
The other 20% are those susceptible to severe and critical disease development. The most alarming statistics around this virus are from this group. These are the people who are dying at the rate of somewhere between 1-10% from the pneumonia that develops.
These are also the people who have overwhelmed the hospital system in Italy leading to the drastic measures to shut down that entire country. The problem is this, that 1-10% fatality rate among the severe and critical cases skyrockets to 80-100% without intensive hospital care, especially respirators.
Our personal goals should be to take care of ourselves and our families and to protect the most vulnerable in our communities. The virus is now non-trackable, community spread. If you get it somewhere outside of your household, you are going to have no idea how or where.
Wash your hands with soap and soap and soap and water before touching your food, face or family member. Stay home if you have even a sniffle or if anyone in your household does.
It is really important to not add to the confusion at the hospitals. If there are breathing problems CALL the hospital and follow their directions before going there. If you are worried about symptoms you or your family is experiencing, CALL your doctor. If you are just worried, stay home, keep those hands washed. The curve should be flattened in the next couple of months if we all are sensible about this.
How is the coronavirus likely to play out, how does it end, and does our behaviour make a difference? Here infectious diseases expert Dr Siouxsie Wiles walks us through the epidemic curve, with illustrations by Toby Morris. The Spinoff’s ongoing expert-led, evidence-based coverage of Covid-19
