Stay safe: Basic facts on Coronavirus Disease or COVID-19

After a shocking day in the sports world that included the NBA suspending its season for an unknown amount of time, March Madness set to go on without fans in the stands and other college leagues simply suspending their seasons, Blowout Cards wanted to offer some basics to help make sure that our customers are as safe or as prepared as they can be with Coronavirus Disease or COVID-19.

Here are some basics on what exactly it is, according to the Centers of Disease Control and World Health Organization.

What is COVID-19?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, this is a new coronavirus not previously identified. This virus is not the same as coronaviruses that commonly cause mild illnesses like the common cold. The COVID-19 name includes CO for “corona,” VI for “virus” and D for “disease.” There are many types of human coronaviruses.

What’s its origin and scope so far?
According to the CDC, the World Health Organization identified COVID-19 in mid-February as it was first identified in Wuhan, China, with the first infections linked to a live animal market. Since that time, though, it has spread to more than 114 counties and killed more than 4,000 worldwide with the WHO calling it a pandemic as of Wednesday. This is the first pandemic, according to the WHO, since since the H1N1 “swine flu” back in 2009. Countries most affected by this virus so far include China, Italy, Iran and South Korea — more than 90 percent of its cases at this time. 

How does it spread?
Per the CDC, the virus is spread from person-to-person if they are in contact with an infected individual via respiratory droplets like a cold or other illness — like how other germs are transferred — or on a commonly used surface and then touching their eyes or mouth. There is no evidence that it has been transmitted, for example, directly via food. The CDC notes that it has a “poor survivability” on surfaces or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks.

What is its timeframe?
“At this time, it is not known whether the spread of COVID-19 will decrease when weather becomes warmer,” according to the CDC. Some similar viruses tend to spread more during the winter months and then die down in warmer months. 

What’s next?
Communities with known issues are taking actions to avoid groups of people together — such as sporting events — and here’s the CDC’s expectation:

“It’s likely that at some point, widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the United States will occur. … [That will] translate into large numbers of people needing medical care at the same time. Schools, childcare centers and workplaces, may experience more absenteeism. Mass gatherings may be sparsely attended or postponed. Public health and healthcare systems may become overloaded, with elevated rates of hospitalizations and deaths. Other critical infrastructure, such as law enforcement, emergency medical services, and sectors of the transportation industry may also be affected. Healthcare providers and hospitals may be overwhelmed. At this time, there is no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and no medications approved to treat it. Non-pharmaceutical interventions would be the most important response strategy.”

What precautions should be taken?
There is not yet a vaccine for this particular virus, so limiting exposure is presently the key with these three strategies. 

— First, washing one’s hands with soap and water often (at least 20 seconds) is recommended by the CDC, especially after having been in a public place. If that is not available, it recommends using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol on all surfaces of your hands until it dries. Atop that, avoid contact with your eyes, nose and mouth if your hands are not clean.

— Second, avoid close contact with people who are sick and keep a distance between yourself and others if the virus is known to be in your area. 

— Third, if you are sick with a cold of some type … stay home. As always, cover your coughs and sneezes (and wash those hands) and if you are sick in public wear a facemask to help contain your germs. If you are not sick, facemasks are not necessary publicly according to the CDC unless you are around (taking care of) someone who is.

Cleaning is key
The CDC recommends cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces on a daily basis — tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets and sinks — using soap and water. “Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work” per the CDC but other options include alcohol solutions with at least 70 percent alcohol and a diluted bleach/water mix (1/3 cup of bleach per gallon of water). 

Who is at highest risk?
So far, indicators show that older adults and those with serious pre-existing medical conditions (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease) are more likely to be severely affected than younger and healthier people. Outbreaks can last for a longer and unknown amount of time, so precautions and cleaning are keys to avoiding spread of the virus along with avoiding unnecessary travel (planes and ships) as well as large crowds. 

What are the symptoms?
Some of the signs for this one — not a complete list, per the CDC — include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion or disorientation, blue lips or face. If you develop symptoms, contacting your doctor (not in person) should first be done to get the steps on what to do. 

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov.