COVID-19, Coronavirus disease, is a highly contagious virus that is spreading and infecting people worldwide.

Symptoms:

The most common symptoms of this virus includes, but is not limited to:

• Fever
• Cough (dry)
• Tiredness
• Difficulty breathing

Important note: a person may be asymptomatic (does not show symptoms) for fourteen days. Therefore, someone may not know they are infected for two whole weeks. Being asymptomatic does not mean he/she will not infect other people; that person can still spread the virus without even knowing it.

Staying at home:

Staying at home will serve for your own protection against infection, and it will protect others from infection as well. If you are asymptomatic and you stay home, you actually will be saving many lives. This virus may not kill you, but it may kill many other people with underlying medical conditions. If most of the population would stay home, the rate of infection would decrease, and/or slow down, resulting in fewer casualties.

Flattening the curve:

Flattening the curve refers to taking all the protective measures necessary in order to slow down the rate of infection. Slowing down the rate of infection will allow hospitals to have the equipment, tools, materials, staff, and doctors necessary in order to take care of all infected patients. If health care facilities run out of these necessary supplies, hospitals will be overwhelmed, and many more casualties may occur.

Protective measures to take:

• Clean your hands often
• Avoid close contact with people
• Disinfect and clean regularly touched surfaces
• STAY HOME!

We hope this was informational and helpful. Please call 2-1-1 if you have any questions or concerns about this novel virus.

Stay safe. We will get through this!

– Vascular Specialty Center