Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guideline

What is the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)?

As defined by the WHO, it is an infectious disease caused by a new virus. This disease causes respiratory illness with symptoms such as a cough, fever, and in more severe cases, difficulty breathing.

Is it Contagious?

The COVID-19 is without a doubt contagious. In-fact WHO has described it as even more contagious than seasonal flu, which can be transmitted on average to one person and even Ebola. The new coronavirus contagion metric is between 2 and 2.5, meaning a person infected with COVID-19 can pass it on to more than two people.

How IS THE COVID-19 spread?

The virus is said to be spread mainly from person-to-person through:

• Close contact with one another (within about 1.5m)
• Respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes
• Touching a surface or object with the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose, or possibly eyes

What are the Symptoms?

The most common symptoms of COVID-19:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Dry cough

Other symptoms experienced by some patients are:

• aches and pains
• nasal congestion
• runny nose
• sore throat
•  

How to protect yourself?

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap
• Avoid people that are ill
• Cover your face with a tissue when coughing or sneezing
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Clean surfaces and objects you touch often
• Wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office.
• Seek medical attention if you have symptoms

There are people who are at a higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because age or already compromised immune systems (long term health problems). To protect yourself if you fall under this bracket you need to:

• Self-quarantine by staying home and avoiding crowds as much as possible. Take everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others.
• If you need to go out in public, keep away from others who are sick and limit close contact and wash your hands often.
• Talk with your doctor about any additional steps you may be able to take to protect yourself.

Suspecting that you might have Covid-19?

You maybe experiencing a cough, fever, or shortness of breath and you aren’t sure whether it’s the Covid virus or a common cold, the ordinary flu, or a bad case of the worries. In this case one would have many questions such as, should you get tested? Should you seek medical care or do I simply just stay home?

The team at the Gehr Family Center for Health Systems Science and Innovation at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, in partnership with Akido Labs, developed a triage tool to help guide patients. It’s available HERE for anyone to use.

Before you start, keep the following in mind…

• A self-triage result is not a diagnosis; it is for informational purposes only and does not qualify as a medical opinion.
• Do not use this self-triage tool for emergencies. For all medical emergencies, please call your local emergency number immediately.
• All information provided is safe and anonymous.

Here are some myths about COVID-19. Read more on the coronavirus: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public