By Linda Farneth

COVID-19 is what the world is calling the latest corona virus. Corona Viruses have been around for a long time and what differentiates them from other viruses is that they can be transmitted back and forth between humans and animals.

So while talking about precautions with these types of viruses it is important to consider your contact with your pets as well!

So the latest Corona virus was first recognized back in October of 2019 and it seems to have originated in Woohan China and has been dubbed COVID-19 or COVID19.

COVID-19 seems to have a long gestation period and can be transmitted long before symptoms show up in an individual. We’re not sure about animal transmission since little is being addressed about that currently.

Who at high risk?

According to the CDC early information out of China, where COVID-19 first started, shows that some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness. This includes:

• Older adults
• People who have serious chronic medical conditions like:
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Lung disease

If a COVID-19 outbreak happens in your community, it could last for a long time. (An outbreak is when a large number of people suddenly get sick.) Depending on how severe the outbreak is, public health officials may recommend community actions to reduce people’s risk of being exposed to COVID-19. These actions can slow the spread and reduce the impact of disease.

If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is extra important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease.

The CDC is warning folks who are at high risk to stock up on supplies just in case of infection or quarantine, to take steps to distance yourself from other while out in public and to keep abreast of local measures being suggested to help curb the spread of the virus.

Here is a great resource page from the CDC that covers most of these recommendations without a lot of extra superfluous boring information.

People at Risk for Serious Illness from COVID-19

So why is there a big push to quarantine people and limit large gatherings to control the spread if everyone is saying this virus isn’t as bad and many others we’ve had in the past? The problem is the incubation period and the fact that disease can spread quickly means it can affect many people at the same time.

It’s hard for our economy to function with so many people out sick from work and replenishing medical supplies that would help patients recover more comfortably will be taxed beyond their limits.

It’s a good probability that the majority of people will be affected by this virus unless a vaccine can be made quickly to curb the spread. Health officials just want to ensure that patients get access to good health care to make sure they are kept comfortable and Governmental officials want to keep the economy from tanking.

It’s pretty much that simple.