A GUIDE ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS
The coronavirus pandemic is among the most disruptive and catastrophic medical events to occur in a century. In the nearly four months since the existence of the virus was first reported, coronavirus has had a direct impact on a large percentage of the world’s population.
The coronavirus outbreak is believed to have occurred in central Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Since then, it has infected more than 2.4 million people and caused 166,000 deaths worldwide. There are 802,583 people infected, and 44,575 have died in the United States.
The pandemic has overwhelmed medical resources in many cities caught unprepared by the sheer number of infected people seeking treatment. In this blog, you will learn how to recognize the symptoms of COVID-19 and why your closest walk-in clinic in Gainesville, GA, is an option to consider in case of emergency.
Symptoms
Coronavirus is transmitted through the droplets of an infected individual who coughs or sneezes, or from an infected person’s saliva or runny nose. You can be infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, or by breathing within approximately three feet of a person infected with the virus.
A person infected with the coronavirus often shows no symptoms during the virus’s incubation period, typically two days to two weeks. While people infected with the coronavirus show a range of symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists the common symptoms of COVID-19 as fever, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, dry cough, muscle aches and pains, a sore throat, and a loss of taste or smell.
Fighting for Control
There is currently no vaccine to treat COVID-19. The current strategy of health officials to deal with the pandemic is to slow the spread of infection from person to person through preventive measures like:
encouraging people to practice social distancing by maintaining a space of six feet from others
wearing face masks or masks equipped with filters
practicing effective and regular hand washing and using sanitizing products
Cities and states have also passed ordinances requiring people to remain in their homes and avoid unnecessary travel and crowded places for an extended period to slow the spread of the disease.
Self-Isolate and More
The CDC says most people with mild symptoms from exposure to COVID-19 can recover at home by practicing self-isolation. That means separating yourself in a room away from other family members and pets, typically for two weeks.
You’ll want to seek medical attention immediately if you experience trouble breathing, pain or pressure in the chest, bluish color to the lips or face, or confusion. Hospitals and major medical centers are busy treating the most severely infected patients, so your local alternative for diagnosis is a call to a walk-in care clinic in Gainesville, GA. Many urgent care centers are equipped to screen and treat patients remotely through phone and video calls to minimize exposure to staff, other patients, and the public.
Lanier Urgent Care is a family walk-in clinic in Gainesville, GA, that offers hospital-like care for a variety of illnesses. If you suspect you have symptoms of coronavirus or COVID-19, contact Lanier Urgent Care right away at 770-824-4610.
