Do you need Extra Precautions Against COVID-19?
One of the most important questions is when are extra precautions against COVID-19 necessary. Unfortunately, finding accurate information can be time-consuming and overwhelming.
Don’t worry. In this post, I am going to clear things up. I will go over who needs extra precautions against COVID-19 and when extra precautions should be taken.
Who Needs To Take Extra Precautions Against COVID?
COVID 19 is a dangerous and scary disease that needs to be taken seriously. As a result, precautions need to be taken to ensure that you are safe.There are certain people that should take extra precautions against COVID, to stay protected. People that should take extra precautions are people that are at a higher risk of getting the disease.
People who are at a higher risk of getting COVID are also more likely to have serious symptoms from
There are certain conditions or circumstances that can make people more vulnurable to COVID-19. These include:
1. If you Come in Contact with COVID
There are many ways you can come into contact with COVID or people who have COVID. You should always take extra precautions if you anticipate coming into contact with people who have COVID or are symptomatic.Likewise, you should also take extra precautions if you anticipate coming in contact with people who h
One of the most common ways you may come in contact with individuals who have recently come in contact with a COVID patient or symptomatic individual.
If a family member, friend, or roommate has COVID. If your family member has COVID and they live with you, you should take extra precautions to ensure that you don’t come in contact with the virus.
If your family member or friend is a medical professional and frequently comes into contact with COVID patients, you should also take extra precautions to protect yourself against the virus.
2. People Over 50 Years Old
People over 50 years old should also take extra precautions against COVID.People over 50 and elderly individuals are more likely to have serious side effects due to COVID.
A common misconception is that only elderly people are at a higher risk. The data shows the starting at age 50, invidivuals are at a much higher risk of experiencing severe symptoms due to COVID.
CDC data proves that the risk of contracting COVID-19 increases for people who are in their 50s. This risk also increases for people in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. The risk of contracting COVID-19 is highest for people 85 and older.
If you are above the age of 50, you should take extra precautions to protect yourself and ensure that you are not exposed to COVID. According to CDC reports, people 50 years and older accounted for 82% of COVID deaths from January 2020 to October 2021.
Not only is the risk higher for people older than 50, but the disease is also more deadly. This is why people over 50 must take extra precautions.
3. Individuals With a Compromised Immune System
Individuals with compromised immune systems also need to take extra precautions to protect themselves from COVID. In particular, individuals with chronic or severe diseases should take extra precautions.
The risk of severe COVID-19 symptoms is more likely in individuals with previous medical conditions. Underlying medical conditions also increase the risk of severe COVID-19 medical conditions regardless of age group.
Underlying medical conditions compromise the immune system making it difficult for the body to fight COVID-19.
Below is a list compiled by the CDC of medical conditions that can increase the risk of severe COVID symptoms. People with these conditions should take extra precautions to protect themselves from contracting COVID 19.
● Cancer
● Chronic kidney disease
● Chronic liver disease
● Chronic lung diseases
● Dementia or other neurological conditions
● Diabetes (type 1 or type 2)
● Down syndrome
● Heart conditions
● HIV infection
● Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system)
● Mental health conditions
● Overweight and obesity
● Sickle cell disease or thalassemia
● Smoking, current or former
● Solid-organ or blood stem cell transplant
● Stroke or cerebrovascular disease, which affects blood flow to the brain
● Substance use disorders
● Tuberculosis
This is by no means a full list of the diseases that can make you more vulnerable to COVID.
This is a list of diseases that the CDC has tested. If you have any chronic diseases, you should take extra precautions and consult a doctor to determine whether you are more at risk.
4. Pregnant women or women who have recently given birth.
Pregnant women or women who have recently given birth should also take extra precautions to protect themselves against COVID-19.
Pregnant women and recently pregnant women have a higher risk than non-pregnant women. In particular, pregnant women or pregnant women within the last 42 days have a higher risk of experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms.
Pregnant women who contract COVID experience an increased risk of premature birth and other pregnancy problems.
Steps You can Take To Protect Yourself
You should always take the necessary steps to protect yourself against COVID. Taking these simple precautions can make the biggest difference in the long run.
1. Get Vaccinated
Getting vaccinated is one of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself against COVID 19. While COVID vaccine will not prevent you from getting COVID it does reduce the chances COVID will result in severe symptoms.CDC reports show that COVID vaccination reduces the number of hospitalized and fatal cases due to COVID.
Even if you are vaccinated, you should take the proper precautions to ensure that you don’t contract or expose yourself to COVID.
2. Always Wear a Mask
Maks are highly effective at preventing the spread of COVID. As a result, you should always wear masks when you travel outdoors or anywhere in a public setting.Studies show that medical masks and other face coverings reduce the spread of COVID significantly. As time goes on, areas will begin to remove face mask requirements, but you should continue to wear your mask to protect yourself.
You also want to visit area where COVID masks are mandated. Studies show that masks are more effective when people wear the masks with efficacy.
You should always follow social distancing guidelines and stay 6 feet away from others in Public. When indoors, you should avoid close contact with anyone who may have COVID or may have been exposed recently.
3. Stay 6-feet way from others in Public
For maximum protection, if possible, try to practice social distancing indoors as well. Stay 6 feet away from other household members that you come in contact with.You should also practice social distancing outdoors or in other public areas and stay at least 6 feet away from others. A good rule of thumb is to stay about two arm lengths away from people.
You also want to avoid large gatherings or crowds. Areas like these don’t follow social distancing proof and pose a greater risk of spreading COVID.
4. Wash Your Hands Often
By now, we all know how important it is to wash your hands. Washing your hands frequently will help reduce the spread of COVID. You should wash your hands anytime you go to a public location or come in contact with another person.
Washing your hands frequently will ensure that you don’t spread the disease any further. There are some important times you should wash your hand to ensure that you don’t contact the disease if you came in contact with it at any point.
You also want to avoid touching your face, including your mouth, nose, or eyes, at any time after going outdoors or coming into contact with other individuals.
Soap is not always accessible, and as a result, you should use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Here are some key moments where you should either wash your hand or use hand sanitizer.
● When eating or preparing food.
● After going outdoors or leaving a public place.
● Before touching any part of your face.
● After coming in contact with other people, especially those caring for sick individuals.
● After touching or coming into contact with animals or pets.
● After changing or handling your masks.
● After coming into contact with something touched by others recently.
5. Clean and Disinfect Frequently
You want to clean and disinfect your home and items that you often touch frequently. This will ensure that the virus is not on any surface you touch and that it can accidentally spread to your or other parts of your home.Remember that COVID can last up to three days on hard surfaces. This is why its important that you disinfect high traffic areas and high touch areas frequently. This typically includes doors, doorknobs, restrooms, smartphones, keyboards, laptops, other handheld devices, railways, stairs, kitchens, food preparation areas, among others.
When you disinfect daily or after a surface has been touched by other people or objects, you reduce the chance of contracting COVID directly from the surfaces around your home.
If your items are dirty, you should clean them with soap and water before you disinfect them. This will make the disinfectant more effective than if you only disinfect over the dirt.
6. Monitor Your Health Closely
During these times, you should monitor your help very closely. Symptoms don’t appear immediately and can take between 2 and 14 days to appear after exposure.
If you feel any of the COVID symptoms, you should get tested ASAP. It’s advised that you contact your doctor or an urgent care professional to discuss your symptoms. You should also get tested every 5-7 days if you feel any symptoms starting to emerge.
If you receive a negative COVID test, you could still have COVID. As a result, you should get tested at least between 3 and 5 times. Take a COVID test every 5-7 days to ensure that you are an absolute negative.
Common COVID symptoms include:
● Fever or chills
● Cough
● Headache
● New loss of ta
● Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
● Congestion or runny nose
● Nausea or vomiting
● Diarrhea
● Fatigue
● Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
● Muscle or body aches
● Sore throat
7. Avoid Coughing or Sneezing in Your Hand
You should always avoid coughing or sneezing directly into your hand. Its recommended that you cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or directly into your elbow or upper arm area.When you cough or sneeze into your hand, there are two dangers. The first is that you can spread bacteria and potentially the virus onto the surfaces and people you touch afterward.
Second, when you cough or sneeze into your hand, you are directly exposing your mouth, nose, and face to the bacteria that are on your hand. If you have been outdoors or in a public area, this can be dangerous because you could have come into contact with COVID through the things you touch.
Conclusion
There you have it. This post went over the key situations when you should start taking extra precautions against COVID. We also covered what you can do to protect yourself against COVID as well.Don’t waste any more time. Take steps today to make sure that you and your family are safe. Share this post with your friends, family, and colleagues to spread the knowledge and help people protect themselves.
Very informative.