14 April 2020
Dr. Gerard Muraida
The Doc Is In Dr. Muraida is a Hospice and Palliative Care Specialist.
T
he 16th century English poet John Donne is famous for many poems, but the one that may resonate with us at this time is No Man is an Island. That phrase expresses the idea that human beings do poorly when isolated from others and need to be part of a community to thrive. ANSWER TO #5139
PRIME TIME
Let’s Be Careful Out There The novel virus COVID-19, now a global pandemic, reminds us how true Donne’s words are. While we are supposed to “shelter at home,” practice social distancing, and in some cases, self-quarantine, we remain dependent on others.
The most vulnerable of our society may reside in nursing homes, have pre-existing medical or mental conditions, be homeless, immunocompromised, or be aged. No matter what your situation, each of us can be a bridge that someone else needs to feel connected. Distancing at least six feet from one another, waving and smiling from afar, and even just nodding in passing, all recognize another’s existence and may help to remind someone that they are significant. Writing a letter to a friend or relative, calling those estranged from you, virtually volunteering by reading to someone over the phone or on the internet are other ways of connecting without risking contagion.
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The COVID-19 infection is spread via droplets from the respiratory system of infected people, often during coughing or sneezing. The World Health Organization says studies document that COVID -19 droplets may survive from a few hours to several days on surfaces. It all depends on temperature, the kind of surface and humidity. Typical symptoms of COVID-19 infection are similar to the common cold - dry cough, fever, and shortness of breath. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death. According to data available in late March, time from exposure to onset of symptoms is usually between two and 14 days, with an average of five days. No vaccine or specific treatment existed at deadline for this story. You can protect yourself and help prevent spreading the virus by washing your hands regularly
for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or flexed elbow when you cough or sneeze. Avoid close contact (within six feet) of anyone outside of those residing in your home. Stay home and selfisolate if you feel ill. Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth if your hands are not clean. We are not islands of people but countries and continents of people with similar strengths and weaknesses. We will thrive as long as we sacrifice a little now and create a new normal. We truly are one race, the human race. As Sgt. Phil Esterhaus of Hill Street Blues fame quipped, “Let’s be careful out there.”
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