Preparation, precautions best ways to prevent flu, coronavirus

Be wary of coronavirus scammers, like fraudster televangelist Jim Bakker
If you haven’t had the flu this winter, you most likely have been either careful or lucky. However, while the Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that flu season begins around October and peak flu activity takes place between December and February, flu season can continue into the spring.
“The influenza virus is seasonal and most active during the winter months; September through mid- April,” said Dr. William McKay, with the OCH Mt. Vernon/Lawrence County Clinic. “The coronavirus which causes the common cold is also most active during this time. They both tend to disappear as the temperature warms and return next fall, hence they are seasonal.”
McKay said one of the best ways for people to avoid the flu is by washing their hands.
“Washing your hands is a big key,” he said. “Wash them for at least 20 seconds before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing and sneezing. Be sure to wash your thumbs, wrists and between your fingers as they are the most commonly missed places. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60-percent alcohol.”
McKay also recommended getting an annual flu shot, staying home when sick and keeping children home when they’re sick, keeping hand sanitizer on hand when out and about, especially when shopping. And for those who already have the flu, wear a surgical facemask to help avoid spreading the flu to others. For those already stricken, McKay said they should “stay at home, get plenty of rest and fluids (and) treat the fever.” He also said treating the flu early can reduce the amount of time symptoms present themselves.
“If you have the flu, and it is treated within 48 hours of the onset, medication can reduce your symptoms to a few days,” McKay said. “If not treated within 48 hours you may have symptoms up to a few weeks.”
Coronavirus concern
Another illness that has been making the news lately is COVID-19, better known as the coronavirus (The title of the disease is actually an abbreviation of its official name, Corona Virus Disease 2019). COVID-19 is not the first coronavirus to be contracted by humans, however, it is what is called a “novel virus,” meaning it is “a new virus that had not been previously identified.”
The disease originated in Wuhan, China and has since spread rapidly. According to information provided by the World Health Organization, as of press time, there were more than 106,000 cases of the virus being reported, with almost 81,000 of them being in China, followed by more than 7,100 cases in South Korea and more than 6,500 in Iran. In the United States, there have been about 213 cases reported, and the first case in Missouri, a young woman in St. Louis who studied abroad in Italy, was reported by Gov. Jim Parson’s office on Saturday, March 7. To date, almost 3,700 people have died from the virus, including about 20 in the United States.
As of press time, there have been no reported cases of the virus in Lawrence County. In the unlikely event it does reach Lawrence County, McKay said people can help stop or slow the spread of the virus using some of the same steps to stop the spread of the flu: frequent hand washing, staying at home when sick and wearing a mask to keep from spreading the disease.
While there have been other coronaviruses in the past, McKay said COVID-19 is different.
“As stated, the coronavirus is responsible for the common cold,” he said. “This new novel coronavirus, COVID-19, also causes cold-like symptoms but can also cause more severe respiratory symptoms and pneumonia. We have had other coronaviruses that have caused severe respiratory problems in the recent past; SARS and MERS. The difference with this virus seems to be it doesn’t always cause severe symptoms in everyone but is contagious and can be spread by people with little or no symptoms. We also don’t know yet whether it will follow the normal seasonal pattern of the coronavirus and the influenza virus.”
It should be noted that while the numbers of cases of COVID-19 by the WHO may sound high, the CDC estimates there have been up to 49 million cases of the flu and up to 52,000 flu deaths in the United States alone this flu season.
Coronavirus scammers
Also, be wary of those attempting to make a fast buck by claiming to have a cure or treatment for the coronavirus. For example, Missouri televangelist Jim Bakker was recently ordered by the New York State Attorney General to stop promoting his “Silver Solution” as a cure for COVID-19. Ozarks First reported other dubious “cures” that have presented include oregano oil, eating large amounts of boiled garlic and drinking chlorine dioxide.
More information
For more information on flu and the coronavirus, visit the Center for Disease Control’s website at www.cdc.gov.