As registrar for the Writers Weekend at the Beach Reunion, I fielded questions late last week from people concerned about the coronavirus and what it meant for the gathering we’d planned for more than a year.
I responded by saying I packed travel wipes and hand sanitizer, but we still planned to gather at Ocean Park for a weekend of fellowship, writing, and learning.
So we did.
However, I wiped doorknobs and tossed paper towels into the trash after opening doors. I washed my hands frequently with soap and water, which was nothing new. Two of our participants coughed, sneezed, and sniffled with what’s most likely a common cold or allergies.
Everyone remained respectful but hypervigilant because of the coronavirus spreading worldwide with the Puget Sound metro area the epicenter in the United States.
The past week or two, I’ve bounced from one article to another as misinformation spread rapidly over social media and news outlets. Consume mega doses of Vitamin C. Don’t overuse Vitamin C; take zinc instead. Stock up on face masks. Don’t use masks; save them for health care workers. Stay home; don’t let fear control your life. Now, with spring break on the near horizon, should we hunker down and hibernate or move forward with plans in place?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website contains the most accurate information. Human coronavirus has been around in the past, but the recent outbreak is a novel, or new, coronavirus named “SARS-CoV-2” and its result is “coronavirus disease 2019,” aka COVID-19. This outbreak, first detected in Wuhan, China, and linked to a large seafood and live animal market there, has its origins in bats. Animals likely gave the disease to humans, and from there it spread through person-to-person contact, according to the CDC.
The first U.S. cases appeared in Washington, and by Monday morning, COVID-19 had spread to 34 states and infected more than 500 people, killing 22. Our state has seen at least 136 confirmed cases and 19 deaths as of Monday morning from the disease.
Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency in Washington Friday, and the University of Washington and other colleges have canceled in-person classes until after spring break. Details about the cases confirmed in Washington, including a list of the counties where they appeared and the age ranges of victims, can be found at www.doh.wa.gov/emergencies/coronavirus.
Some victims experienced a mild case with few or no symptoms; the severity in others — primarily elderly residents at a nursing home in Kirkland and people with underlying health conditions like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes — has led to death. In China, the CDC reported, serious illness occurred in 16 percent of cases.
The CDC notes that it’s likely the disease will result in a pandemic — worldwide spread of the virus.
But for most people, the CDC says, the immediate risk of exposure to the virus is low. Healthcare workers face higher risks of exposure. So do those in close contact with people who have COVID-19, and people who have traveled from international locations where the virus has spread.
“It’s likely that at some point, widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the United States will occur,” the CDC says.
That would result in more absenteeism at schools, childcare centers, and workplaces and overloading of healthcare systems. Emergency medical services and first responders would be affected. Hospitals may be overwhelmed.
With no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and no medications approved to treat it, the CDC listed nonpharmaceutical interventions as the
most important response.
What does that mean?
Take common sense precautions as we would to avoid the flu:
• Stay home when sick
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Cover coughs and sneezes with tissues and then toss them in a lined trash can
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Use hand sanitizers with at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water isn’t available
• Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects like doorknobs and remote controls
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
The CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water to reduce all types of germs and chemicals, but if unavailable, hand sanitizers with at least 60 percent alcohol can reduce some but not all microbes.
“Soap and water are more effective than hand sanitizers at removing certain kinds of germs, like Cryptosporidium, norovirus, and Clostridium difficile,” the CDC states.
Should we avoid flying in an airplane?
That’s a good question, especially when it says the disease is easily spread between people who are in close contact with one another (within about six feet). We’re packed pretty tight in airplanes these days and the air is recirculated during the flight. With assigned seating, if someone sitting nearby is coughing, it’s tough to move somewhere else.
Using travel wipes and hand sanitizers to wash the surfaces of tray tables, arm rests, and seat backs where germs may lie is probably the best defense. Airlines are promising more diligent cleaning, but years ago, when my husband and I took a cruise during the Norwalk virus scare, I wiped down our cabin top to bottom with Lysol wipes.
If I had plans to travel to one of the countries given a level 3 risk assessment — China, Iran and Italy — I’d probably heed the warnings against non-essential travel. Japan is at a level 2, which the CDC says means older adults and those with chronic medical conditions should consider postponing their travel plans, and Hong Kong is at level 1. But the risk seems much more manageable for short domestic travel.
What are symptoms of COVID-19?
Within two to 14 days of exposure, these symptoms may appear:
• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
The CDC recommends calling the doctor if you’ve been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 or recently traveled to an area where the disease is widespread. Wear a face mask around other people if you’re sick.
Nearly three years ago, I presented an hour-long speech at the St. Helens Club on the 1918 Spanish influenza and distributed baggies of Vick’s vapor rub, face mask, cough lozenges, and … chocolate. I dug out a few leftover masks from a cupboard and plan to tuck them in my purse, just in case. If I hear people coughing on a plane or at a large gathering, I may offer them one — for their safety and everyone else’s.
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Julie McDonald, a personal historian from Toledo, may be reached at chaptersoflife1999@gmail.com.
