Citizens Memorial Hospital | Vitality | Summer 2020

MYTH FACT There’s a lot of bad information out there about COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Some of it may come from people who mean well. But to stay healthy, you want to follow good advice from reliable sources. Here are some good things to know about COVID-19. COMMUNITY TAGLINE HERE WELLNESS Myths and facts about COVID-19 THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF IS TO AVOID EXPOSURETOTHE VIRUS. To do that, you should wash your hands often and distance yourself from others. That includes avoiding groups, crowded places and close contact with people who are sick. In public, stay 6 feet away from others and wear a cloth face mask. At home, cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow, and then wash your hands. It’s also a good idea to clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces daily. PEOPLE OF ALL AGES CAN GET COVID-19. Anyone can get very sick with this virus. Older people and those with certain health conditions may be more likely to have severe symptoms. But younger people can get sick themselves or pass the virus on to someone who gets very ill. THE VIRUS MAY NOT CAUSE SYMPTOMS RIGHT AWAY. It can take anywhere from 2 to 14 days before people who are infected develop symptoms. VACCINES FOR PNEUMONIA ANDTHE FLUWON’T PROTECTYOU FROM COVID-19. It’s true that these vaccines don’t protect against COVID-19. But they are important for other reasons. Almost everyone 6 months and older needs a flu shot every year. Kids under 2 years, adults over 65, people who smoke and people with certain medical conditions also need the pneumococcal vaccine. Researchers are trying to develop a vaccine against COVID-19 right now. FACT FACT FACT MYTH MYTH YOU SHOULD USE AN ULTRAVIOLET (UV) LAMPTO DISINFECTYOUR SKIN. UV lamps should not be used to clean your hands or other areas of the skin. UV light can cause skin irritation. SPRAYING ALCOHOL OR CHLORINE ONYOUR BODY CAN KILLTHE VIRUS. Not true. Spraying alcohol or chlorine on yourself will not kill viruses that are already in your body. (Neither will drinking alcohol.) And using it on your skin could harm sensitive areas, like your eyes or mouth. But alcohol and chlorine can be useful to disinfect surfaces like kitchen counters and doorknobs. ANTIBIOTICSWILL WORK AGAINST COVID-19. Antibiotics can’t fight viruses, like COVID-19. They only work against bacteria. If you’re hospitalized with COVID-19, however, you might be given antibiotics to help you avoid certain kinds of pneumonia. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; World Health Organization citizensmemorial.com 11