Understanding the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The coronavirus (also called Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19) is a flu-like respiratory disease that was first detected in Wuhan City, China. On January 30, 2020, the outbreak was declared a public health emergency by the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization and has since spread around the world. The symptoms of the coronavirus are similar to a cold or the flu, which means that the prevention for this virus is similar to that of those common illnesses.
Things to do to help prevent the spread of sickness:
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Wash your hands with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds. If you can’t wash your hands immediately, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
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Avoid touching your eyes, nose, ears, or mouth with unwashed hands.
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Cover your mouth with your arm when you cough or sneeze.
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Avoid close contact with people who are sick (“close contact” is defined as being within six feet of a person for a prolonged period of time.)
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If you get sick, stay home.
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Clean and disinfect surfaces often.
Although this is a time of concern, it is important to get your information from reliable sources and avoid the spread of misinformation. Here are some helpful websites to keep up-to-date on information about the coronavirus.
Stay updated with these trusted sources and factual information about Coronavirus
Springfield-Greene County Health Department: If any cases are confirmed in Greene County, you can quickly find information about them here.
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: Find updates about cases of the virus in Missouri here. Also, they have activated a statewide public hotline about COVID-19. The hotline is live 24/7 and staffed by medical professionals. The number is 877-435-8411.
Official Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: The CDC website is a good source for information and current updates about the virus.
CDC Communications Resources: This section of the CDC website provides helpful print materials that can be shared with friends and coworkers.
Clemson Libraries: The Clemson library has a helpful Google news feed with up-to-date articles from trusted sources.
UC San Diego Libraries: The University of California San Diego put together a webpage full of informative links and includes a graphic from John Hopkins of a map that shows the current number of coronavirus cases around the world, making it easy for people to get information about the spread of the virus.
Coronavirus Resources For Kids:
Comic from NPR: NPR created an informative comic to help educate kids about the coronavirus. There are instructions for how to print and fold the comic to make it more accessible for young readers.
BrainPOP Video: Here’s another resource for children about the coronavirus in the form of a video.
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