Today there is news everywhere about the spread of Coronavirus.  One may ask, what is coronavirus? Coronavirus are large bodies or viruses that may cause illness in humans as well as animals, it is known to cause symptoms associated with respiratory infections raging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and even what we have come to know today as COVID-19.  Some common signs and symptoms are runny nose, sore throat, tiredness, diarrhea, aches and pains, nasal congestion, cough and fever. These symptoms may be low or mild at first, but over time begin to progress.

COVID-19 can be caught from others who already have the virus. Small droplets from the nose or mouth can be shared and spread, infecting person to person when droplet is inhaled. Sometimes droplets land on surfaces and objects, in which the uninfected person touches the object and then their nose, mouth or eyes causing them to become sick and get COVID-19.

If you are diagnosed with this disease, it is reported by the World Health Organization that “Most people (about 80%)  recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who get COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing.” If you are someone who is experiencing several associated symptoms of a cold (coughing, fever, aches and pains, etc.) and are having difficulty breathing you should seek immediate medical attention.

So you may ask what can I do to protect myself from this virus?  You should regularly wash your hands with soap and water or alcohol based hand rub, which will help kill the virus. Make sure you maintain and follow good hygiene measures such as coughing, and sneezing in the bend of your arm. If possible, it is extremely important that you stay 3 feet away from a person who is sick. Avoid touching your face in anyway, especially your mouth nose and eyes.

Overall if you have any symptoms that may be associated with COVID-19 and respiratory problems, such as breathing, contact  your doctor immediately and stay isolated from other people until  your doctor tells you what steps and procedure to follow for testing, treatment, and prevention of spread to others.

For more information on Corona Virus and COVID-19 update and news, visit the CDC and World Health Organization Websites.

The Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is New York State’s largest African American Chamber. Kevin Byrd is the current Chairman of Health for the chamber and Founder of the Brown Byrd Foundation.

For more information on the programs and activities of the chamber visit: www.liaacc.org