A Rational CoVID19 Plan Every Family Should Follow
It’s October and cold and flu season has started. It’s an unusual year in that we now have to account for a highly contagious novel coronavirus which mimics so many other upper respiratory illnesses. It makes sense, then, to make preparation for the season. Here are a few rational approaches I am recommending to my patients based on common sense and studied remedies you can easily implement at low cost to you:
Basic Health Strategies
Wear a mask while in public settings if you’re going to be around folks for more than 15 minutes: The truth is, regardless on your take on masks, they may help you in a close contact situation. Asymptomatic shedding is real: it’s how many viruses spread in human to human contact (from genital herpes to the common cold). Respiratory droplet secretion is the number one way that most common upper respiratory viruses spread. “More than 15 minutes” puts you in the “close contact” category of exposure according to the CDC, so for risk mitigation, wearing a mask in that particular situation makes sense if you cannot socially distance at least 6 ft.
Use hand sanitizer or wash hands going in and out: Folks in the medical community use this rule all the time. We “foam in and out” of the exam room, the OR, procedures; every patient content exposes us to germs. The CDC has long recognized this as a primary preventative measure for the spread of any and all communicable diseases. Here’s more information: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/index.html
I personally keep hand sanitizer in my car and purse and use it every time I go to the store, church, etc. and have my kids use it upon getting into the car for the same.
Stay healthy: Duh. We know that influenza and CoVID19 in particular affect vulnerable populations in serious ways. If you are over the age of 40, male, and have cardiovascular risk factors, you’d better be extra-careful during this season. Why? Those dudes are at highest risk of hospitalization and death…particularly over age 65. So, what can you SPECIFICALLY do? Here are the facts:
a) Exercise improves immunity by moving lymph around.
b) Exercise improves cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and lung disease
c) A low carb, high fat diet lowers insulin levels which controls weight, diabetes and inflammation. Check out my slides and blog articles on keto!
d) Get out in the sun every day 10-30 minutes to raise your Vitamin D levels or take a supplement. I recommend 2000 IU/day with a meal.
Stock with appropriate preventatives: Here’s my short list
Vitamin C
Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)
Multivitamin
Zinc
Magnesium
Echinacea
Stock with early treatments for CoVID19 that can reduce symptoms:
Vitamin D3
Zinc 50 mg/day
Famotidine 20-80 mg three times daily
Aspirin 81 mg daily
Vitamin C
Know What to Do and When
Be aware of symptoms and positive exposures. Know when to test and quarantine for both flu and CoVID19
Influenza: Abrupt onset of flu-like symptoms especially: high fever, body aches, headache and cough
CoVID-19: a range of symptoms, mostly mild (fatigue, headache, malaise, anosmia, +/- low grade fever) to some severe (cough, chest pain, dyspnea with mild exertion).
Both links above from the CDC help you to distinguish between the two with checklists of symptoms. The links on testing and quarantine give CDC guidance as well.
NOTIFY YOUR DOCTOR AT FIRST SIGNS OF ILLNESS: Early treatment of both influenza and CoVID19 in high risk populations SAVES LIVES!!
Go back to your doctor if you’ve been diagnosed with CoVID19 or the flu and your symptoms WORSEN: In at risk populations, you may need hospitalization to adequately treat severe disease and survive! The WORST thing that could happen is for you to be so worried about CoVID19 or flu exposure in healthcare settings that you DON’T reach out for care when you need it. THIS IS ABSURD! The medical community has gone to great lengths at every level to prevent patient exposure to CoVID19 and influenza. GO IN IF YOU ARE BAD SICK! WE ARE HERE TO HELP!
I hope you find this plan helpful as we go into the 2020 cold and flu season in earnest. Please leave comments below.
To health,
Dr. Lydia