On COVID-19

ON COVID-19:

I wanted to share some of what I've learned from folks at UCSF; I'm not an infectious disease expert (disclaimer) and please correct anything I've got wrong. It can feel overwhelming to keep up with all the new updates and I'm hoping to make things a little easier on y'all.

WHAT DO WE KNOW?

-The symptoms are pretty non specific: fever, cough, shortness of breath

-The virus can stay suspended in the air for 3 hours and on plastic and stainless steel for 2-3 days according to a new study, the CDC says that transmission is more likely to come from person-to-person rather than from contact with contaminated objects

-Only 3-10% of household contacts (people who are living with someone infected with COVID19) seem to get infected per a report from the WHO

-The majority of infections are mild! 80% are fine staying home, about 20% need hospitalization with ~5% at critical (ICU level)

-We do not have an accurate count of US cases (because of a backup on testing that I don't quite understand) but Hopkins has a great resource on the number of cases. (This is super unfortunate - we aren't exactly sure how many community acquired cases are out there, we're lacking essential data needed to plan a proper response so it can *feel* like some measures like cancelling large events are an overreaction but there's some scary data from countries 1-2 weeks ahead of us and we don't really know how the cookie will crumble on this!)

-The number of cases are rising though and we're trying to "flatten the curve" to keep our hospital resources from getting overwhelmed.

-Italy is really struggling and they're having to ration care - we're doing everything we can to keep this from happening here, we're 1-2 weeks behind Italy so it's hard exactly to predict where we'll go! Some folks have said this feels like the calm before the storm.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

-Regular hand washing for at least 20 seconds (I've been washing my hands about once every 2-3 hours, after using the bathroom, after being in a super public place, before eating)

-Don't touch your face! (I know, it's hard! If you really have to touch your face then wash your hands first!)

-Social distancing: It's gonna look different for everyone and there's a lot of gray areas so use your best judgement and err on the side of caution. In the bay area, most large gatherings have been cancelled but if possible avoid cruises or air travel (they're enclosed areas where it's hard to keep that distance between people)

-Check in on others: This can be scary and anxiety-inducing and staying at home all day can be isolating so reach out and check in ❤️ 

-Other things I've started doing: Wiping down my phone and laptop with disinfectant wipes when I get home, shedding my outside clothes and taking a quick shower when I get home, getting 8 hours of sleep to keep my immune system going strong (I realize not everyone can do this right now!)

IT'S JUST THE FLU, RIGHT?

Well the symptoms ARE a lil similar to the common cold or flu. But we know a lot about those conditions while COVID19 has a lot of unknowns. The biggest issue is the spread and how we can't quite predict it - we're trying to prevent it spreading so fast that our hospital system can't keep up. 

OKAY I THINK I HAVE CORONAVIRUS

So you might not! The common cold and flu and other respiratory viruses are still going strong this time of year! If you're feeling sick then stay at home and get in touch with your doctor or local public health department. It's likely that you'll just self-quarantine until it resolves on its own. Rest, hydration, you can use something like tylenol for a fever. If you've got underlying conditions like asthma or COPD any sort of immunosuppression, a high fever that isn't breaking with meds, or feel really short of breath, then you might get asked to come in. (*This is not medical advice*)

IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ITALY GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE US?

I think that's the biggest question on everyone's mind. The response in the US has been fairly mismanaged from the start, and there are a number of things we haven't done yet to curb spread of the infection. That being said, we have some incredible healthcare and public health folks all over the country who have come together to balance these new demands and innovate workflows and provide high quality care, and hearing some of their conversations has been sobering but I'm actually reassured and hopeful. The folks at UCSF have been on top of it, and they have my trust. We just have to take it one day at a time and not let our panic get the best of us.

NOW WHAT, GOING FORWARD?

My biggest takeaway is that it's so easy to see health as an individual issue but pandemics like this are reminders that our health is a collective investment - the idea that "I can take care of myself, why can't others?" fails here. We are all connected, even if you FEEL fine, you at least might want to think about the risks to older, immunocompromised, or chronically ill folks in your community if you were an asymptomatic carrier, right? We are so protective of our autonomy (myseld included) but when pandemics happen, we could lose that autonomy in an instant. 

We can't have healthy communities when so many folks are un(der)insured or food insecure or in unstable housing situations. Folks living on the street or in prisons are at such high risk of infection with COVID19 too. We have massive gaps in our safety net - only some people have the option to take sick leave or work from home or even get healthcare in our country. There are so many people in the bay area who are one month's paycheck away from getting evicted; if they have to stay home to self-quarantine or take care of someone, they could end up on the street. It doesn't have to be this way.

Earlier today, the Fed announced they'd be setting aside $1,500,000,000 to help Wall Street weather the economic downturn. We could be spending that kind of money on getting everyone healthcare, housing, childcare, and sick leave. The Senate actually just struck down a bill proposed to give employees sick leave. We're still waiting for the federal government to roll out a comprehensive package to address what's happening.

I'M STRESSED!

I wouldn't be! We just have to take it one step at a time. It's an evolving situation. Be flexible and willing to make some changes to your normal routine. I know it seems like a real drop in the bucket but if everyone, all 300 million of us, washed our hands a little extra and made some concessions in the name of social distancing, we CAN mitigate the spread and save resources for folks who need it most.

xoxo

Juhi