COVID-19 • Incoming

March 08, 2020

IF YOU HAVE A FEVER – YOU HAVE COVID-19 UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE.  Again, I’m not an all caps guy, but this is as basic as it gets.

This weekend I listened to several dozen press conferences, interviews, and presentations from China to South Korea to Italy to State Health Departments and expert university scientists.

It will be a big week for COVID-19 in the USA.  We will see our first image of where it is in the country.  It will be grainy, like a 1960’s picture of the moon.  By next week, we should be shooting with ISO 400, and by early April, hopefully, we will be in High Definition mode.

This may impact a very large number of us based on what we learn.  The ‘blizzard’ is likely on the way, so have a plan.  Now.

One good piece of advice that I have not heard widely publicized is getting a pneumonia vaccine if you are over 60.  Secondary bacterial infections are often what is killing folks while they are wrestling with COVID-19.  Pneumococcal vaccine should be very useful with that.

On the flip-side, indications are that those over 40 are actually getting sicker than originally reported.  I would increase my vigilance if I was over 40 with diabetes, a history of respiratory illnesses or are immunosuppressed in any way.

I would appreciate any corrections anyone has.  Many of you are RN’s, MD’s and scientists – this is a very fluid situation, I’m going to make mistakes and have no ego in getting corrected.

Many of you have asked really great questions that I really appreciate.  I will try and answer as many as possible.  And for all the ‘Thank You’s’ a big, ‘You are welcome.’

And I love this stuff.   Working as an emergency preparedness coordinator during H1N1, on a cruise ship during a flu outbreak, and the other parts of my career is what this love is built on.  It also combines many of the sciences and politics into this big potpourri of a problem where good solutions can massively save lives and reduce illness and injury.  That’s pretty cool.

Hang in there, it’s going to be OK.

Prepared is not scared.