Any particular work enviornments that are at risk of spreading the disease?
Any places of employment that are indoors and have employees in close contact for prolonged periods of time are at risk. Many employers have developed at-work social distancing guidelines, hallway etiquette, the wearing of PPE (personal protective equipment) such as masks and gloves, as well as hand sanitizing guidelines. Grocery stores have arrows on the floors, restaurants and churches are practicing social distancing and most places are recommending the use of a facemask.
What safety controls should be established to limit virus spread?
- Diligent hand washing, particularly after touching surfaces in public OR the use of hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
- Practicing good respiratory hygiene- covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze.
- Avoiding touching the face, especially areas of the face where transmission occurs like eyes, nose and mouth.
- Cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces that are frequently touched.
- Staying 6 feet apart from other individuals
Who should wear masks?
Masks are recommended when in close contact settings, like work, congregate living, public transportation, etc. – essentially, places where social distancing is difficult. Those under the age of 60 can wear any type of facial mask/covering. One made out of a bandana, t-shirt or fabric. Those 60 years of age or older, or those with medical comorbidities, are recommended to wear a medical mask- as should those who have any type of respiratory infection symptoms if they must leave their home. Remember, wearing a mask doesn’t diminish the importance of continuing to use good respiratory and hand hygiene.
Most places in North Carolina have optional face coverings, but just yesterday Governor Roy Cooper stated the city of Raleigh will require face-coverings in public spaces, along with social distancing. He also vetoed a bill to re-open bars and gyms due to the quickly rising number of cases of COVID and outbreaks in various long term care facilities.
Is NC showing a spike in cases?
In Wake County, we currently have 3,579 confirmed cases, of which, 53% are female and 47% are male, with the city of Raleigh consuming the majority of these cases. [1]
According to the Washington Post COVID tracker, there have been 49,840 reported covid-19 cases state-wide since Feb. 29.
World-wide, there have been a documented 8,687,231 cases, of which the United States has 2,222,576. Of these, 119,131 have died (<1%). [2]
According to this map, North Carolina is currently “flattening the curve” as evidenced by the green background. The number of cases per day, however is rising. [3]
…
Stay tuned for part 3!
- Who qualifies for testing or screening?
- Where should you go to get tested or screened?
- What are antibody tests and when (if ever) should you get one?
- What is a virutal screening and is it effective?
- Who should using virtual screenings?
..
[1] https://covid19.wakegov.com/
[2] https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
[3] https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/new-cases-50-states/north-carolina
About LoginClinics- Founded by Jaclyn Qualter, a nurse practitioner and health care mentor, in September 2019, LoginClinics provides its fee schedule on its website at www.LoginClinics.com along with FAQs on how to use the online service. More information can be found on its social media www.facebook.com/TelemedicineNC or @loginclinics on Instagram.
Author: Jaclyn Qualter, Founder, Nurse Practitioner and Healthcare Mentor
