COVID-19 Basics

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COVID-19 FACTS

• COVID-19, the disease caused by the Novel Coronavirus SARS Co-V-2, will remain part of our communities until there is a vaccine and the majority of Americans develop herd immunity through past exposure or vaccination.  Thus, to reopen school for in-person learning we all need to change our behaviors and adapt to keep our Lorain community and schools safe.
• Quality indicators of the state of coronavirus infections are the basic reproduction number (R0), the percent of daily positive tests, and the percent of population who has been tested.
  • When R0 is less than 1, when the percent of positive tests is 3% or less, and when at least 2% of the population is being tested, the virus is traditionally considered at normal levels versus elevated outbreak levels.
• Risk of infection is a function of exposure, time, and use of appropriate public health mitigation practices such as social distancing and covering the face when in public.
  • COVID-19 is spread from person-to-person via respiratory droplets (i.e., the droplets that are expelled when you speak, sneeze, and cough) among people in close contact with one another.
  • High risk activities include spending more than 20 minutes inside with large crowds of people talking, laughing and not wearing face coverings or keeping 6 feet between them – i.e., a crowded restaurant.
    • Social gatherings, BBQs and other relaxed events are also showing to be high risk because people are not remaining 6 feet apart from one another and/or food and drinks are being shared.
  • Lower risk activities include time spent with one or two friends, being outdoors, consistent use of face coverings and social distancing, frequent hand washing and shorter visits.
  • Although coronavirus can be obtained by touching surfaces where the virus is present and then touching your ears, eyes, or nose, the primary mode of infection is through close contact with an infected individual without appropriate face coverings, social distancing, and not washing or sanitizing your hands.
    

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CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOMS

Although people have reported a variety of symptoms, which range from mild to serve, common symptoms include:

• Cough
• Fever
• Chills
• Muscle pain
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Loss of taste or smell
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Sore throat
  

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CORONAVIRUS MYTHS

Myth 1: School-aged children will not get sick if they are infected with COVID-19.

Fact: Although most younger people do not get severely sick, there have been deaths and serious medical issues, even without underlying health conditions.

Myth 2: COVID-19 is like the flu.

Fact: For most, COVID-19 is not much worse than the flu, however, for many it is much worse than the flu. And it is much more contagious than the flu. Unlike the flu, a person with COVID-19 can spread the virus to other people before they even know they are infected.

Myth 3: It is better for us to all get COVID-19 now so we do not have to worry about it anymore.

Fact: We do not know each individual’s risk of developing severe disease or who they might transmit the virus to that could develop severe disease. Thus, it is still best to avoid getting COVID-19.

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CORONAVIRUS PREVENTION

• Stay at least 6 feet apart from other people.
• Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Wear face coverings when interacting with other people.
• Do not touch your face.
• Avoid large gatherings – minimize your contact and interactions with groups.
• Regularly clean frequently touched surfaces – especially your cell phone, keys, and other items you handled multiple times a day.
• Do not share food or drinks.
• Do not use other people’s cell phones, computers, books, notebooks, or other items that people touch. Remember that everything you touch leaves your germs on it AND you pick up germs from the items you touch.
• Avoid hugging, shaking hands or taking selfies with others. 

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FACE COVERINGS

• People are asked to wear face coverings to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Because many people who have COVID-19 are asymptomatic, wearing a face covering protects the public from you unknowingly spreading the virus to others.
• Your mask should cover your face from the bridge of your nose to under your chin. It should be loose fitting but still secure enough to stay in place. Make sure you can talk and breathe easily with your mask in place. Once your face covering is on, you should not touch or move it.
• When removing your face covering, remove it from the ear loops or ties, fold outside corners in half, and wash. Also wash you your hands after removing your face covering.
  

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COVID-19 TESTING

In addition to the wearing face coverings, remaining 6 feet apart from other people, and practicing hand hygiene and other prevention efforts, testing, isolating individuals infected with the virus, and contact tracing are critical to controlling the spread of COVID-19.

• If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, get tested as soon as possible and avoid interacting with other people until you have the test results.   
• If you have been in close contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive, avoid interacting with other people and call your doctor to discuss your exposure and the timing of testing based on your situation.
• In the case of a positive diagnosis, it is also crucial for you to honestly participate in the contact tracing process.
  • Effective contact tracing relies on conducting interviews in a timely manner. Complying with requests for information from a contract tracer is an important expectation and a necessity as the community of Lorain better understands and mitigates the spread of COVID-19. Contact tracers need to know where you have been and who you have been in close contact with so they can reach out to those that might have been exposed to COVID-19.