CDC recommendations for those of us in the "high risk" group for the Corona virus

[Grumpyguy]

I have asthma and take medicines to suppress my immune system, and I'm 54.
Anyway, with the arrival of warm weather, my asthma is acting up and my right lung feels like somebody punched in the chest. AWESOME! On the other hand, I did stock up the pantry and have enough food for about 3 weeks.

I work with the public and deal with hundreds, if not thousands of people a week. The CDC basically, seems to be recommending that "high risk" folks, in essence, self-quarantine themselves.

How does that work? Who pays my bills? How do I keep my insurance up? And I'm really sure my employer would be just fine with me taking two months off, but I honestly wish I could.

In my current condition, I'm not sure I can win a fight with the pneumonia that comes with the Corona virus.

Anyway, here's the advice from the CDC for high risk groups.

From the CDC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nco...tions.html

If you are at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, you should:

Stock up on supplies.
Take everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others.
When you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick, limit close contact and wash your hands often.
Avoid crowds as much as possible.
Avoid cruise travel and non-essential air travel.
During a COVID-19 outbreak in your community, stay home as much as possible to further reduce your risk of being exposed.

Who is at Higher Risk?

Early information out of China, where COVID-19 first started, shows that some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness. This includes:

Older adults
People who have serious chronic medical conditions like:
Heart disease
Diabetes
Lung disease

If a COVID-19 outbreak happens in your community, it could last for a long time. (An outbreak is when a large number of people suddenly get sick.) Depending on how severe the outbreak is, public health officials may recommend community actions to reduce people’s risk of being exposed to COVID-19. These actions can slow the spread and reduce the impact of disease.

If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, it is extra important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease.

Get Ready for COVID-19 Now

Have supplies on hand

Contact your healthcare provider to ask about obtaining extra necessary medications to have on hand in case there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in your community and you need to stay home for a prolonged period of time.
If you cannot get extra medications, consider using mail-order for medications.

Be sure you have over-the-counter medicines and medical supplies (tissues, etc.) to treat fever and other symptoms. Most people will be able to recover from COVID-19 at home.

Have enough household items and groceries on hand so that you will be prepared to stay at home for a period of time.

Take everyday precautions

Avoid close contact with people who are sick

Take everyday preventive actions

Clean your hands often

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place.

If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

To the extent possible, avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places – elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, handshaking with people, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something.

Wash your hands after touching surfaces in public places.

Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, etc.

Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs: practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks & cell phones)

Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. Your risk of exposure to respiratory viruses like COVID-19 may increase in crowded, closed-in settings with little air circulation if there are people in the crowd who are sick.

Avoid all non-essential travel including plane trips, and especially avoid embarking on cruise ships.
If COVID-19 is spreading in your community, take extra measures to put distance between yourself and other people to further reduce your risk of being exposed to this new virus.

Stay home as much as possible.

Consider ways of getting food brought to your house through family, social, or commercial networks

Have a plan for if you get sick:

Consult with your health care provider for more information about monitoring your health for symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.
Stay in touch with others by phone or email. You may need to ask for help from friends, family, neighbors, community health workers, etc. if you become sick.
Determine who can provide you with care if your caregiver gets sick

Watch for symptoms and emergency warning signs

Pay attention for potential COVID-19 symptoms including, fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you feel like you are developing symptoms, call your doctor.

If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately. In adults, emergency warning signs*:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
New confusion or inability to arouse
Bluish lips or face

[Sarcany]

For now, take basic precautions.

Try to stay at least 3 feet away from everyone when you're out and about, even if they look healthy. Avoid lines, subways, buses, etc.

At least 6 feet of space between you and the next guy is preferable.

The spittle that carries the virus tends to settle within 3 feet, but might go further on clothes or carried by a cough/sneeze/breeze.

Avoid public/private spaces that accommodate lots of people like movie theaters and restaurants.

Wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer after touching any surfaces that others are likely to have been in contact with in the last day or so.

If telework is an option, discuss with your boss and make the arrangements now so you're ready if you need to quarantine. Lots of people were doing housekeeping, installing updates, syncing documents and testing VPN connections on their laptops today at my workplace, on the assumption that a quarantine is coming soon.

[mattkime]

Makes me mad that you need to worry about this. Dumb fucking way to set up society.

[RgrF]

On the whole, this country doesn't really care much about the health and well being of it citizenry, if it did you wouldn't be faced with thus quandary.

[RAMd®d]

My age is currently the only higher-risk factor.

I still have to do shopping.

Basic hygiene will have to do, at least until a cluster fscks up my patch.

[S. Pupp]

At least it's not as deadly as smallpox was.
I'm looking forward to the release of an effective vaccine.

[rgG]

If you work in retail in a high volume setting, like I do, I really don’t see anyway to even try to avoid exposure and continue to go in. I am fighting a horrible head cold that I no doubt picked up at work last week. I stayed home Monday went in yesterday, mistake, and now am home today and I am off tomorrow. I hope I feel better by Friday, but I still risk reinfection with every germ that comes in the store. There is no way to disinfect each thing I touch that who knows how many other sickies have touched, but what should they do, close all stores for two weeks? Should everyone who is in a higher risk or who lives with a higher risk person go on a LOA?
I can take the hit from lost wages, although I do have some sick and vacation time, but I mainly work to get decent health insurance, so I need that, especially right now.
I truly wonder what our corporate office will send out as the policy.
I saw where Walmart had relaxed their attendance policy and granted extended sick leave if you need to quarantine
I wonder if other retailers will follow suit.

[Numo]

Have enough household items and groceries on hand so that you will be prepared to stay at home for a period of time.

So how long is a period of time?

[PeterB]

Ammo wrote:
Have enough household items and groceries on hand so that you will be prepared to stay at home for a period of time.

So how long is a period of time?

There's the problem for those of us who are in high risk groups and also in a workplace that might suggest to work from home. Is this going to last two weeks? A month? Three months? etc.

[Blankity Blank]

rgG wrote:
I truly wonder what our corporate office will send out as the policy.
I saw where Walmart had relaxed their attendance policy and granted extended sick leave if you need to quarantine
I wonder if other retailers will follow suit.

I work in a very similar environment. I’ve just been told that if you go out on quarantine, you must provide proof of a clean Covid-19 test before you can come back to work.