Don't panic about covid-19 and stay healthy

You should be concerned and take this seriously. But you should not panic.

Most people infected will have a mild illness and recover completely in two weeks. On average, it takes five to six days from the day you are infected with SARS-CoV-2 until you develop symptoms of COVID-19. This pre-symptomatic period—also known as "incubation"—can range from one to 14 days.

From there, those with mild disease tend to recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe cases can take three to six weeks to recover, according to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who goes by Dr. Tedros.

Most cases of COVID-19 are mild and may feel similar to the seasonal flu before a person recovers.
Likewise, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros noted in a recent statement that “seasonal flu generally kills far fewer than one percent of those infected. ”

You have to know Covid-19’s fatality rate is relatively low compared to other deadly virus outbreaks in recent history. In February, around 20 percent of confirmed cases were classed as severe or critical, and the current death rate stands at about two per cent. Ebola, which in 2014 killed over 11,000 people in West Africa, has had a fatality rate between 25 percent to 90 per cent, depending on the outbreak and area. Two other members of the coronavirus family, Sars and Mers, have fatality rates of around 10 percent and 35 per cent, respectively.


 The mortality rate for anybody below 40 is 0.2 per cent, before a steady increase. 50-59 year-olds was 1.3 per cent, 60-69 year-olds was 3.6 per cent, 70-79 year olds was 8 per cent, and 80+ was 14.8 per cent. So providing you aren’t elderly or suffering from an existing illness, you needn’t panic, but the illness still has a higher chance of leading to serious respiratory symptoms than seasonal flu and you are still contagious – so you mustn’t be complacent.




 How should I prepare for the worst-case scenario?

 This epidemic is unpredictable, and it is possible that it could begin spreading in your community. That might lead to problems in the supply chain of various foods and goods—such as masks. It might also mean that local authorities will recommend “social distancing” measures, asking that you spend more time at home as events and gatherings get cancelled. Schools may close down for periods to try to stop disease spread. Employers may recommend working from home when possible, and healthcare providers may push the use of tele-health services.

In the event you get sick with COVID-19, you will likely face a two-week isolation period at home, unless your illness becomes severe and you require medical care at a hospital.

Keep your home comfortably stocked with things like toilet paper, tissues, diapers, soap, cleaning products and sanitizers, pet foods, and feminine products. Again, don’t hoard. Just buy a bit extra in case you need to skip a routine shopping trip or two.


 What can I do to prevent spread and protect myself?

 The most important things you can do to protect yourself from COVID-19 (as well as seasonal respiratory infections, like flu and cold) is to practice good, basic hygiene. That is:
·        * Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.

·         *Make sure you wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds—the time it takes you to hum the Happy Birthday song twice. (One clever Twitter user came up with some alternative tunes for your mitt-scrubbing pleasure.)

·         *You should especially wash your hands before eating, after using the restroom, sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose.

·         *If you can’t get to a sink, use a hand sanitizer that has at least 60 percent alcohol, the CDC says.

·         *Avoid touching your face, particularly your eyes, nose, and mouth.

·         *If you cough or sneeze, cover your face with your elbow or a tissue. If you use a tissue, throw that tissue away promptly, then go wash your hands.

·         *Avoid close contact with sick people. If you think someone has a respiratory infection, it’s safest to stay 2 meters away.

·         *If you are sick, try to stay home to get better and avoid spreading the infection.

·        * Regularly disinfect commonly touched surfaces and items in your house, such as door knobs and counter tops.


We don't really know how fearful Americans are. There is no systematic research, as far as I know, so I can only answer based on my own observations and experience with other health pandemics which I had an opportunity to work on. The major difference between seasonal flu and coronavirus, or other pandemics is that we understand seasonal flu very well.

 Read also 17 natural ways to stop panic attacks

 Now is not the time for panic, which will only get in the way of what you need to be doing. While it’s completely understandable to be worried, your best bet to getting through this unscathed is to channel that anxious energy into doing what you can to stop SARS-COV-2 from spreading.