Lipscomb’s director of Health Services tells students “there is no reason to panic” about COVID-19, but there are steps to take to prevent the illness.
“The group we need to be the most careful with are the elderly, over the age of 60 years, and those with chronic diseases especially those with compromised immune systems,” said Erin Keckley, the health director.
“This virus is spread by respiratory droplets,” said Keckley, “So when you cough or sneeze, these droplets float in the air and then eventually land on a surface.
Some common symptoms of this virus are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Some less frequent symptoms are headache, sore throat, or diarrhea. And, of course, it has been proven to induce dangerous blood clots and has been deadly in thousands of cases.
The incubation period is two to 14 days.
Keckley provided these simple tips to cut down on chances of contracting the disease:
Make sure you are washing your hands. This is the single most important thing you can do. It is also important to be washing for at least 20 seconds or more and using soap and water. Keckley said, ” Take a song, make sure it’s at least 20 seconds long, and sing along.”
Try to leave hand sanitizer in different places like your car, backpack, or room.
Don’t shake hands.
Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then, throw that tissue away.
Clean and disinfect surfaces, like kitchen and bathroom counters.
Try to avoid touching your face. Viruses are often transmitted through your mucus membrane through your hands, nose, and mouth. The average person touches their face 90 times a day.
If you have longer, hair wear it up.
Use your elbow to touch a button or a hip or foot to open the door.
Avoid close contact when people are sick.
Follow social distancing orders.
“If you are sick and are having tight chest pains, shortness of breath, or turning blue then you should go immediately to the doctor,” said Keckley. “If you have very mild symptoms, try to ride it out, stay hydrated, get rest, take over-the-counter medications, check your temperature, and make sure you are urinating at least every eight hours.”
“If you do plan on coming to the clinic, call the clinic before you come so we can put you in a designated location so we don’t pass that to others,” said Keckley.
“If you have a routine check-up maybe think about postponing your appointment. We want to help you but, we also don’t want to expose you to other things.”
She said Health Services has added a triage phone line that “allows you to speak with a nurse if you have any questions. You can call anytime during clinic hours,” said Keckley.
Nurse Triage Line: (615)-347-2663
Clinic Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For more information about this virus and ways to prevent it you can visit any of these websites:
Learn more about the coronavirus at Lipscomb’s Link