How do we prepare for a coronavirus pandemic?
Stock up on prescription medications, non-perishable items, keep eye on elderly
With outbreaks of the novel coronavirus spreading to more than 40 countries, Canada’s chief medical officer warned this week Canadians need to prepare for the possibility of a pandemic here at home. As more people are infected globally, Canada might not be able to contain and limit the spread of the virus, Dr. Theresa Tam said.
In Montreal, experts are recommending people stock up on essential medications and non-perishable foods in case they have to remain secluded for weeks.
“I don’t think we’re at the point that we need to be panicking, but I think it’s appropriate to foresee what may happen and to make sure we are well prepared,” said Eric Litvak, medical chief for infectious disease prevention and control for Montreal’s public health department.
“When we start seeing cases in more and more countries, it becomes harder and harder to have measures to intercept all potential cases and to block transmissions rapidly.”
As of 8 p.m. Thursday evening, 21 people were under investigation for the coronavirus in Quebec, the health ministry said on its website. Another 79 so far have tested negative. There is one presumed case in Montreal, Quebec Health Minister Danielle Mccann said Thursday night, but no cases have been confirmed in the province to date. Canada has had 13 confirmed cases, mostly mild, and no deaths.
While most of the international cases have been caused by people travelling from China, local sustained transmissions have been reported in countries like Italy, Iran and South Korea, where hundreds of people have been infected and more than 40 have died. Italy locked down 12 communities after suffering the largest outbreak in Europe, with 401 cases and 12 deaths.
As of Thursday night, there were 83,081 confirmed cases of
COVID -19 and 2,856 deaths worldwide, according to the Centre for Symptoms Science and Engineering department at Johns Hopkins University. The vast majority were in China.
HOW TO AVOID GETTING INFECTED
The coronavirus is believed to be spread through droplets emitted by infected people when they cough or sneeze, sending tiny drops containing the virus through the air and onto anything they land on.
If they come into contact with the mucous membranes of the nose, hands or eyes of another person, either directly or through touching hands that have traces of the virus, the disease spreads.
To stop transmission, Litvak and other experts recommend:
■ Keep your hands clean, wash them regularly.
■ Avoid touching your face.
■ Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, with a tissue or an elbow or arm. Wash your hands right after, and throw out the tissue immediately.
■ If you’re ill, stay away from others.
■ Maintain a distance of one to two metres from those who are infected.
■ A mask is only useful to help avoid contaminating others if you’re sick. It has little effect if you’re healthy.
■ Stock up on prescription medications, in case of supply disruptions, and to avoid having to line up at the pharmacy with sick people if an outbreak occurs.
■ Stock up on non-perishable food items in case you have to remain at home for several weeks.
■ Make arrangements to look after family members, friends and the elderly who might need help getting supplies. Older people and those with weakened immune systems are the most at risk.
“The better we are at these good habits, the more we can all help limit the spread of the disease,” Litvak said.
IN THE WORKPLACE
■ Those who are ill must stay home. Anyone with a sick family member must notify their employers.
■ Employers should supply facilities to wash hands regularly and wipes and disinfectant to clean work areas and keyboards.
■ Employers should ensure workers are trained to do essential tasks, in case their colleagues are not able to come in. This is especially important in the case of workplaces that provide essential services.
When we start seeing cases in more and more countries, it becomes harder and harder to have measures to intercept all potential cases.
IN THE HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM
■ Quebec has identified four hospitals that will be used to treat infected patients who need to be admitted. They are the Jewish General and Ste-justine’s in Montreal, and the Centre hospitalier de l’université Laval and the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute in Quebec City.
■ Preparations are in place to detect cases quickly and prevent transmission.
■ Preparations are in place to make sure health-care workers are well protected at all times,
“In the event of a pandemic, if you start losing people who can protect those that are ill, you end up with a problem that is very difficult to deal with,” Litvak said.