Are There Ways to Lower Your Risk of Getting Coronavirus?

Check out this answer from Consensus:

To lower the risk of contracting COVID-19, a combination of pharmaceutical interventions, personal hygiene practices, public health measures, and specific strategies for high-risk populations is essential. Antiviral drugs and anti-inflammatory treatments show promise, while masks, social distancing, and the use of nasal rinses and mouthwashes provide additional protection. Public health measures like quarantine, isolation, and NPIs are effective in controlling the spread, and the use of PPE and infection control training is critical in healthcare settings. Special considerations are necessary for vulnerable groups such as cancer and dialysis patients to further reduce their risk.

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted extensive research into methods to reduce the risk of contracting the virus. Various strategies have been explored, ranging from pharmaceutical interventions to public health measures and personal hygiene practices. This synthesis aims to present the key findings from multiple research papers on effective ways to lower the risk of getting coronavirus.

Key Insights

• Pharmaceutical Interventions:
  • Antiviral Drugs and Prophylaxis: Antiviral drugs, such as hydroxychloroquine, have shown potential in reducing viral shedding and preventing infection when used as pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis1. Clinical trials are ongoing to evaluate their efficacy in preventing secondary infections and reducing disease progression1.
  • Anti-inflammatory Treatments: Drugs that suppress IL-1 or IL-1R, used for treating rheumatoid arthritis, may help reduce lung inflammation and improve survival rates in COVID-19 patients3.
• Personal Hygiene and Protective Measures:
  • Masks and Social Distancing: Wearing masks and maintaining social distance are effective in significantly decreasing the transmission and spread of the virus2 4.
  • Nasal Rinses and Mouthwashes: Over-the-counter nasal rinses and mouthwashes, such as 1% baby shampoo solution and Listerine, have demonstrated significant virucidal properties against coronaviruses, potentially providing an additional layer of protection2.
• Public Health Measures:
  • Quarantine and Isolation: Staying at home in quarantine for about a month can limit viral transmission and prevent the collapse of healthcare systems3 4.
  • Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs): Measures such as travel restrictions, isolation of confirmed cases, quarantine of exposed persons, school closures, banning mass gatherings, and mandatory mask-wearing have been effective in reducing transmission and spreading the epidemic over a longer period8.
• Healthcare Settings:
  • Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Consistent use of PPE, including masks, gloves, gowns, and eye protection, along with handwashing, significantly reduces the risk of infection among healthcare workers9.
  • Infection Control Training: Training healthcare workers in infection control practices is associated with a decreased risk of infection9.
• Special Populations:
  • Cancer Patients: Minimizing outpatient visits, using telemedicine, and postponing elective procedures can help reduce exposure and transmission risk among cancer patients, who are at higher risk due to immunocompromised states7.
  • Dialysis Patients: Implementing preventive strategies in dialysis facilities, such as patient and staff education, screening, and separating infected from non-infected patients, is crucial to minimize transmission risk10.

 

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Are there ways to lower your risk of getting coronavirus?

Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz has answered Near Certain

An expert from University of Wollongong in Epidemiology, Public Health, Diabetes

Despite the vast numbers of people telling you to boost your immune system with everything from vitamin C injections to sex, in all likelihood the only thing that will significantly impact your risk of getting COVID-19 is washing your hands and trying not to touch your face.

What you can do, what everyone can do, however, is help to protect society. This doesn’t mean that you personally won’t catch the disease, although it may reduce your risk somewhat, but what it really means is that fewer people will get sick, and when they do they will be better cared for.

So, here are some practical things that you can do to help limit the spread of the new coronavirus.

Social Distancing

Social distancing is a pretty simple idea — we come into close contact with a lot of people, all the time. Hugs, kisses, the occasional warm breath of a stranger on your neck during your morning commute.

When practicing social distancing, rather than getting in close, try to stay at a distance. Instead of kissing an acquaintance, use a much cooler fist bump. Replace hugs with air-fives (remember to make the sound effect). Don’t breathe on people on the train if you can avoid it*.

All small things, but they can have a disproportionate impact on how the virus spreads. This in turn could vastly alter the nature of the epidemic from a disaster to something much more easily handled.

Prepare At Work/School

One of the big things about infectious diseases is that they spread best when lots of people are around. In particular, this includes schools and workplaces, where children and adults are forced into small, sweaty rooms together.

So, prepare to take action to reduce the risk of spreading disease. Schools may close, but probably not all of them, and not forever. You can reduce the risk to society by making sure kids stay at home when they’re sick, and enforcing simple rules like washing hands on a schedule during school hours.

Workplaces are a similar story — if you’re an employee, make plans to work from home. You may not have to, but it’s a good idea. If you’re a boss, be realistic — people are going to get sick sooner or later. Make sure people have sick leave, and find ways to keep to business going if staff have to stay home for some time. Start holding what meetings you can by distance, and try to ensure that when people get together they aren’t forced into small spaces with no ventilation.

Practice At Home

Early information out of China indicates that one of the ways that coronavirus spreads is through the household. Now, it’s obviously impossible to be entirely distant from your family, despite the hopeful dreams of many millenials, but there are things you can do to help prevent the virus from spreading among your friends, family, and weird roommates.

If you do get sick, isolate yourself from the family. Take precautions when caring for sick loved ones. Wipe down shared surfaces more often. Try not to let your kids stick their hands directly into your mouth quite so often.

Wash Your Hands, Don’t Touch Your Face, Sneeze And Cough Responsibly

I know, I know, I already said this. But it is worth saying again. Washing your hands, not touching your face, and avoiding coughing on everyone else are some of the main ways that you can help to lower your risk of infection, and protect everyone else as well.

Stay Safe

Overall, don’t panic, but don’t disregard the news entirely either. These are some reasonable, straightforward steps that we can all take to help reduce the burden on health services in the weeks ahead.

It’s also important to remember not to blame people when they do spread the disease. There is no magic bullet against viruses like this, and even the best precautions will only reduce the risk. Apportioning blame may feel good, but ultimately it will only make infection control harder as people try to hide their symptoms from the ravening masses.

Stay safe, and remember: we’re all in this together. You can read more from me here.

 

Are there ways to lower your risk of getting coronavirus?

William Petri has answered Near Certain

An expert from University of Virginia in Immunology, Parasitology, Virology

As we return to some degree of normalcy after weeks of social distancing, we all need a plan. As an immunologist, I’ve given this a lot of thought personally and professionally.

When I venture out, I am first going to check the number of new COVID-19 infections in my community. In Virginia, for example, as of May 16, some health districts had 200 new daily cases and others fewer than 10. I am going to be less risk-averse when new cases fall to near zero.

Second, I will assess my risk for severe infection and the risk for severe infection for those I will be visiting. The CDC defines these risk factors as being over age 65 or having serious underlying medical conditions, which include chronic lung disease, moderate to severe asthma, serious heart conditions, immunocompromise, severe obesity (body mass index over 40), diabetes, kidney disease requiring dialysis, liver disease or living in a nursing home or long-term care facility. If I have one of these risk factors, or am visiting someone with one of these risk factors, I am going to be extra-cautious.

Third, I will draw from knowledge about how COVID-19 is transmitted. Airborne transmission and fomites, or contaminated surfaces such as doorknobs, are both means of infection. The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is stable in airborne droplets, or aerosols, for hours and on the surface of cardboard for a day and plastics for two days. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine, for example, showed that half of nursing home patients who had COVID-19 were without symptoms at the time of diagnosis, by nasal swab PCR test for the virus, and yet infectious to others. Normal speech generates oral fluid droplets which are potentially infectious but are captured by a cloth face mask, preventing transmission to others.

I am going to wear a mask to help prevent my giving the infection to others, avoid touching surfaces such as handrails, try not to touch my eyes or nose or mouth with my hands and wash my hands frequently.

I am going to try to stay outdoors, where the risk of infection from aerosols is less, and if indoors stay six feet distant from others and limit my time there.

I am going to assess my risk for infecting others. If I have a fever, cough or other flu-like symptoms, such as muscle aches or tiredness, I am not going to venture out and risk exposing others to COVID-19. Even if healthy, I am going to wear a mask when out so that I can protect others if I am unknowingly infected but pre-symptomatic.

While it is tempting to resume normal activities, I have to remember – and I hope you will, too – that my individual behavior affects not only my health, but also yours.

I have adapted this answer from my original article in The Conversation

 

Are there ways to lower your risk of getting coronavirus?

Mohamed Elhakim has answered Near Certain

An expert from World Health Organization in Epidemiology

Wash your hands frequently

Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.

Maintain social distancing

Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.

Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth

Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.

Practice respiratory hygiene

Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately. Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.

• If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early
• Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority. National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.

Stay informed and follow advice given by your healthcare provider

Stay informed on the latest developments about COVID-19. Follow advice given by your healthcare provider, your national and local public health authority or your employer on how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on whether COVID-19 is spreading in your area. They are best placed to advise on what people in your area should be doing to protect themselves.

 

Are there ways to lower your risk of getting coronavirus?

Dale Fisher has answered Near Certain

An expert from National University of Singapore in Infectious diseases

Social distancing…..the virus travels on droplets therefore can only go 1-2 metres from a cough. Cough etiquette means covering up coughs ideally with a tissue. Hand hygiene with soap and water or an alcohol based hand rub is also very important and some would say more important than a mask as people can touch something with the virus and then they touch there mouth or eyes and infect themselves.

 

Are there ways to lower your risk of getting coronavirus?

Kelly Reynolds has answered Near Certain

An expert from University of Arizona in Microbiology, Public Health

Basic hygiene and infection control protocols that are recommended for the common cold and influenza prevention are also effective against the coronavirus. Avoid travel to endemic regions and individuals who are symptomatic for respiratory infections, wash hands frequently and use surface disinfectants routinely on commonly touched surfaces.

 

Are there ways to lower your risk of getting coronavirus?

Julian Leibowitz MD has answered Near Certain

An expert from Texas A&M University in Virology, Immunology, Infectious diseases

Yes. The same approaches that work for other respiratory virus should work to limit risk of infection from the novel coronavirus.