A virus that sounds almost like the flu, for many, may seem like nothing to worry about. Many University of Wyoming students are young and healthy, so the thought of getting something like the flu might not seem to be so severe.
However, it is not ourselves that we should be concerned with in terms of getting the infamous COVID-19. Of course, everyone is at risk of getting the virus; it is highly contagious and can affect anyone at any age. There is, however, a population of people who are more at risk of being severely ill, and that is the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions.
This is the population that everyone must protect, and in order to do that, everyone should do their part to take the necessary precautions of staying safe.
While being quarantined inside of your households, the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends to avoid close contact with individuals who are sick, cover coughs and sneezes, clean objects and surfaces that are frequently used – including doorknobs, counter spaces, tables, and light switches – and wash your hands for 20 seconds.
If there is someone in your house that is sick, the CDC also recommends designating a room and bathroom, if possible, to that individual. It may be hard for some college students that share homes that sometimes only have one bathroom or one-bedroom, but the idea is to separate individuals to reduce the virus from spreading more.
If at all possible, people should try to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary. Sometimes, food runs out, or there is an emergency that needs to be dealt with, but if you have everything you need, stay inside. Staying inside is one of the best things you can do to reduce the spread of COVID-19. You are not in contact with anyone that has it, and you are not in contact with anyone in order to give it.
Another thing to consider during this unusual circumstance is to be courteous. Very slowly, toilet paper and cleaning supplies are coming back into stores only to be quickly obtained by panicked consumers. When these supplies run out, that leaves a lot of people without supplies for quite a long time, and if they urgently need them, that can put them at risk or cause a tremendous amount of stress.
Those pictures that go around of people buying tissues because there is no toilet paper to buy is no joke. It is sad to see people hoarding products from those who need them, and that goes for cleaning supplies too. The CDC recommends keeping frequently used surfaces and objects clean; however, if you run out of a product, there is no way to get it unless you are lucky enough to go to the store when people are stocking such items. That can leave many at risk because of cross-contamination.
This virus may seem scary, especially when a lot of things shut down, and people are told to quarantine inside their homes. However, this will not last forever. It is essential to take precautions and to stay calm in situations like this, and to be courteous of others. When a vaccine is made, it is necessary for people to get it as not to create another pandemic or outbreak, like with measles.
But until then, remember: stay safe and stay inside.
