The global Coronavirus outbreak has caused stress and panic among the local population. People are forced to suspend all of their social activities. In several states, hospitals and healthcare facilities cannot handle the influx of COVID-19 patients.
Whether patients are staying at hospitals or at home, they are severely anxious about their condition. They all have several queries and concerns that their doctors or caretakers have yet to address. At this crucial time, healthcare professionals need to educate their patients about coronavirus without inducing panic. At TLC HomeCare, it is our utmost priority to address the concerns of coronavirus patients, or people suspected to have the virus, the right way. TLC caters to our patients in these difficult times and makes sure to provide them the comfort and care they deserve.
Homecare services can’t be shut down despite the ongoing Pandemic. Like every other healthcare services, keeping the patients safe from coronavirus is the biggest concern. Staff members have a responsibility to protect themselves, and their patients form coronavirus.
Understanding the Symptoms
Understanding the symptoms of COVID-19 can be tricky. Most symptoms are similar to those of common cold, while many patients are testing positive for the virus and have no symptoms at all. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the six new symptoms of COVID-19 includes:
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
Treatment of Coronavirus
Patients who have contracted the virus are most concerned about the treatment. Currently, there is no medication or antiviral agent to treat patients for the virus. Having a healthy immune system is crucial. Patients should rest and avoid any type of exertion and stress. They should take plenty of fluids and eat healthy foods. Doctors may prescribe OTC medications to treat some of the symptoms of COVID-19.
We at TLC HomeCare follow all the necessary guidelines from WHO and CDC to care for the patients diagnosed with coronavirus. TLC HomeCare is trying to maintain all the necessary supplies and PPE for the treatment of coronavirus patients. Many patients successfully recover from COVID-19, considering that the mortality rate is only 3-4%.
What about Vaccines?
Many are wondering about availability of vaccines. Currently, both public and private sector globally are conducting research to develop effective vaccines. But making the vaccine available to the local population takes a lot of time. Until there is a vaccine, public health officials primary focus are on early detection, right treatment, and preventing the spread of virus should be the main focus.
Clear all the Misconceptions Regarding Coronavirus
As we are living in the age of misinformation, people have a lot of misconceptions about the novel Coronavirus. The internet is full of false facts regarding COVID-19. Unfortunately, people forward every piece of information without checking the facts.
As health care workers, it is our responsibility to bust all the myths surrounding this disease. Staff at TLC HomeCare should be well-versed about all the necessary information surrounding the novel coronavirus. TLC HomeCare will continue to educate and update our staff and patients to ensure none of them have any false concept regarding the virus. Here are some of the most common myths many people believe to be true.
1. Coronavirus cannot survive temperatures above 30°C
This is one of the most common misconceptions about coronavirus. To make matters worse, thousands of people believed it to be true at first. Coronavirus only requires a host cell to survive.
2. Thermal scanners are effective at detecting coronavirus
Thermal scanners cannot detect if a person has coronavirus. Thermal scanners only detect the body temperature of the person. It is helpful to detect people with high fever, which is a symptom of coronavirus. A general precautionary measure is to prevent people with high-grade fevers from entering public places as symptomatic people can spread the virus faster than asymptomatic people.
3. You can sue UV disinfection lamps to kill coronavirus
You shouldn’t use a UV disinfecting lamp to sanitize your hands and other parts of your body. Currently, there is no scientific proof that Coronavirus is affected by UV rays. Rather, UV rays can cause irritability to your skin.
4. Eating raw garlic and onion can cure coronavirus
Onion and garlic have good antibacterial properties. They are also good for boosting immunity. However, there is no scientific theory suggesting that these foods can cure coronavirus. It is good to eat as many healthy foods as you can to keep your immune system strong. However, don’t expect any healthy foods to destroy coronavirus in your body.
5. Drinking alcohol can cure coronavirus
Good disinfectants have 70% ethyl alcohol. But it clearly doesn’t mean that consuming any alcohol drink can kill the virus inside your body. Increased drinking can further cause health problems.
Is it Safe to allow Caregivers into your Home during the pandemic of COVID-19?
With rising concerns of coronavirus, some people think it risky to have caregivers coming into their homes. Even though they are skilled healthcare workers in their homes it is natural for them to feel skeptical during a pandemic. They don’t know what places their workers could have been or who they have met the last. All TLC Caregivers, PCAs, LNAs, Homemakers, strictly follow the precautionary measure to keep themselves safe from infection. They follow the guidelines of the CDC and State Health Department not only during work but also in their off-hours to prevent contracting the virus.
Our Caregivers are stepping up to take all the maximum protective measures. These include connecting with their nurse case managers on a daily basis, answering personal health screening questioners before their shift, and getting proper protective gear supplied by TLC. They are also washing hands in front of the patients and wear masks and other protective gear. Our Caregivers take all the necessary precautions to reduce the chances of infection. This way they make their patients more comfortable about the safety measures they take.
Final Word
At TLC HomeCare, we maintain effective communication with our patients during the emergency health crises. Given the fluidity of the situation, information is changing daily. This is also why it is necessary to proactively share information about symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and prevention with COVID-19 patients.