Don’t panic

Public health officials:

Public health officials urge people to take basic steps to avoid illness

Respiratory illnesses pose a serious threat, especially to the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Influenza is by far the most common and responsible for the most deaths, while COVID-19, a disease first identified in Wuhan, China, is quickly becoming a global worry.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that from Oct. 1, 2019, to Feb. 29, 2020, there had been 34 million to 49 million influenza illnesses, and 20,000-52,000 deaths, with about a .1% mortality rate. Many influenza related deaths happen due to additional complications.

With influenza, the fast-striking and hard-hitting symptoms are usually enough to keep someone who is infected with it indoors, but the severity of the high fever and raking cough may be too much for some to handle, particularly when combined with pneumonia or bronchitis. The World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11. So far 125,810 cases of COVID-19 have been reported world wide, with 71,658 cases seen through to completion. 67,051 recovered from the sickness, while 4,607 have died, leading to a 6% mortality rate for those who have completely gone through the virus, and an overall mortality rate of about 3%.

The incubation period of COVID-19 separates it from the quick striking influenza. While influenza has an incubation period of between one to four days, COVID-19 has an incubation period of about two weeks. This means that while most people will know they have the influenza almost immediately after contracting it and take precautions to ensure no one else is infected, those with COVID-19 could walk around for weeks spreading the virus without even knowing it.

Both illnesses pose a mild threat to the average adult, with similar symptoms of a fever, coughing, fatigue, and shortness of breath. But, being that it is responsible for the greater amount of deaths, influenza is considered the larger threat in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Safety Council (WSC) released a statement regarding COVID-19, saying they don’t believe there is any cause for real concern, but that they will be keeping an eye on it’s development and “make the appropriate decisions to keep you informed and to protect your health and safety.”

The WSC also reported that the Department of Health Services recently listed the risk level of COVID-19 in Wisconsin as “low.”

According to health officials, the most important thing to do is to keep a level head about the situation and keep practicing healthy techniques.

“Good infection control for any type of respiratory illness,” said Taylor County Health Officer Patty Krug. “It’s the same thing, it doesn’t matter if it’s corona, if it’s influenza, or whatever.”

She added that the basics of disease control such as keeping your hands clean and not touching your mouth, nose, or eyes are important.

“The best place you can go is the website,” she said, referring to the Taylor County website, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website, and the CDC’s website.

The three websites contain information regarding influenza and COVID-19, such as how to avoid getting sick, what symptoms you should look out for, what to do as a parent if your child becomes sick, and what to do if an illness is contracted.

Krug said that there were over 500 hospitalizations relating to the influenza recently, and those numbers are likely to stay within that range.

“In the state of Wisconsin, we are still pretty high as of last week with influenza-like illnesses,” she said. “As of right now, we are low risk for COVID-19.”

Krug wants people to be prepared for any respiratory illness, and insists that everyone should read up on the sicknesses.

“We’re already getting calls about, for instance, a trip planned to Italy, or a cruise ship. There’s no guidance on cruise ships right now, but what I can tell you this morning versus what will happen this afternoon, it’ll change. That’s why you need to go [to the websites,]” Krug said. “This is where the accurate information is.”

Besides staying up to date on the latest illness information, getting a influenza shot is one of the most essential step in staying healthy.

“It’s not too late to get immunized this year,” Krug said, pointing out that some people feel that a vaccine isn’t worth getting after a certain amount of time into influenza season.

Even though other strains of coronavirus have been tested, COVID-19 is too new and has no vaccine yet.

“The coronavirus has always been tested for, but it’s a different sub-type,” said Krug, adding it could be as much as 18 months until there is a vaccine.

Just being prepared can go a long ways, but there isn’t a need to go wild.

“Should you go out and buy a face mask? Well, the face mask some people might buy won’t protect you against COVID-19. For influenza, but not COVID-19, if that’s what people are worried about.”

One of the best things you can do is simply not gather with huge swaths of people, Krug explained.

“The large gatherings, the concerts, they’re talking about social distancing,” she said. “If there is somebody who is potentially infected and may not know it, you put them in that large venue, and they infect someone who is immunocompromised.”

Krug said that people naturally start distancing themselves as worries over a disease spread, and that the situation should be handled responsibly.

“In the United States, we’re already doing some of those things, the social distancing. The universities that are going into those high risk places are now saying they’re going to do online classes instead.

“We see it in churches. For communion, not drinking from a communal cup. Some of the churches put the wafer in your mouth, now we’re saying put it in the person’s hand.”

Krug said that all illnesses will be taken in stride, and that there is little additional worry from COVID-19 “We’ll follow the CDC recommendations,” she said, in regards to what would happen if someone contracted the virus nearby. “We’re going to be monitoring them, just like we would with influenza. And, if you are infl uenza positive, you should not be going to school, you should not be going to work... It should be at least 24 hours [since your last symptom before you go back.]” Both influenza and COVID-19 are growing, but other countries are taking extra precautions against the novel coronavirus.

The ramping up of defenses stemmed largely from March 8, which had 228 deaths reported; March 10 is the deadliest day so far with 261 deaths.

133 of the March 8 deaths were in Italy, who additionally reported 1,492 new cases in that same single day; on March 10 they suffered 168 deaths, and reached over 10,000 cases. The sudden strike of deaths on the eighth came just 16 days after Italy’s large scale outbreak.

Many of Italy’s northern provinces quickly reacted, with over 16 million people across 14 provinces being declared as in containment.

In these containment zones all schools, churches, museums, theaters, etc., are to be closed down for at least two weeks.

There have been 729 COVID-19 cases in the U.S. so far, with 45 completed cases. Of the completed cases, 15 have recovered, while 30 have died.

Some states are beginning to start preemptive measures against the virus. Oregon has been placed under a state of emergency, which is to last for 60 days.

Wisconsin has had two confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far. One patient, located in Dane County, already tested negative and has been released from quarantine. The second patient, who contracted the virus during U.S. travel, was confirmed on March 9 a third was confi rmed this week. There are several labs in Wisconsin that are now capable of testing for COVID-19, so test samples will not have to be shipped all the way to CDC testing labs.

Authorities will continue keeping an eye on both infl uenza and COVID-19. In the mean time, the best thing everyone can do is to stay clean and avoid large, tightpacked crowds.