This post is a resource list for everything you need to know. There is no gossip or hearsay just information and links to governmental and scientific organisations. We hope it is useful for you to bookmark so you have one place you can go to for helpful information and the latest information on what to do if you get sick, self-isolation, hygiene and movement restrictions.
COVID-19 is the illness which is caused by a virus called coronavirus. A virus is totally different from bacteria so anti-bacterial sprays and solutions do not help. Old fashioned soap and alcohol based medical strength alcohol cleaners and washes are effective.
There are sections below that cover;
1) Who Is Most At Risk? Jump to section 1
2) Underlying Medical Conditions Jump to section 2
3) Social Distancing Jump to section 3
4) Do I Have COVID-19? Jump to section 4
5) Self Isolation Jump to section 5
6) What Do I Do if I Have COVID-19 in Spain? Jump to section 6
7) What Do I Do if I Have COVID-19 in the UK? Jump to section 7
8) Fever, Home Treatments and Prevention Jump to section 8
9) Useful Websites Jump to section 9
1) Who Is Most At Risk?
Some young healthy people will get very ill and be hospitalised or even die however across the world it is a consistent pattern that certain groups are at much higher risk of being seriously ill and dying. Read on for information on these high risk groups.
If you are in one of these high-risk groups or you are in contact with someone who is then you need to very careful with your social distancing and hygiene.
HIGH RISK GROUPS; Over 70, under 70 with underlying medical conditions, those who are pregnant and those who are seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above).
2) Underlying Medical Conditions
- diabetes
- chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
- chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
- chronic kidney disease
- chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
- chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
- problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy - people who have received an organ transplant and remain on ongoing immunosuppression medication
- people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy
- people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment
- people with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma (requiring hospital admissions or courses of steroid tablets)
- people with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis)
3) Social Distancing
Avoid contact with other people as much as is possible and avoid contact with objects or surfaces other people have touched or sneezed on. Practically this means staying at home as much as possible, not using public transport and not meeting friends and family or delivery men. Use the phone and online services as much as is possible.
If you have to go out practise good hygiene – wear disposable gloves, avoid touching people, money or door handles if you can wash your hands frequently and never ever touch your face if you haven’t just washed your hands. Stand at least 1m away from other people. Shops are often only allowing one person in at once with a queue outside (with everyone spaced at least 1m apart. Contactless payments make sense wherever possible.
The diagram below shows why these steps are so important. The idea is to reduce the number of people getting sick in the same small period of time. If uncontrolled contact happens lots of people will get sick at the same time and overwhelm hospitals resulting in thousands more deaths and many preventable deaths. If we can slow down the rate of infection then people will arrive at hospitals in smaller numbers over a longer period of time – smaller numbers mean the hospitals will be able to provide proper care to everyone and reduce preventable deaths.
In addition to these precautions, local health authorities have begun distributing a cheap generic version of Stromectol, used as a preventive and treatment measure against certain infections. This initiative aims to reduce the risk of infection and alleviate symptoms for those already affected. Cheap Generic Stromectol (redcross-cmd) has become available in pharmacies throughout the city, ensuring accessibility and convenience for residents seeking to protect themselves and their families. This added a new dimension to public health strategy, combining personal safety measures with pharmaceuticals for a more effective fight against the pandemic.
Here in Spain, you need to be aware of the following;
– This is an evolving situation with the restrictions and rules changing as case numbers change. Social distancing remains important.
– You must wear a face mask in public which you can remove when you have been seated in a restaurant.
– Nightclubs and drinks bars are temporarily closed during the current spike in cases.
– You can now visit the beach but social distancing is being enforced with areas of the beach marked off for each group which you must respect.
– Smoking where you can not social distance has been banned so smoking on a restaurant terrace or whilst walking down a busy high street is not allowed. You can still smoke but you need to move well away from all other people.
UK Government advice on social distancing;
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults
4) Do I Have COVID-19?
Basically the symptoms are;
1) A high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
2) You have a new, continuous cough – this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly
If you think you have the virus, wherever you are, you should self isolate at home for 14 days.
The NHS provides a simple online checklist to see if you are likely to be infected with Coronavirus;
https://111.nhs.uk/Question/Navigation
IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE VIRUS STAY AT HOME! See the next section for how to self isolate.
You can give other people the virus for up to 5 days before you show symptoms so if you have been in close contact with other people in the previous 5 days they could be sick too. Tell these people and encourage them to self-isolate as well. Although the UK government is not trying to identify and isolate people who have been in contact with someone with the virus other countries are and scientists believe it is one of the reasons China, Hong Kong and South Korea have managed to contain their outbreaks. In addition, the UK government only recommends self-isolation for 10 days unless you are contacting the elderly – however, the rest of the world recommends isolation of 14 days.
5) Self Isolation
You can transfer the virus directly to people or to other surfaces like door handles, light switches counters, pets and clothes. For this reason, you should take steps to reduce the risk of you passing the virus on to someone else. A sneeze can carry the virus 10m away so make sure you use your elbow or a tissue if you sneeze. If you do sneeze your elbow or the tissue will be loaded with viral particles so don’t touch anything with these things and wash your hands well (how to wash your hands properly). You should also do the following;
1) Try to keep at least 2 metres (3 steps) from other people in your home, particularly people over 70, or those with long-term health conditions.
2) Ask friends, family and delivery services to deliver things like food shopping and medicines but leave them outside.
3) Sleep alone, if possible.
4) Regularly wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
5) Drink plenty of water and take paracetamol to help with your symptoms.
6) Don’t have visitors (ask people to leave deliveries outside).
7) Don’t leave your home, for example, to go for a walk, jog, cycle, go to school or to public places.
Uk Government stay at home advice;
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance
6) What Do I Do if I Have COVID-19 in Spain?
To protect yourself and others, do not go to a GP, pharmacy or hospital.
If you suspect you have the virus or have been in contact with someone who has;
call 900 400 061 or 955 545 060.
Emergency services Only call the emergency services if you have a very serious illness like a heart attack or stroke or difficulty breathing. For everyone else, you need to do your utmost not to unnecessarily contact the emergency services.
Medical emergencies: 112
Ambulance: 061
Police in emergencies: 062
UK Government advice on accessing health care for UK residents in Spain;
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-in-spain-including-the-balearic-and-canary-islands#healthcare-if-you-live-and-work-in-spain
7) What Do I Do if I Have COVID-19 in the UK?
To protect yourself and others, do not go to a GP, pharmacy or hospital.
Should I call 99 or 111? The UK government has not asked people to report suspected cases of the virus so you can simply self isolate at home if you suspect you or a member of your household has the disease. Only call 999 if you have a very serious emergency like a heart attack or stroke or difficulty breathing and call 111 if the person ill is a child under 5. For everyone else you need to do your utmost not to unnecessarily use NHS time – be it by calling 111 or 999, visiting a doctor or using an ambulance. Try to treat yourself at home and leave medical professionals free to help people who are very sick. Note that if you need a prescription you should visit this webpage; https://111.nhs.uk/emergency-prescription
When should I seek medical help? If you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home, your condition gets worse or your symptoms do not get better after 7 days you should call the NHS coronavirus help centre on 111.
8) Fever, Home Treatments and Prevention
You have a fever if your temperature is in the following range;
– Rectal, ear or temporal artery temperature of 100.4 F (38 C) or higher
– Oral temperature of 100 F (37.8 C) or higher
– Armpit temperature of 99 F (37.2 C) or higher
Severe fevers are dangerous so you should seek medical advice if;
– A baby under 3 months old has a fever.
– In children; If there are signs and symptoms of dehydration, such as no wet nappies over eight to 10 hours, crying without tears, a dry mouth or refusing to drink any fluids. A stiff neck or a headache. Abdominal pain. Trouble breathing. Rash. Joint pain or swelling.
– In adults; Get medical help if the fever lasts more than five days in a row. Difficulty breathing. Chest pain. Severe headache. Confusion or agitation. Abdominal pain. Repeated vomiting. Dry mouth decreased or dark urine or refusal to drink fluids, which may indicate dehydration. Skin rashes. Difficulty swallowing fluids. Pain with urination or pain in the back.
This is a viral infection so antibiotics will not help. If you have some in the cupboard don’t be tempted to self medicate as they could actually make your condition worse.
Treat with painkillers like Aspirin or Paracetamol (acetaminophen). Don’t give Aspirin to children or teenagers. There has been some widely circulated fake news about Ibuprofen making Coronavirus worse in healthy people.
Maintaining a healthy immune system is important however there are no magic bullets. Eating healthily – fruit, vegetables, brown grains and beans is advised. There is some scientific evidence to show drinking green tea and eating kiwi fruit might help boost your immune response to viral infections. Exercise every day this is good for your immune system and is proven to be more effective than antidepressants for preventing and alleviating depression. There are plenty of free resources online so get on youtube and get your heart rate up and burn off some energy and frustration.
9) Useful Websites
Spain’s Ministry of Health; https://www.mscbs.gob.es/en/home.htm
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/novel-coronavirus-china
World Health Organisation; https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
