COVID-19: Which people need to take extra precautions?

By Ignatius Wadunde

The highly infectious Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is raging on globally and is claiming lives in many countries at an unprecedented rate.

On March 21, 2020, Uganda confirmed its first COVID-19 case and in a space of just slightly over 2 weeks, the number of infected people rose to 53 with no deaths. The virus spreads primarily through droplets from the mouth or nose when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes.

The projected droplets settle on surfaces and any contact with such surfaces transmits the virus. Generally the symptoms of COVID-19 start 2-5 days after exposure however, some delay even up to 14 days after exposure. The most common symptoms are fever and cough but one can also experience shortness of breath, running nose, chest pain, headache, sore throat and loss of appetite.

Most people diagnosed with COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Only a few may result in severe disease including hospitalization, admission to an intensive care unit, or death.

Therefore, having COVID-19 does not necessarily mean a death sentence. Persons who are 65 years and older are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and need to take extra precautions during this time.

Eight in 10 deaths reported around the world have been among adults in this age category. Older adults, 65 years and more need to take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to devastating COVID-19 stories.

This is because hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting and may result in increased stress, fear and anxiety among this age group during the crisis.

There is a need to take care of the body by taking deep breaths, stretching, meditating, eating a healthy well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep and avoiding alcohol and tobacco.

People of all ages with underlying medical conditions are also at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, particularly if the underlying medical conditions are not well controlled. This includes people with chronic lung disease, moderate to severe asthma, serious heart conditions, severe obesity, diabetes, liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and conditions that can cause a person to be immune-compromised, including cancer and cancer treatment, and poorly managed HIV infection.

Persons with underlying medical conditions need to ensure that their conditions are under control by seeing health workers promptly, taking their medications as prescribed, eating vegetable and fruit rich diets and restraining from bad lifestyles such as taking alcohol or tobacco.

Finally, for pregnant women, changes in their bodies and the extra burden posed by the baby increases their vulnerability to infections like COVID-19. If you're pregnant, please take extra precautions because you're more likely to experience the severe COVID-19 disease.

In summary, COVID-19 is very unfriendly to senior citizens who are 65 years and older, any persons regardless of the age with underlying medical conditions, and pregnant women and hence it's advisable that if you are in this group, take extra precautions. Everyone should stay home as much as possible, wash hands regularly with soap and keep social distance.

Let Us All Follow the Guidelines by Ministry of Health, Together We Shall Overcome this Pandemic

The writer is an Epidemiology Fellow with Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Ministry of Health