Federal, state and local officials offer information on stopping, avoiding COVID-19
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has released a list of disinfectant products that it says can kill the novel coronavirus.
The EPA's emerging viral pathogen program evaluates the effectiveness of the listed products to control the virus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. Health officials around the globe have been scrambling for months to contain the spread of the new virus.
More than 500 cases have been reported in the U.S., with more than 20 deaths. The virus's continued spread prompted a massive market tumble Monday morning.
Products such as bleach disinfectant cleaner, Clorox disinfecting wipes and Lysol disinfecting products are on the EPA's lists.
EPA states that coronaviruses “are one of the easiest types of viruses to kill with the appropriate disinfectant product.”
EPA recommends following the directions on the product labels.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services provides a list of steps people can take to reduce their risk of getting COVID-19 or any viral respiratory infections:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Avoid close contact with others
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands
- Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces
The department also says stay away from people who are sick and for people who are sick to stay home.
MU Health Care professionals say the more they learn about COVID-19 they more they realize it’s not as deadly or bad as they originally thought.
An MU Health Care’s infectious disease specialist Christelle Ilboudo said the symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to the flu and it’s hard to tell the differences between the two at first.
Medical professionals rely on travel exposure or people that have been in contact with someone who has COVID- 19 to really focus on.
Most cases health providers have seen are people 56 and older with other chronic medical conditions.
People who have a fever, cough, runny nose and then add shortness of breath is what to expect from COVID-19.
“For the people who are known to have the infection or tested positive," said Ilboudo. "What we would do is work with their health care provider about when it is safe for them to come out of their quarantine once we’ve known that they’ve had it.”
Ilboudo said once there are more cases of COVID-19 health care professionals will be able to tell what the differences are.
Ilboudo also said that a lot of people could get sick with this virus and not even realize it.
“We can at least alleviate some fear and reassure that most healthy people should do fine with this infection if they get it,” said Ilboudo.
Since there isn't a case in the community and the cases in Missouri have been travel-related medical professionals rely on the travel exposure or people that have been in contact with someone who has COVID- 19 to really focus on.
To help decrease the likelihood of getting any illness try to stay away from large crowds, use disinfectant wipes to clean surfaces like shopping carts and doorknobs and wash your hands with soap and water.
To help keep anyone who is sick home MU Health Care added COVID-19 specific visits to there video visit app to help decrease the likelihood of exposing other patients.
“Once we start seeing more and more cases I think this video visit is really going to help not only making sure the people who are healthy and not exposed stay that way but also making sure that we provide the right care to those who potentially have it,” said Ilboudo.
Officials say if the visit is COVID-19 specific it’s only ten dollars.
