-
COVID-19 Variants
In recent months, news of variants of the SARS-CoV-2 have been making waves. A strain of a virus is considered a variant when it has mutations that change its genetic code. Variants of a virus can affect who is most impacted by it, the symptoms that one might experience, how quickly the virus spreads, how deadly it may be, as well as its response to vaccines.
Currently, the known variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus include:
• B.1.1.7 (first identified in the United Kingdom)
• B.1.351 (first identified in South Africa)
• P.1 (first identified in Brazil)In British Columbia, we have so far seen a total of 25 cases of the U.K. variant and 15 cases of the South African variant reported as of February 8th – bringing the total to 40. While the majority of these variants found in our province have been linked to travel, there have been some instances where health officials have been unable to determine the original source. Despite there not yet being any widespread community outbreaks of these variants, they are cause for concern given the alarming rate of transmission that is known to happen, which has been seen in other parts of the world. Also found in each of the variants is a mutation known as E484K. This particular mutation is also equally concerning as research suggests that it has an impact on not just the body’s immune response, but also the efficiency of vaccines.
In order to help further identify these variants in British Columbia, genome sequencing on positive COVID-19 tests is being increased from hundreds to thousands per week – including random sampling of certain demographics, positive tests linked to international travellers, as well as those that have been linked to outbreaks.
In the meantime, British Columbians are urged to continue doing what we know works to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to prevent further spread of the aforementioned variants. This means continuing to follow public health orders – i.e., sticking to your immediate household and avoiding large gatherings, avoiding all non-essential travel, and wearing masks in all indoor public spaces (such as at grocery stores, shopping malls, medical facilities, libraries, etc.) It’s also important to continue utilizing other layers of protection, including keeping a 6 feet/2 metre distance from others when out in public, washing your hands frequently with warm water and soap (or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer), and, most importantly, staying home if you are exhibiting any signs of illness.
-
Managing Stress and Anxiety During COVID-19
Stress and anxiety are two things that most people have experienced in their lives at some point or another. While there are certain things that we can do in effort to prevent them from being daily re-occurrences in our lives, there are also times when the stress and anxiety we live through is often brought on by things we don’t have any control over. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic.As a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the number of Canadians that are experiencing a decline in their psychological health – including not just an increase in stress and anxiety, but also an increase in things like drug and alcohol abuse, as well as individuals having thoughts of suicide. According to a recent study conducted by Statistics Canada, as many as half of all Canadians said their mental health had declined since the start of the pandemic. Subsequently, there has also been an increase in the demand for mental health services, such as a spike in the number of calls received to 24-hour crisis lines, appointments made with counsellors and psychologists, as well as referrals to psychiatrists and other mental-health related programs. Naturally, this high demand for these services has led to making it much more challenging for those who do offer them to respond as quickly as they normally would in a non-pandemic world…and while we may not be able to control these wait times or even be able to control the COVID-19 pandemic itself, for that matter, what we can do our best to try and control for now are two things: The way we go about protecting ourselves and our loved ones from this virus (i.e., by following all public health orders and recommendations – such as washing our hands regularly, wearing face masks, keeping that 6-feet distance from others at all times, working from home, and making sure that we stay home when we’re sick), and how we cope with our thoughts surrounding it.
While getting a handle on your thoughts might sound a lot easier said than done to most – particularly to anyone experiencing severe anxiety since the pandemic – it’s important to remember that our thought process plays a significant role in the feelings that we experience. Given the uncertainty of the virus, no one can fault anyone for feeling anxious, overwhelmed, stressed out, nervous, or scared. While we’ve learned a lot about COVID-19 since the virus first made its impact in Canada back on January 25th (11 months ago), there’s still so much we’ve yet to learn. Furthermore, we have also seen a rapid and concerning increase in the number of newly diagnosed cases (as well as deaths) across the country, leaving some to wonder when they or their family members may be hit with the virus next.
All of this uncertainty can lead to immense feelings of fear, stress and anxiousness. If you happen to be feeling any of these things, then it may give you some level of comfort to know that you’re not alone – while, at the same time, also sadden you even further to know that there are so many others out there who are experiencing the same thing and struggling as much as you may be. On the other hand, some individuals may not even initially realize they’re having a hard time coping, which is why, just as you would all other aspects of your health (for example, if you happened to develop diabetes or suffered a broken bone, then you would do what you needed to do to treat those things), it’s also important for you to be as in-tune with your mental health. If you’re feeling happy, allow yourself to feel happy. If you’re feeling sad, upset, angry or confused, then it’s also important that you allow yourself to feel those emotions, too, and don’t try to compartmentalize them. To compartmentalize your emotions is when you subconsciously (although sometimes it can also be done on a conscious level) put up psychological defense mechanisms in order to avoid things like cognitive dissonance, mental discomfort, and anxiety.
All of that being said, there is one simple task you can to do get better in-tune with your mental health – and that’s practicing self-care. Self-care is defined as a deliberately chosen activity (usually multiple) to help take care of not just your mental and emotional health, but your physical health too. Examples of self-care include things having a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and developing a regular sleep/wake routine – to things that are more creative, like drawing or painting, expressing your thoughts by writing in a journal, as well as meditating. Whatever you choose to do, when you finally do start to get into routine you should also start to notice yourself feeling calmer. That’s not to say that you still won’t experience some level of worry when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic, but by practicing self-care you help shift your focus – and, rather than spending the time worrying over things you can’t control, you’re spending more time focused on yourself and your own wellbeing, which is important. Because much of the news we receive on COVID-19 comes from the news, it’s also a good idea to take breaks. While it’s important to get information, sometimes there can be information overload which can leave you feeling overwhelmed. In times where you find yourself feeling anxious or in a panic, then you may also find deep-breathing exercises to be beneficial – and you can find some helpful techniques by clicking here.
If you continue to struggle, you can find a list of helpful resources via your local Canadian Mental Health Association chapter – including everything from a list of national programs, brochures on different mental health disorders, quizzes, and more by visiting www.CMHA.ca. If you’re having thoughts of suicide, it’s crucial that you seek immediate medical attention.
-
British Columbia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Plan
This week, healthcare workers and residents in long-term care in the United Kingdom were among the first in the world to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Today, Health Canada announced its approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for use in our country, with an expected 249,000 doses of the vaccine to be made available by the end of December, marking the launch of the largest inoculation campaigns in Canada’s history.
Right here in British Columbia, it was announced that the initial rollout of the vaccine would begin the week of December 14th, with 4,000 doses being administered to those who work in long-term care followed by other healthcare workers in addition to long-term care residents and individuals over the age of 80 who are at high-risk for COVID-19. Naturally, because COVID-19 is not something we’ve ever really seen the likes of before and because this is a new vaccine, Canadians have questions – the first and foremost being whether or not the vaccine is safe, along with its rate of effectiveness.
Is the vaccine safe?
Health Canada has carefully reviewed data related to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and continue to track and review data on this and other vaccines (such as the Moderna vaccine) to ensure that it is safe for Canadians, and are fully confident with the information brought forth – thus resulting in the vaccine’s approval in this country.
That being said, as with any vaccine or medication that is administered, there’s always the chance that one could develop an adverse reaction or side-effects – especially given the fact that it is a new vaccine. In the U.K., for example, two healthcare workers developed adverse reactions after being administered the vaccine. As a result, Britain’s medical regulator advised individuals who have a history of significant allergic reactions to vaccines, medications, or foods to avoid it for the time being until they investigated further. However, Canadian health officials have not changed their recommendations at this time and will continue to monitor this and any other unusual developments associated with the vaccine closely.
How effective is the vaccine?
According to final analysis of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, it was found to be up to 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 infection – and that efficiency was also found to be consistent across age and race demographics.
Is the vaccine approved for everyone?
Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have not been approved for women who are pregnant, individuals who are immunocompromised (such as those with cancer), or children under the age of 16. In cases where a child is considered to be at an extremely high-risk for contracting COVID-19 with serious health outcomes as a result, or in cases where children have severe neuro-disabilities, then rare special allowance may be a possibility.
Once vaccinated, do masks still need to be worn?
Yes. As we don’t yet know exactly how the vaccine will work, we all need to ensure that we don’t become lax with news of the vaccine and instead make sure that we continue to use all of the layers of protection that we have come to know work in preventing the spread of COVID-19, such as washing our hands regularly, staying six feet apart from others, staying home when we’re sick, and, of course, wearing face masks in all indoor public places.
How many doses of the vaccine are required?
When it comes to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, 2 doses will be required in order for its full effectiveness to be achieved. Following the first dose of the vaccine, the second will be administered approximately 3 weeks (21 days) later.
Click here to learn more about B.C.’s COVID-19 immunization plan.
-
British Columbia’s Current Province-Wide Orders
On Thursday, November 19th, British Columbia’s health officials – Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer, alongside Adrian Dix, Minister of Health – announced new (and extended) orders in effort to curb the COVID-19 pandemic in our province. It was a lot of information to take it at once, nonetheless, so below we break down what some of these orders mean for British Columbians.
PROVINCE-WIDE RESTRICTIONS
Prior to Thursday’s announcements, many of the restrictions were limited to the Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health regions where they were asked to significantly reduce their social interactions as well as travel. However, these restrictions are now Province-wide and will remain in effect until midnight on December 7th (with the possibility of being extended.)
SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS
It is ordered that British Columbians cannot have social gatherings of any size with anyone other than those already in their immediate household. This means that you should not invite any friends or extended family to your household – including hosting outdoor gatherings, meeting friends for coffee, as well as not having playdates for children. If you live alone, your core bubble can consist of no more than two people. They must be the same two people every time and should be people that you already regularly interacted with in-person prior to the pandemic.
WORKPLACES
Employers must ensure their workplaces review and keep up-to-date their COVID-19 Safety Plan. All employers must post their Safety Plan in the office, as well as post a copy of it on their website (if a website is available.) Employers must also ensure that all of their employees are conducting daily health checks before going to the office. If an employee has any symptoms of COVID-19, whether it’s cough, sore throat, or runny nose, they must stay home no matter how mild those symptoms. Physical distancing must be maintained in offices at all times, in all spaces.
Employers must also make working from home a possibility for their employees. Where there are employees already working from home, employers must immediately suspend their efforts to have those employees return to the office and allow their remote work to continue until at least the new year. “This will be reviewed early in January,” tweeted Health Minister Adrian Dix.
WorkSafe BC will also be increasing their inspections of workplaces. Any workplace found to be non-compliant of any of the orders set forth could be subjected to fines or ordered to close.
TRAVEL
All non-essential travel is to be avoided. This includes travel to and from regions within B.C., as well as travel in and out of the province. This means that you should not travel to go on vacation anywhere, nor should you travel to visit any friends or family outside of your immediate household. For example, as Dr. Bonnie Henry stated during her briefing, if you live in Victoria you should not be going to Tofino – and if you live in Vancouver, you should not be going to Whistler. As for what counts as travel that is considered essential, this would include regular travel for work (as long as it is within your region), as well as if you need to travel to and from medical appointments or if you have to go to the hospital. This type of essential travel is allowed.
FACE MASKS
Masks are now mandatory for everyone in all public indoor settings and workplaces (except for those who are exempt for medical reasons (including psychological), or are under the age of 12.) Examples of indoor public settings where masks are mandatory include malls/shopping centres, grocery stores, coffee shops, libraries, drug stores, clothing stores, liquor stores, community centres, recreation centres, restaurants and bars, and anywhere that is deemed a public place.
When it comes to wearing masks in workplaces, all employers must enforce the mandatory mask policy with both their employees as well as their customers. If you are sitting at your desk and are not next to anyone else, you do not have to wear a mask. However, when away from your desk and around others (for example, in hallways, stairways, breakrooms, elevators, or dealing with customers at a front counter), you are expected to wear a mask.
Remember, it’s important that everyone do their part and follow these orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Click here for a complete list of the Province-wide restrictions and orders issued by the PHO.
-
Layers of Protection
When it comes to preventing the spread of viruses like the common cold or flu, we know that there are relatively easy measures to take to try to avoid getting sick – such as staying home when we’re unwell, avoiding contact with those who we know are sick, washing our hands, and so on and so forth. With COVID-19, all of these measures still apply in addition to a few others – but what are all the layers of protection we can take and how, exactly, do they protect us?
#1 – KEEPING YOUR DISTANCE
What we know about COVID-19 is that it is easily spread from person to person via respiratory droplets (i.e., by coughing, sneezing, and even talking) – particularly when you are in close contact with an infected individual. What you or the other individual may not know, however, is whether or not you have the virus, as it’s possible to be infected while asymptomatic. For this reason, it’s important that we practice physical distancing from others at all times by staying at least 2 metres (6 feet) apart. While it’s still possible to contract COVID-19 by having contact with others – we know that the further the distance, the lower the risk.#2 – WASHING YOUR HANDS
Washing your hands is something you should be going regardless of COVID-19. That being said, it’s an extra important measure to take amid the pandemic, and you should be doing so frequently. The method in which you wash your hands is also just as equally important. For example, you should be using warm soap and water, and scrubbing your hands together for at least 20 to 30 seconds. By doing this, you disrupt and inactivate the virus on the skin. If you don’t wash your hands, you could easily contract the virus simply by touching your face.If, for some reason, soap and water isn’t immediately available to you, then hand sanitizer is an alternative option for you to use – but you need to ensure that the sanitizer you use contains at least 60% alcohol (or higher.) While you don’t need to use an excessive amount of sanitizer in order for it to be effective, you should make sure you use enough so that it envelopes both hands – from the palms, to each finger, as well as the tops of your hands; and always be sure to still wash your hands as soon as you have the chance.
#3 – WEARING A FACE MASK
While one of the best ways to prevent the spread and contraction of the virus is to stay home, not everyone has the ability to do that. We also still need to go out and buy our everyday essentials (i.e., get groceries, pick up medications, etc.) While masks are not mandated in British Columbia, many businesses have implemented their own mask policies where they are a requirement prior to entry for both staff and customers. Furthermore, B.C.’s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, has stated that it is the “expectation” that where masks (except in cases where a person may not be able to – i.e., if they have a disability that prevents them from being able to put on or remove a mask, etc.) Face masks are another important layer of protection that can help prevent the spread of droplets, and you can view an example of just how far droplets can spread with and without the use of face masks here.#4 – DAILY HEALTH CHECKS
As part of the updated Provincial health orders issued by Dr. Henry on November 7th, employers are required to have a COVID-19 safety plan, which also must include having their employees do daily health checks to ensure that they are not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. These health checks are mandatory. If an employee is experiencing symptoms such as a cough, fever or chills, loss of sense of smell or taste, sore throat, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or if they have travelled outside of Canada within the last 14 days, have been identified as being a close contact of someone with COVID-19, or were told to isolate by public health, then they should not be entering the workplace. Furthermore, Dr. Henry has also ordered that any employers that have employees who are considered high-risk for COVID-19 should allow them to work from home if feasible (i.e., if they were able to work from home previously.) Further information on how to conduct daily health checks can be found on WorkSafe BC’s website.#5 – STAYING HOME WHEN SICK
While we used to go places when we had mild forms of illness, that’s not something we should be doing given the COVID-19 pandemic. While you may not have COVID-19, its symptoms can mimic that of the common cold or flu – such as having a cough or fever. As such, if you are sick, and even if your symptoms are extremely mild, you need to stay home and away from others. It’s also recommended that anyone who is experiencing symptoms of illness be tested for COVID-19. You can find a COVID-19 testing centre in your area by clicking here. -
B.C. Now in Second Wave of COVID-19
Cases of COVID-19 are once again on the rise in British Columbia, which means a few things.
Firstly, it means that British Columbia is now into its second wave of COVID-19 – this per Dr. Bonnie Henry. It also means that we’re at a very critical time in terms of the approaching winter season and that we once again need to make major changes in terms of how we’re going about our daily lives – whether it’s socially, at school, or at work. In her latest news briefing, Dr. Henry pointed out that many of the latest transmissions of the virus are happening as a result of large gatherings – such as weddings and funerals – where there will be approximately 30 or 40 people in attendance, in addition to the arrival of extra unexpected guests, as well as trouble limiting the number of attendees and having safe social distancing measure. Events such as these involve interaction, which then leads to transmission of the virus. As a result, Dr. Henry says that there could be further restrictions imposed if things do not change – and, that it is important we stick to our “safe six” social bubble, and that we avoid switching up who is in said bubble.
Furthermore, Dr. Henry also went on to state that employers should be taking all precautions necessary to ensure their employees are safe – such as not having everyone in the office at one time, staggering breaks, ensuring social distancing and other measures are met (i.e. plexiglass dividers and cleaning stations), and, in situations where they have employees who are considered high-risk for COVID-19 (such as having an underlying medical condition that increases their risk of contracting the virus), that accommodations be made to allow those employees to work from home – which is something many offices had to do at the start of the pandemic, and may now need to revert back to temporarily.
Essentially, we all have to go back to basics and doing what we know works in order to keep ourselves and everyone around us as safe as possible, and to prevent the virus from getting out of control. That means not only following the aforementioned guidelines above, but also washing our hands regularly with soap and water (or using hand sanitizer in scenarios where soap and water isn’t readily available), disinfecting all high-touch areas, and only going out for essentials (i.e. groceries and medications.) Now is the time for everyone to work together to continue to eradicate COVID-19.
While no cases of influenza have been reported in British Columbia yet, it’s also important to take that extra precaution to prevent the spread of the flu by getting your flu vaccine, which can be booked with your physician’s office or pharmacy. You can also find out where the flu shot is available, as well as find more information on the benefits of the vaccine, by visiting Immunize BC’s website at www.immunizebc.ca.
To stay up-to-date on the latest COVID-19 data, visit www.bccdc.ca.
-
Coping with COVID-19 and Anxiety
If you’ve noticed an increase in your anxiety levels as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re not alone. It’s not uncommon to struggle during times of uncertainty and change, and you, like many others around the world, may be finding it difficult to cope. While life is uncertain in many different aspects, global pandemics and other world events can cause even greater uncertainty, which ultimately causes even greater anxiety in us than what we might normally be used to. The key is finding healthy, positive ways to cope with that anxiety – and, if you yourself aren’t feeling anxious but know someone who is, then it’s also important to be compassionate towards those who may be feeling overwhelmed.
Because we spend more time watching the news (or getting our news from social media), this can also cause an increase in anxiety. While it’s important to stay in the know in terms of what’s going on in the world, including news on COVID-19, you can also fall into something known as information overload – and, when our attention is drawn to something like COVID-19 for so long, we begin to focus on and think about it more, almost in a subconscious way. If you find that the news and/or social media has become too overwhelming for you, you don’t have to cut yourself off from it completely. You can, however, control how much time you spend watching television and on social media by limiting yourself. Many social media platforms also have the option to limit or block certain words or hashtags. So, if you don’t want to get as much information on COVID-19 on your timeline, you may want to temporarily add it to your list of blocked words, or only follow one or two reliable social media accounts for news on COVID-19 as opposed to several at once. On the other hand, because we’ve had to learn to socially distance and may not be able to have in-person get-togethers with friends and family for the time being, social media use has also increased significantly as more and more people are using it as a method of communication during this pandemic. Therefore, simply be mindful as to how much social media exposure you’re getting, and the kind of information you’re being subjected to and the fact that it could potentially be a contributor to your anxiety.
Similarly, even talking about COVID-19 constantly can sometimes be too much for people and cause an increase in anxiety. For example, if you’re on the phone with a friend, family member, or co-worker. To counteract this anxiety, try to avoid long discussions about it and let those you’re talking to know that the subject makes you uncomfortable. For all you know, they could even feel the same way. Instead, turn your conversations to positive topics of discussion.
Many people have also suffered job loss or financial hardships as a result of COVID-19. By March, the unemployment rate in the country jumped to 7.8% (from 2.2%), with more than one million Canadians losing their job as a direct result of the pandemic. Job loss can not only be difficult on you financially, as mentioned, but it can also cause a decline in both your physical and mental health, which can lead to other impacts – such as loss of motivation, loss of social contacts, and increased feelings of sadness and/or anger, and could even lead to depression. While coping with unemployment is hard, it’s important to remember the things you’re still in control of. It can also be helpful to set a budget for yourself and identify areas in which you may need to cut back on your spending. If you’re actively looking for a job and want to keep busy in-between work, this is also a positive thing as it can keep your mind from going to dark places. To stay engaged, you could sign up for volunteer work, look for freelance opportunities, or join free online courses. For help with your job search, you can find a list of available job opportunities via www.workbc.ca or www.jobbank.gc.ca.
While coping with anxiety may also sometimes feel embarrassing, it’s important to remember, as mentioned at the start of this article, that you’re not alone. It’s also important to know that help is out there if you need it, with various mental health resources available across Canada in addition to 24/7 help lines where you can be connected with someone one on one.
-
COVID-19 Q&A: Part 8
“If I have cold or flu-like symptoms, could it be COVID-19?”
COVID-19 comes with a long list of symptoms – many of which can mimic that of the common cold or flu, such as fever, nasal congestion or runny nose. While it’s very possible you could just have a simple common cold or the flu, it’s also possible that it could be COVID-19 – which is why it’s important to not only get tested if you’re exhibiting any symptoms, but also stay home if you are feeling sick – no matter how mild your symptoms are. Staying home when you’re sick will help prevent the spread of COVID-19.“If the flu vaccine doesn’t protect against COVID-19, why should I get one?”
Influenza is something we have to worry about each year. With COVID-19 expected to coincide with this year’s flu season, this means that healthcare systems could potentially be overwhelmed with having to treat patients with both COVID-19 and the flu. As a result, getting the flu vaccine is important now more than ever. Not only that, but getting a flu vaccine could significantly reduce the risk of developing serious illness as a result of the flu – in addition to decreasing the risk of being hospitalized, and even death. It’s recommended that anyone over the age of 6 months (and those who are considered high-risk, such as the elderly), get the flu vaccine. You can find more information on the flu vaccine by visiting www.immunizebc.ca.“Why are the elderly more susceptible to COVID-19?”
As you get older, the risk for serious illness – including COVID-19 – increases. This means that the chance for hospitalization (including being placed in intensive care, and/or on a ventilator, as well as death) also goes up exponentially as a result. These risks also increase if you happen to have any underlying medical conditions, such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and other respiratory diseases, diabetes, and more. If you’re in the high-risk category, you should take extra precautions to keep yourself safe – such as only going out for essential items (groceries and medications) and ensuring you’re wearing a mask when you do, washing your hands regularly and avoiding contact with those who are ill – which are measures we all need to take regardless of age.“What does it mean when someone is an epidemiologically-linked case of COVID-19?”
Someone who is an epidemiologically-linked (or “epi-linked”) case of COVID-19 is an individual who is a close contact of someone who was already a confirmed case of COVID-19, or someone who has lived or worked in a facility where there is a known outbreak of the virus – such as in a long-term care facility.“When should I get tested for COVID-19 and when should I quarantine?”
Anyone who is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 – even if they’re mild – should be tested for the virus, and also quarantine themselves immediately before and following their test. (You can find a testing centre in your area by clicking here.) You should also quarantine if you’re a close contact of someone who has COVID-19. Being a close contact means that you’ve either been within 6 feet of an infected person for 15 minutes or longer, provided care to someone who has COVID-19, had direct physical contact with an infected individual, and/or shared eating/drinking utensils with an infected individual. If you’ve been in contact with someone who is infected with COVID-19, you’re required to stay home for 14 days after your last contact with that person.“Can COVID-19 stay on surfaces? If so, for how long?”
The most common way COVID-19 is spread is through person-to-person contact. However, the virus can also live on certain surfaces for a period of time, such as countertops and other high-touch areas, which is why it’s also important to ensure that you are doing regular cleaning and disinfecting of these surfaces – including countertops, keyboards, tv remotes, telephones, etc. You can learn more about safe cleaning and disinfecting here. -
Halloween and COVID-19
Any other year, Halloween would be a time for parties, paying visits to haunted houses, and going trick-or-treating with your friends. However, with Halloween just a few weeks away and COVID-19 still in our midst, many people are wondering exactly how they’re going to be able to safely go about navigating it without putting their health – or the health of others – at risk – and below you will find some helpful guidelines set out by the CDC.
Halloween Parties
First and foremost, you should skip attending a large Halloween party if you’re invited to one. Big indoor gatherings such as these are not recommended (and are actually prohibited f safe social distancing measures cannot be met) and can be a breeding ground for germs, including the spread of COVID-19. Furthermore, you may not be familiar with everyone who is in attendance and whether or not they have the virus or have recently been exposed to it, thus putting yourself and others at risk. If you do want to attend or host a Halloween party, make sure you keep it within your small household bubble in addition to your “safe six”, and do not allow anyone to bring any plus ones/people you don’t know.
As the weather is changing, it’s usually cooler on Halloween night, but if at all possible then it’s suggested you spend more time outdoors than in – as being indoors generally poses a higher risk when it comes to the spread of COVID-19. If you are going to be inside, then you should keep the area you’re in well-ventilated (i.e. by opening windows.) You should also avoid passing around or sharing drinks and snacks, and avoiding using things like smoke machines, as these may induce coughing – and, as you know, coughing is one way the virus can spread (via respiratory droplets.)
Trick-or-Treating
When going trick-or-treating, you should avoid going to busy areas and instead stick to your local neighbourhood. Also be mindful that not every household will be giving out candy – so be respectful by not knocking on doors if the lights are out. If you’re going to be trick-or-treating in a group, that group should be no greater than 6 people and you should also leave enough space between you when walking to help reduce crowding. You should also be wearing a non-medical grade face mask; however, you should not wear a costume mask over top of a non-medical grade face mask as this might make it difficult for you to breathe.
Because you’ll be handling things that others have touched when trick-or-treating (i.e. stair railings) and may want to snack on some Halloween candy as you’re out and about, it’s also a good idea to carry around hand sanitizer with you, and make sure you wash your hands as soon as you’re back home.
Handing Out Candy
If you’re not going to be trick-or-treating but do plan on handing out candy this year and you’re still worried about coming into contact with others, there are still some safe ways you can go about this. When answering your door to give out treats, wear a non-medical grade mask. When handing out treats, avoid allowing everyone to reach into one shared bowl. Instead, it’s recommended that you either use tongs to hand out treats to avoid physical contact, or have single, pre-packaged treats ready to go. At the end of the night, it’s also recommended that you disinfect high-touch surface areas such as railings, doors, doorbells, and doorknobs.
Other Alternatives
If you’re going to all together skip handing out candy and taking the kids trick-or-treating this year, there are some other fun Halloween-themed activities you can still do with the family – such as pumpkin carving, setting up a backyard Halloween scavenger hunt, holding a Halloween costume contest, or having a Halloween movie night.
-
COVID-19: What We Know Now
At the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak, very little was known about the virus. What was known, however, was that it was a form of coronavirus (the same virus that causes the common cold, for example), which is a respiratory pathogen – and that it was much more serious and also had the potential to be fatal. As it began to rapidly spread on a global scale, countries had to make quick decisions on how they were going to address it head on and what their response would be, with some even having to implement strict lockdown measures in areas where infection rates were at their highest. Things that were also unknown about the virus in its early stages included how its cause, transmission, who was most at-risk, in addition to the full list of possible symptoms that came along with it. Here’s what we’ve learned in the last 10 months.
CAUSE OF COVID-19
What we knew then: When COVID-19 first emerged, we knew that it had origins that were genetically similar to coronaviruses found in bats.
What we know now: In addition to the aforementioned information, we know that, as mentioned, COVID-19 is also a form or coronavirus. Coronaviruses are type of virus that cause things like the common cold, or other types of infections in the nose, sinuses, or upper throat. Typically, coronaviruses are not considered dangerous. However, COVID-19 can trigger a serious infection of the lower respiratory tract, such as a lung infection (i.e. pneumonia.)
TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19
What we knew then: Because COVID-19 was not a form of coronavirus that had ever been seen before, it quickly got the attention of scientists on a global scale. As a result of the way it was rapidly spreading, epidemiologists began to conduct field investigations in effort to determine not just how the virus started, but who was infected, when they first became ill with the virus, where they were and who they were around when they fell ill, and how it was spreading.
What we know now: Much like other forms of coronaviruses, COVID-19 is most easily spread by coming into contact with an infected individual’s respiratory droplets. This can occur as a result of having close or prolonged personal contact with someone who has the virus, as well as coming into contact with an high-touch areas where respiratory droplets have landed and then by touching your mouth, nose or eyes with unclean hands.
WHO’S MOST AT RISK
What we knew then: In its early stages, COVID-19 had a high infection rate in people over the age of 60.
What we know now: In addition to those over the age of 60 being considered high-risk for COVID-19, we know that individuals with underlying conditions are also at an increased risk of contracting the virus; including those with asthma or other respiratory conditions (such as COPD), those who have chronic kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, are overweight or obese, have cancer, or those who are immunocompromised. COVID-19 also does not discriminate when it comes to age. While older individuals are still considered higher risk, there has been an increase in reported cases – particularly those between the ages of 20 and 40, and we have also seen cases where children have developed COVID-19.
SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19
What we knew then: In its early stages, it was thought that the central symptoms associated with COVID-19 were fever and pneumonia.
What we know now: As time as gone on, we have learned that there are plenty of other symptoms associated with the virus – and that they are easily mistaken for other common illnesses, like the common cold, flu, or even allergies. For example, one might experience very mild symptoms such as nasal congestion or a runny nose, sore throat, cough, fatigue, and low-grade fever; while on a more severe scale, can develop a high fever and have difficulty breathing (which is considered a medical emergency, and may require hospitalization as well as for the patient to receive oxygen or be placed on a ventilator.)