• Deadly Respiratory Virus
• Coronavirus & Rhinoviruses are common causes of “common cold” but this strain of coronavirus has never been encountered.
• Infects Humans
• Develop respiratory illness that quickly progresses to
  • Respiratory Failure
  • Multiple Organ Damage
  • Death
• There is NO CURE
• There is NO VACCINE
• It’s a new strain so no one likely to have immunity as at now
• Spread is through “droplets” ( airborne transmission not confirmed yet)
• Incubation period is 2 to 14 days. There are people with the virus who do not have symptoms

Initial Symptoms/Presentation

• Headache
• Fever
• Sorethroat
• Cough
• Sneezing

General Ways to Protect People

• Limit non-essential travel
• Screening at ports of entry
• Avoid crowded areas

What Can Individuals Do

• Stay healthy/improve your immunity by exercising and eating healthy ( 1 in 5 people infected get severe disease)
• Seek professional care when ill
• Avoid close (not less than 3 feet away) contact with people coughing, sneezing.
• Wash hands with soap and water frequently. Use alcohol-based sanitizers when available
• Do not touch your eyes, nose and lips with contaminated hands or other body parts
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue and discard or cough into the curve of your elbow but NEVER into your hands
• Beware of people “shaking their handkerchiefs” close to you
• Avoid eating (or contact with) sick or wild animals or ones of suspicious origin

Workplace Ethics

• Screen for fever at entry points ( with a non-contact thermometer)
• Have handwashing areas at entry point/preferably non-touch hand sanitizers (also at vantage areas)
• Anyone with respiratory symptoms should
  • Visit onsite clinic for appropriate screening and referral if needed
  • In absence of an onsite clinic all ill staff should fill a questionnaire
    • At least one person per shift should be responsible for this screening.

The Health Essentials Team

January, 2020