The COVID-19 pandemic has been a part of our lives for several months now. Since March the country, and the world, has been hit with this virus. Worldwide over 800,000 people have died due to the Coronavirus, and in the United States over 175,000 have died. In just a few short months this virus has become the third leading cause of death behind Cancer and Heart Disease.

Various parts of the country and the world have been affected differently. For example, I have a college classmate who lives in New York City. In the early stages of the pandemic, New York was the epicenter of the virus, with thousands of people being infected. Unfortunately, the aunt of my classmate was infected and passed away from the illness. Recently, the virus has been contained in New York, but has spread in other areas. I heard from another former classmate who lives in Texas that the Coronavirus has started to spread in her area. Let’s hope the virus is contained in Texas and other areas that have seen an increase in cases.

The COVID-19 virus is an illness that is spread by airborne germs. Talking, coughing, sneezing, and yelling are primary ways that the virus can be spread from person to person. The problem lies in that in many instances, the illness is hidden from the carrier. Many people that have tested positive were asymptomatic and never knew they had the virus. And because of that unsuspectingly passed the virus to other people.

The Center for Disease Control has listed many symptoms to be on the lookout for as potential signs that you may have COVID-19. Dry cough, tiredness and a fever are the most common of the symptoms. Other signs to be alert to include a sore throat, headache, various aches and pains in the body, loss of sense of taste or smell and a rash on hands or feet. Among the more serious symptoms of the Coronavirus are chest pressure or pain, difficulty breathing or having a loss of speech or movement. If you are experiencing any of the last three symptoms, you are advised to seek immediate medical assistance. If you have any combination of the above symptoms, it is recommended that you contact your doctor.

As previously mentioned, many of the cases of COVID-19 are presented by patients that did not have any of the symptoms listed. This is extremely dangerous since they don’t feel sick, they may not take any precautions to prevent the spread of the disease. Taking precautions is the best way to slow down the spread of the virus. While at present there is no guaranteed way to stop the virus completely, slowing down the spread is the best course of action to flatten the curve of virus growth.

Until a vaccine is approved and gets into mass production and distribution, as mentioned taking precautions to slow the spread is our best course of action. While state and local governments in the United States have taken the responsibility to track all the new occurrences of the virus, and trace who they have had contact with, it’s not enough. All of us need to be responsible so that the spread of COVID-19 is slowed down. There are many ways that we all can do our part.

First, we need to be aware of how we are feeling. If you are exhibiting any of the symptoms that are listed previously contact your doctor, and don’t go out into the public. If you are not showing any of the symptoms, you still may be carrying the virus; so, it is recommended that you maintain at least a 6-foot radius from other people. If you are not able to properly social distance, we suggest that you wear a mask in public. Also, wash your hands often to remove any germs you may have picked up. While these tips won’t guarantee you will not get the virus, it will help in slowing the spread.

Stay healthy by following these suggestions and we will get through this together!