Author Topic: Sound Advice at last!  (Read 5295 times)

Tee Gee

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 6,926
  • Huddersfield - Light humus rich soil
    • The Gardener's Almanac
Sound Advice at last!
« on: March 24, 2020, 17:24:16 »
Some sensible advice from a nurse... thought I should share.

“What I have seen a lot of are recommendations for how to try to avoid getting coronavirus in the first place -- good hand washing, personal hygiene and social distancing -- but what I have NOT seen a lot of is advice for what happens if you actually get it, which many of us will.

So as your friendly neighbourhood Nurse let me make some suggestions:


You basically just want to prepare as though you know you’re going to get a nasty respiratory bug, like bronchitis or pneumonia.

You just have the foresight to know it might come your way!

Things you should actually buy ahead of time (not sure what the obsession with toilet paper is?): Kleenex, Paracetamol,

Whatever your generic, mucus thinning cough medicine of choice is (check the label and make sure you're not doubling up on Paracetamol)

Honey and lemon can work just as well!

Vick Vapourub for your chest is also a great suggestion.


If you don’t have a humidifier, that would be a good thing to buy and use in your room when you go to bed overnight.

(You can also just turn the shower on hot and sit in the bathroom breathing in the steam).

If you have a history of asthma and you have a prescription inhaler, make sure the one you have isn’t expired and refill it/get a new one if necessary.


This is also a good time to meal prep: make a big batch of your favourite soup to freeze and have on hand.

Stock up on whatever your favorite clear fluids are to drink - though tap water is fine you may appreciate some variety!


For symptom management and a fever over 38°c, take Paracetamol rather than Ibuprofen.

Hydrate (drink!) hydrate, hydrate!

Rest lots.

You should not be leaving your house!

Even if you are feeling better you may still be infectious for fourteen days and older people and those with existing health conditions should be avoided!

Ask friends and family to leave supplies outside to avoid contact.


You DO NOT NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL unless you are having trouble breathing or your fever is very high (over 39 °C) and unmanaged with meds.

90% of healthy adult cases thus far have been managed at home with basic rest/hydration/over-the-counter meds.

If you are worried or in distress or feel your symptoms are getting worse, ring 111, and they will advise if you need to go to hospital.

The hospital beds will be used for people who actively need oxygen/breathing treatments/IV fluids.

If you have a pre-existing lung condition (COPD, emphysema, lung cancer) or are on immunosuppressants, now is a great time to talk to your Doctor or specialist about what they would like you to do if you get sick.

One major relief to your parents is that kids do VERY well with coronavirus— they usually bounce back in a few days (but they will still be infectious), Just use paediatric dosing .

Be calm and prepare rationally and everything will be fine. Share this as its great advice!""

AND .....

Consultant in acute and respiratory medicine at Northwick Park hospital in north London has passed on this

Hi everyone

Just want to say – I’ve seen quite a few people with COVID-19 since Sunday. 

The vast majority are fine. 

They seem to have one week of fever, a few days of dry cough and then sometimes breathlessness on day 8 or 9.

 Most people are fine to stay at home and recover in about 10 days. 

If it is going to be bad it is around day 9 or 10 and the breathlessness gets rapidly worse at that point. 

We have had five patients who needed ITU, but they all have heart or lung disease, and are quite elderly. 

Thankfully children seem to be invincible.
 
I’ve never known anything like this – but we’re planning for huge numbers of people needing intensive care and working out how to cope.

 We’ve managed to segregate our whole hospital into unknown (in single rooms), positive and negative areas. 

We’ve moved a whole intensive care unit and 4 other wards in 3 days flat – this sort of change usually takes at least 6 months to get agreed!
 
I think we need to worry about our elderly relatives but not our age group or our kids. 

It seems pretty clear that a large proportion of the UK will get this, hopefully spread out over months rather than all at once like Italy. 

Once enough people have had it then herd immunity will mean it dies out. 

So if the frail elderly can hibernate for a few months hopefully we can keep mortality down.
 
Anyway, if you have any Covid-19 questions, I know an awful lot more about it now than I did 2 weeks ago, so feel free to ask!
 
BW
Rachel
 
Dr Rachel Tennant
Consultant in Respiratory & Acute Medicine

markfield rover

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,487
Re: Sound Advice at last!
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2020, 10:31:06 »
Thanks Tee Gee , reassuring.

cudsey

  • Half Acre
  • ***
  • Posts: 206
Re: Sound Advice at last!
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2020, 18:51:12 »
Thank you Tee Gee for putting this on to help us deal with the situation
Barnsley S Yorks

 

SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal