Behind the mask

Behind the mask

Up close and personal with Covid-19

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
Behind  the mask

Coronavirus -- you've been hearing about it, reading about it, but knock on wood you haven't been infected by it. The world has been sent reeling these past few months because of the virus. Everyone is in a state of panic. Masks are in short supply, sneezing in public places garners dirty looks and everyone is convinced they're living in Raccoon City and the Umbrella Corporation is behind it all (get the Resident Evil reference?). But let's all chill for a sec, which may be difficult to do given the circumstances, but we need to get our facts straight which, apparently, is hard for the Thai Ministry of Public Health to do. Let's talk about Covid-19 and how it affects us in Thailand.

What is the Coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that encompass a number of sicknesses, two of which include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars). The virus that has spread like wildfire, formerly known as "2019 novel coronavirus", is officially named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 or Sars-CoV-2. The disease it causes is named Covid-19, a name we've been hearing and seeing a lot of in the news over the past few months.

WHO: bit.ly/2TBFs3R ECDC: bit.ly/2Q2nw03

Where did it come from?

It originated from Wuhan, China. While the host origin of the disease is still debatable, bats usually serve as hosts for coronaviruses though "several other species of animals" could be viable originators as well, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. In other words, a bat most likely has it, but other animals could probably have it too, so no animal is safe.

ECDC: bit.ly/333PLko

Is it deadly?

The current mortality rate of Covid-2019, reported by WHO on March 3, was 3.4%. Of the total 90,893 reported cases worldwide, 3,110 have died. While people with healthy immune systems don't have cause for concern, older people and those with severe illnesses like pneumonia are more at risk for Covid-19 to become fatal.

ECDC: bit.ly/2v9i1FR

What are the symptoms?

They are similar to the seasonal flu so cold, cough, runny nose, sore throat and aching body. These usually start off really mild but get worse as time goes on. It's also possible to be infected but not show any symptoms. According to WHO, about 80% of infected people recover without any need for special treatment. One out of six people develop serious illnesses and those with existing conditions like diabetes and heart problems are at risk.

WHO: bit.ly/3cJJKxN


PROTECT THYSELF

The virus shows no signs of abating and has yet to reach its peak, according to scientists. The question is how to keep yourself from getting it and how not to spread it, in case you are a carrier. A few suggestions:

Wash your hands but wash them correctly

Just dousing your hands with water doesn't count as washing. Rubbing soap on them absent-mindedly then washing them doesn't do the trick either. As reported by CNN, the CDC released a guide on hand-washing because the virus has proven just how little we know about washing our hands properly. Aside from lathering them thoroughly with soap and making sure you get your nails, the back of your hand and the in-betweens of your fingers, you also need to wash them for a good 20 seconds. Pro-tip: you can hum "Happy Birthday" twice to get the timing right. Or sing the chorus of Lewis Capaldi's Someone You Loved if you like to mix pain and being hygienic.

CNN: cnn.it/39EXzvh

Don't buy masks

Yes, you read that right. Apologies to the Thai Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul, but his outburst on "f***ing farangs" not wearing masks was for nothing. If you are healthy and aren't coughing or sneezing, you don't need to wear a mask. "Better safe than sorry", you say? Well, the problem is that masks are in short supply and you're depriving those who really need them, like the doctors and nurses caring for those infected. It also keeps you from falling into the scam of buying recycled masks. Of course, this no mask alert is about Covid-19. The pollution in Bangkok -- that's another matter.

WHO: bit.ly/2TCLRMg Bangkok Post: bit.ly/38BJ6Pu

Use your own cutlery and straws

Sharing cutlery is common in canteens or public eateries all around. If we're trying to be careful about where our hands have been, we should be extra careful about what goes into our mouths. If you're someone like me who frequents the office canteen, it's better to use your own cutlery so you're assured of putting your own germs into your mouth (that's a picture, isn't it?). If straws are stored in the open-air then there's a possibility someone may have sneezed or coughed nearby so it's better to have your own.

Starbucks has recently announced they're selling their own brand of reusable straws that you can hang on your keychain for B250, as well as their own cutlery set, which you get free for a minimum purchase of B400.


What the Coronavirus and Covid-19 are not

Misinformation, panic and sometimes just a downright lack of common sense can spread as quickly or perhaps even quicker than this disease has. Here are some quick pointers:

Covid-19 is not like your average flu

While the normal flu is caused by coronaviruses and it does share similarities with Covid-19, it's a mistake to say they're the same. According to WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Covid-19 isn't transmitted as easily as the flu, which is the good news. The bad news is that it causes a much more severe disease. While the entire world has already built up immunity to the flu, Covid-19 is brand new. Unlike the flu, Dr Adhanom has said that Covid-19 can and should be contained. Finally, the biggest difference between the two is that as of yet, there is no vaccine.

WHO: bit.ly/2wHeAGH

Covid-19 is not Sars

The virus that caused these diseases are "related to each other genetically", according to WHO but they are not the same. Covid-19 is less deadly than Sars though more infectious.

WHO: bit.ly/3aHNwWs

Covid-19 is not airborne-transmitted

Both the CDC and WHO conclude that Covid-19 is spread through droplets, which are released when a person coughs or sneezes. This is the reason why proximity with someone who's coughing or sneezing is dangerous since the droplets could... well, fall on you. It's also the reason why washing your hands is essential because who knows what kind of gunk is on the stuff your hands have been on. The droplets are too heavy to be transmitted through the air. There is a question though whether people who are asymptomatic are able to spread the virus and the CDC says it might be possible, but everyone agrees people are more contagious when they're coughing and sneezing away.

WHO: bit.ly/3aHNwWs CDC: bit.ly/2TXZPYe

Coronavirus has nothing to do with Corona beer

Seriously guys. Seriously.

It is not an excuse to hoard

As previously mentioned, masks don't really help you at all, so buying them is useless and hoarding them is just being a jerk. Better to stock up on hand sanitiser. There is no need to stalk up on toilet paper, especially since we all have the bum guns.

It is not an excuse to treat Asians or those coming from high-risk countries like crap

It's not an excuse for you to run away from approaching Chinese or Korean people nor is it an excuse to shun your co-worker, who has returned from a Roman holiday. You can be careful and not be a jerk about it. We're all in this together (cue High School Musical).

And it is not an excuse to be oversensitive when people are just trying to be careful

I was at a press event where I met a friend, and when others approached them to shake their hand, they politely refused and explained they were just trying to be safe. Don't go making a big deal when you sneeze or cough and people move away from you or if people refuse to shake your hand. People want to be careful. But as I previously pointed out, you can be careful and still be respectful.


Questions you may not yet have asked but realise you need to

Is Thailand considered a high-risk country?

Qatar and the UAE have imposed a travel ban to Thailand, while Israel has refused entry to anyone coming from here. According to a fact sheet on the Tourism Authority of Thailand news website, there have been 50 recorded cases with 33 cured and one death, while 16 remain in hospitals. Compared to the number of cases in other countries, Thailand's numbers are still pretty tame. Plus, we also have a high number of cured people.

WAM: bit.ly/38y7YHP TAT: bit.ly/2wGsNUk

Is travelling okay?

If you're planning on travelling these next few days, it's probably because you have an unavoidable business trip. If you're one of those who are just taking advantage of the low prices then there's a thin line between courage and stupidity. In the case of Thailand, it's the confusion that seems to be rampant when coming back to the country. The Ministry of Public Health seems to be going back and forth on compulsory and mandatory quarantine for people who arrived from six designated high-risk countries: South Korea, China, Macau, Hong Kong, Italy and Iran. This is where the "better safe than sorry" practice comes in -- better to postpone or cancel your trips rather than risk infection or the headache of unclear processes and procedures when coming back to Thailand.

Bangkok Post: bit.ly/39G21Ky WHO: bit.ly/2v9iojJ

Do I need to stay away from public places and public transportation?

The government has not imposed any bans on specific places or public gatherings though people did take notice of a school that shut down a scheduled protest. Based on how the virus is spread, you don't need to be afraid of breathing in the virus. Wash your hands as much as you can or better yet carry an alcohol-based sanitiser with you at all times.

Khao Sod English: bit.ly/2vbPCPq

Is street food still okay to eat?

Once again, the government hasn't said anything about it but based on the way the virus spreads there is some risk involved in eating street food. I mean, it's street food so there's already some risk involved. Come to think about it, any food prepared by someone else has some risk involved. Guess it's all up to you.


The good news

Despite seemingly scary headlines, there is some good news and a number of heartwarming stories to come out of all this

People are getting cured

Locally, 33 people out of the recorded 50 have been cured. South Korea officials have said that the outbreak is slowing down. China has closed most of the hospitals they quickly built as the number of cases has now plunged and reported the lowest number of cases since it happened. On top of that, Shanghai Disneyland is set to reopen again albeit in a limited capacity, and we all know that Disneyland reopening is definitely a cause for celebration.

Bangkok Post: bit.ly/2Iv1qzc bit.ly/2TSOCIk

People are being creative in greeting one another

While this situation may be an introvert's dream since socialising is being kept to a minimum, others have found creative ways of greeting each other. The handshake is taking a back seat and people have discovered fists bumps and elbow bumps as alternative ways of greeting. Director of epidemic and pandemic diseases at WHO, Dr Sylvie Brand, even retweeted an image that showed "handshake alternatives", which included the wai.

Twitter: bit.ly/38DkB4y

People are helping each other out

You hear a lot of reports about prices of masks being hiked up and recycled masks being sold, but there's also news that'll help you have faith in humanity again. One prime example in Thailand is the Future Forward Party, or the party formerly known as Future Forward, which has launched a crowdsourced site wherein people can find the shops for masks and hand sanitisers. In the US, a sports festival was cancelled due to the outbreak but something good came out of it: the food that was meant for the festival didn't go to waste and was instead sent to the first-responders of the recent tornado in Nashville, Tennessee. There's a silver lining to all of this if you just look and pay attention.

Future Forward Party: bit.ly/2TxL92W 10TV: bit.ly/2wHo2di

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