PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — It's official — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now recommending people wear a face covering when leaving the house to help keep themselves from spreading or catching the coronavirus.
Placer County Public Health Director Amiee Sisson said while people living in Placer County should wear a face covering, they should not to rush to the stores and buy N95 or surgical mask, which would take away from the already low stock needed for healthcare workers.
"Pretty much everybody has something around the house already that they can wear," Sisson said. "There's no need to go out and try to buy a mask,”
You don't need sewing skills to have a face covering that is secure. Sisson says that Google can be a resource in finding ways to make a face covering that allows you to get a fairly tight fit around your face.
"You don't necessarily need to go online and order a fabric mask," Sisson said. "I've seen very creative people on the internet who are taking bed sheets, have taken advantage of the hem that is already there, poking some holes in the corner, cutting some strips, putting a paper clip inside the hem, using that as a nose pinch and the torn-off strips as straps."
Sisson said you should wash your hands before you put a face covering on, then wash your hands again, and do the same thing when you take it off.
And, at the end of day, wash your face covering with hot water and dry it on high.
"If it develops holes, if it stretches out to the point where it's no longer fitting well, those would be good times to start with a new one," Sisson said.
A face covering is not a substitute to social distancing. People should still continue to stay home, wash their hands, and stay 6 feet away from others while doing essential activities.
"My face covering protects you, and your face cover protects me,” Sisson said.
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Coronavirus Background
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine; however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
WHY HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE SO CONCERNED
Some people have compared the low overall death toll to the flu's high annual death toll in the United States as a reason not to be concerned about COVID-19, however, doctors and health officials are concerned for three main reasons:
- Some people have built up immunity to the flu, but few have immunity to COVID-19 version of coronavirus.
- Both the flu and COVID-19 are spread by droplets, but COVID-19 might be spread in the air. Scientists are researching exactly how COVID-19 spreads.
Follow the conversation on Facebook with Monica Coleman.
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