Monthly Mentor: COVID-19 Is NOT a Hoax
By Carlos R. Wise, M.D.
With the worldwide toll topping 1.9 million cases with nearly 120,000 dead (Source: WorldOMeters.info as of April 13, 2020), and the United States leading the globe in total known cases of this deadly virus, we cannot afford to look foolish at this evolving plague. We hold the title for the most known new cases of Covid-19 in the entire world, and the third worst mortality statistics after Italy and Spain, respectively. To be fair, the population of the United States is orders of magnitude greater than these European countries who have “out-coronaed” us; but we claim to have the most sophisticated healthcare system in the world, so it’s hard to fathom a pestilence sweeping through this land and taking ten thousand of us with it in the space of only three short weeks. Before it is all said and done, there will be scores more. Conservative estimates predict even more Americans will succumb.
In my professional opinion, this virus is spreading so rapidly in our country because there are too many outlets spreading misinformation. We also must grapple with improper leadership that lacks transparency and direction for us. I hope the following will help everyone separate the facts from the fiction, providing firsthand information as someone on the frontlines.
The Disease & The Symptoms
This disease feels worse than allergies. Seasonal allergies are more annoying than sickening, and not associated with fever, body aches, malaise or shortness of breath. Coronavirus is. If you have flu-like symptoms, you possibly have coronavirus, because the attack rate of this virus is high at this time, and we are coming to the end of the Influenza season.
You shouldn’t, however, race into the Emergency Room or your doctor’s office the moment it occurs to you that you might be infected. Instead, you should self-isolate in your home, and try to manage your mild symptoms on your own. All the treatment available for Covid-19 is only supportive care, and reserved for the most severe cases. Indications of this severe disease include: shortness of breath, altered mental status and progressive debility. Of course, no one will fault you for seeking care earlier if you are concerned that you are progressing for the worse instead of the better.
The Treatment
You should expect at least 10- 14 days of illness before you begin to feel better. If you’re self- treating at home, the goals are simple: don’t spread it to your family, hydrate,maintain good nutrition, and treat your fever and aches with Tylenol/acetaminophen.
*There are some early reports that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications could potentially worsen the disease, so avoid that family which includes: Naprosyn, Ibuprofen, Meloxicam, Diclofenac and a few others.
Medical Mythbusters
While it is true that youth, good health, and the absence of chronic conditions confer some protection, these factors do not confer immunity; and if you get sick it is not a foregone conclusion that you will be among those who recover from the virus. The “young and otherwise healthy” are dying too.
There is no known cure. You have to endure the illness and rely upon your body mounting an appropriate immune response, as opposed to an over-response. Immunosuppressant drugs such as Plaquenil, steroids and anti-retroviral drugs have no proven benefit, and are used only experimentally for the sickest people. A bacterial superinfection will buy you some antibiotics, but their role is also unclear without evidence of bacterial pneumonia, which may never appear in this disease.
Living in a warmer climate will not save you. This virus knows no boundaries.
Prevention
While we are all at risk, because we do not have the whole story on this disease, here are a few things you can do to decrease your risk of contracting it and passing it along to others:
Don’t get it in the first place. If you can possibly stay at home until the “all clear” is given, you should. Some of us have jobs that require us to be out and we have no moral or financial choice but to show up for it. The rest of you, STAY AT HOME. Your choice to be out doing unnecessary things like buying potting soil at Lowe’s creates risk not only for yourself, but for others and for ME who will have to attend to you in the emergency room. If your employer has not given you the option to work from home, request it if you can do your job that way.
If you have to be out, wear a mask if you have access to one. Any kind of face covering is better than nothing at all. A bandanna or flimsy surgical mask might result in you inhaling 1,000 viral particles instead of a million. This will give your immune system time to mount a response before the virus can make too many copies of itself to sicken you more severely should you still get infected.
Wipe down or spray mail or packages received with cleansing wipes or an alcohol solution as soon as you get them. Remember to wash your hands immediately after this.
If you have food delivered to the house, wipe down the container and remove the food from the container, placing it on your own dishes. Try to pay for your meal, including tip, online so the deliverer can leave the food at the door, preventing you from having to come in personal contact with them.
Remove your shoes at your door and spray the bottoms with disinfectant.
Don’t rewear your clothes. Wash them after a single use.
Try to avoid touching your face or rubbing your eyes.
If you feel any kind of illness, even slight, stay home.
Eat the best food you can afford. A high antioxidant, low sugar diet will help prime your immune system.
Remember healing takes place during sleep. It’s important to sleep a minimum of six hours but up to 8 - 10 hours in a single block each night is ideal.
Exercise. We recommend 200 minutes of mixed strength and cardiovascular exercise in 40- 50 minute blocks each week. If you are unfortunate to still contract the virus, you will have some cardiopulmonary reserve to survive it.
No shaking hands, hugging, kissing, visiting grandma, or anything like that at this time. FaceTime, Zoom, and Facebook Messenger video chats are a great tool if you’re missing your friends. Following the rules will help you reunite with everyone sooner than later.
Hand washing, hand washing, hand washing.
This is not the time to retreat to our political corners. Corona virus is not a hoax, and it does not prefer one party over the other. This is not the time to wrap yourself in religion like a shawl. Religion and science are not divorced from one another — they can both exist in the same framework. While we may find comfort and peace in our spiritual beliefs, we should also comport ourselves in ways that lower our risks of contracting this virus and spreading it to others. Now is the time to be the people who put Neil Armstrong’s feet on the moon. We need the Salks and Sabins among us in a time like this. Now is the time to believe in ingenuity, invention, innovation, the science of disease transmission, and the prevention of it. Now is the time to approach this poorly understood enemy soberly, but not fearfully; instead with a healthy dose of discipline and strategy.
*These are the professional opinions and suggestions of Carlos R. Wise, M.D. and are not necessarily a representation of the recommendations or policies of the Veterans Association.
Meet the Writer
Dr. Carlos Wise is the acting Chief Medical Officer at the Veterans Association of Columbus, Georgia. An Atlanta native and graduate of Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Wise boasts a proud medical career of over 20 years. His past service includes Director of Education at Columbus Regional Medical Center, where he mentored four groups of residents to graduation. He also served as a flight surgeon for the United States Army, where he earned the Bronze Star during his time in the Iraq War. His proudest accomplishment, however, is being a father to Audacity’s co-founder and editor-in-chief Jessica Wise (pictured left) and her sister Megan.
