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COVID-19: Symptoms, How it Spreads & How To Stay Safe
Sep 08, 2020
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COVID-19 how it spreads
As of December 2019 when the infectious respiratory disease known as COVID-19 was first discovered in Wuhan, China, it has rapidly spread to neighboring countries and beyond. Within the United States, January 21, 2020 was when the first case was found in Washington state. By March, the disease was found in all 50 states. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), is greatly affected by ongoing traveling, attendance at professional and social events,and introduction into facilities. The CDC also informs us that one can easily become infected by coming into close contact with a person who has COVID-19.
Spreading Infection
The World Health Organization and the CDC both update their websites regularly to reflect the specifics around the spread of COVID-19. Current evidence suggests that COVID-19 spreads between people through direct, indirect (through contaminated objects or surfaces), or close contact with infected people via mouth and nose secretions.
Anytime a person coughs or sneezes, or simply touches their mouth without realizing, the germs have potential to infect another healthy (or immunocompromised) person. The infected droplets on objects and surfaces are called fomites, and can remain on a surface such as tables, doorknobs, and handrails. A large portion of the disease is spread from infected people touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose, or mouths before cleaning their hands.
As stated previously in our blog post “The Elderly At Risk for COVID-19” it is understood that the 65 and older community is at highest risk for developing severe complications due to COVID-19. This is for a number of reasons— having underlying health conditions common with aging, and the proximity to other older people in long term care facilities who are also severely immunocompromised, just to name a few.
Symptomatic vs Asymptomatic
In an article specific to the spread of COVID-19, the World Health Organization makes a distinction between those who are symptomatic and asymptomatic. “The difference is that asymptomatic refers to people who are infected but never develop symptoms during the period of infection while pre-symptomatic refers to infected people who have not yet developed symptoms but do go on to develop symptoms later.” Public health officials working to prevent the transmission of the virus, have ruled that people may be most infectious when they first start to show symptoms of COVID-19.
Symptoms of COVID-19 can be different for everyone, but some of more alarming red flags that caretakers should be mindful of are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. For a more extensive list of symptoms, see our article “Understanding COVID-19.”
In terms of fever symptoms in older adults (aged 65 and older), normal body temperature can be lower than in younger adults. For this reason, the CDC suggests fever temperatures can also be lower in older adults. Fevers should be monitored closely especially if you’re caring for an elderly person— for both your safety and theirs. If you’re taking the temperatures of an elderly person, be aware that a single reading higher than 100°F (37.8°C), multiple readings above 99°F (37.2°C), or a rise in temperature greater than 2°F (1.1°C) above the patient’s normal (baseline) temperature may be a sign of infection.
How to Stay Safe
After spending months quarantining, we understand the importance of getting out of the house for some fresh air. Simple daily tasks that were once a nice way to break up the day, have become a point of stress, especially when you understand you could be putting you or your loved one at risk. The CDC likes to make one thing clear: there is no way to ensure you have zero risk of infection, so it is important to understand how to keep yourself as safe as possible.
Evaluate your level of risk before you decide to go out and about, especially if it’s an outing with the person you’re caring for. If you’re planning a visit to a loved one in a long term care facility, but are feeling you may want to follow these suggestions from the CDC:
When to delay or cancel a visit
β Delay or cancel a visit if you or your visitors have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
β Anyone who has had close contact with a person with COVID-19 should stay home and monitor for symptoms.
Learn about the common symptoms of COVID-19, reasons why older people have a wide variety of symptoms & how to spot early signs of COVID-19 in the elderly.
Learn why the elderly have a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 & why the risks are higher when they have underlying health conditions.
Learn about the signs when your loved one faces comprehension difficulties. Know how a cognitive impairment disease can affect you & your loved ones.
You’ve heard the name many times by now— Coronavirus (or COVID-19) is a disease that’s become so deadly it’s spiraled us into a global pandemic. For those unfamiliar with how it got its name, βin COVID-19, 'CO' stands for 'corona,' 'VI' for 'virus,' and 'D' for the disease. According to the CDC, “coronavirus” is actually an umbrella term for a family of viruses that can cause illness in animals or humans.
No matter what age, we all have moments of confusion. But when your elderly loved one is consistently exhibiting these signs, it might be because s/he is undergoing cognitive impairment. Having difficulty comprehending is a common sign these problems; however, it is often brushed aside as "old age." The person experiencing these difficulties may make excuses: the TV shows today are too complicated, their family members talk too fast, the lights are too dim to read. Ignoring the signs of comprehension difficulties, though, just make life harder for everyone involved. Comprehension and Confusion Comprehension is the opposite of confusion. Comprehension is a complex process in the brain through a system of nerves and chemicals, and it involves language, recognition, and function processes. Cognitive impairment disorders like dementia and Alzheimer's disrupt those complex processes. It can manifest as sudden memory loss, impaired motor coordination, and other more subtle thought processes that we will discuss. When someone has difficulty with comprehension, s/he has trouble putting together the various actions needed to perform a task. For example, your mom might need a cup from the cupboard. In order to do so, she must first decide she wants the cup. Then she might need to get out of her chair, walk across the kitchen, raise her hand, open the cupboard, and take the cup out of the cupboard. If she has difficulty with comprehension, she will have a hard time putting all of these elements to work to achieve her goal, which might result in several different outcomes: she could fall, break the cup, or just forget what she was doing before she reaches the cupboard. She knows what she wants to do but has trouble making all the connections necessary to get there. How Cognitive Impairment Affects Your Loved One Difficulty comprehending is frustrating for your elderly loved one and for you, but the first step toward helping your loved one is understanding what s/he is experiencing. Here are some examples of how someone with dementia or Alzheimer's disease might have trouble comprehending everyday situations. TV/books: Someone with dementia might not be able to follow a basic storyline and could not tell somebody else what is going on in the TV show or book. Social situations: Someone with dementia might see two children playing and interpret that they are fighting or vice versa. The person with dementia may step in and try to resolve the situation without realizing what is actually happening. Conversations: As with the TV/book example, someone with dementia can't follow an everyday conversation . S/he doesn't know who or what is being discussed and especially cannot tell when the subject matter has changed. Time: Someone with trouble comprehending will have difficulty telling time and might not know whether it is day or night. How Cognitive Impairment Affects You Because of these comprehension difficulties, the person experiencing dementia or Alzheimer's disease will rely on the people around him/her to tell him/her what is going on. For instance, your loved one may constantly ask you to repeat yourself. S/he may also have trouble following instructions. These situations can be aggravating for you, particularly if they are new, however it is important to understand that your loved one is not trying to bother you by failing to follow directions or asking you to repeat information over and over. These are symptoms of cognitive impairment , and neither you nor they can control it. If your family member begins to exhibit any of these signs, take him or her to your physician with a description of the comprehension difficulties you've noticed so that s/he has plenty of information for a cognitive function assessment. If the doctor diagnoses dementia or Alzheimer's, ask specific questions about treatment so that you can do your part to serve your loved one despite mild cognitive impairment. It is important to get help for your loved one, and there is no reason for you to care for your loved one alone. Caring for an aging relative requires time, patience, and expert care. Complete Care At Home can help you create a customized plan to meet the unique needs of your loved one with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Contact us today for an expert assessment.
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