April 9, 2020
Dear ASC Members,
We hope you are all really taking care and precautions in this worsening crisis of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Please take care of yourself and elder members of the family and stay safe.
We trust you are practicing “social distancing” and taking all preventative actions (at least 20 seconds of frequent hand washing with soap, use of face masks, use of sanitizers etc.).
Keeping the current situation in mind, we have decided to postpone any further ASC events until further notice. We will continue to monitor the updates from the Provincial and Federal Governments as well as health authorities to determine when we can resume our activities.
Meanwhile, here is some information you may find useful in keeping yourself and your loved ones safe. Visit http://covid-19.ontario.ca for the latest information.
Sincerely,
Your 2018-20 Executive Committee.
Coronaviruses
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more serious respiratory infections like bronchitis, pneumonia or severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
Coronaviruses are spread mainly from person to person through close contact, for example, in a household, workplace or health care centre.
Some human coronaviruses spread easily between people, while others do not.
Your risk of severe disease may be higher if you have a weakened immune system. This may be the case for:
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older people
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people with chronic disease (for example, diabetes, cancer, heart, renal or chronic lung disease)
The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) causes a respiratory infection that originated in Wuhan, China.
The first presumptive case of this infection in Ontario was identified on January 25, 2020.
Symptoms and treatment
Symptoms range from mild – like the flu and other common respiratory infections – to severe. The most common symptoms include:
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fever
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cough
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difficulty breathing
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muscle aches
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fatigue
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headache
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sore throat
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runny nose
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Loss of taste – newly added
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Loss of smell – Newly added
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Loss of hearing – newly added
Complications from the 2019 novel coronavirus can include serious conditions, like pneumonia or kidney failure, and in some cases, death.
There are no specific treatments for coronaviruses, and there is no vaccine that protects against coronaviruses. Most people with common human coronavirus illnesses will recover on their own.
You should:
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drink plenty of fluids
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get rest and sleep as much as possible
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try a humidifier or a hot shower to help with a sore throat or cough
If you start to feel symptoms of COVID-19
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Anyone who begins to feel unwell (fever, new cough or difficulty breathing) should return home and self-isolate immediately.
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People who are self-isolating should seek clinical assessment over the phone – either by calling their primary care provider’s office or Telehealth Ontario1-866-797-0000. If you need additional assessment, your primary care provider or Telehealth Ontario will direct you to in-person care options.
If you need immediate medical attention you should call 911 and mention your travel history and symptoms.
How to protect yourself
Coronaviruses are spread mainly from person to person through close contact, for example, in a household, workplace or health care centre.
There is no vaccine available to protect against the 2019 novel coronavirus, but there are actions you can take to help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses.
Everyday actions
Take these everyday steps to reduce exposure to the virus and protect your health:
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wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer
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sneeze and cough into your sleeve
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avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
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avoid contact with people who are sick
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stay home if you are sick
Physical distancing
Everyone in Ontario should be practicing physical distancing to reduce their exposure to other people.
Everyone in Ontario should do their best to avoid close contact with people outside of their immediate families. Close contact includes being within two (2) meters of another person.
If you believe you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 symptoms, you should begin to self-monitor for a period of 14 days. This means that, in addition to physical distancing, you should track how you feel. You should take your temperature daily and log any other symptoms that develop (for example, sore throat, new cough). You can share these records with your primary care provider over the phone if you seek assessment services.
How to self-isolate
Self-isolating means staying at home and avoiding contact with other people to help prevent the spread of disease to others in your home and your community.
All persons over 70 years of age and individuals who are immune-compromised are advised to self-isolate for a period of 14 days. This means that you should only leave your home or see other people for essential reasons. Where possible, you should seek services over the phone or internet or ask for help from friends, family or neighbours with essential errands.
When self-isolating you should:
Stay home
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do not use public transportation, taxis or rideshares
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do not go to work, school or other public places
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your health care provider will tell you when it is safe to leave
Limit the number of visitors in your home
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only have visitors who you must see and keep the visits short
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keep away from seniors and people with chronic medical conditions (for example, diabetes, lung problems, immune deficiency)
Avoid contact with others
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stay in a separate room away from other people in your home as much as possible and use a separate bathroom if you have one
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make sure that shared rooms have good airflow (for example, open windows)
Keep distance
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if you are in a room with other people, keep a distance of at least two metres and wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth
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if you cannot wear a mask, people should wear a mask when they are in the same room as you
Cover your coughs and sneezes
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cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze
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cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hand
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throw used tissues in a lined waste basket, and wash your hands. Lining the wastebasket with a plastic bag makes waste disposal easier and safer.
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after emptying the wastebasket wash your hands
Wash your hands
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wash your hands often with soap and water
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dry your hands with a paper towel, or with your own cloth towel that no one else shares
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use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available
Wear a mask over your nose and mouth
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wear a mask if you must leave your house to see a health care provider
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wear a mask when you are within two metres of other people
How to care for someone with COVID-19
Wash your hands often
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wash your hands with soap and water after each contact with the infected person
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use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available
Wear mask and gloves
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wear a mask and gloves when you have contact with the person’s saliva or other body fluids (for example, blood, sweat, saliva, vomit, urine and feces)
Dispose of gloves and mask after use
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take the gloves and mask off right after you provide care and dispose of them in the wastebasket lined with the plastic bag
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take off the gloves first and clean your hands with soap and water before taking off your mask.
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clean your hands again with soap and water before touching your face or doing anything else
Limit the number of visitors in your home
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only have visitors who you must see and keep the visits short
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keep seniors and people with chronic medical conditions (for example, diabetes, lung problems, and immune deficiency) away from the infected person
Avoid sharing household items
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do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, bedding or other items with the person under investigation
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after use, these items should be washed with soap or detergent in warm water. No special soap is needed
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dishwashers and washing machines can be used
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do not share cigarettes
Clean
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clean your home with regular household cleaners
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clean regularly touched items such as toilets, sink tap handles, doorknobs, TV remotes and bedside tables on a daily basis
Wash laundry thoroughly
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there is no need to separate the laundry, but you should wear gloves when handling
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clean your hands with soap and water immediately after removing your gloves
Be careful when touching waste
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all waste can go into regular garbage bins
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when emptying wastebaskets, take care to not touch used tissues with your hands. Lining the wastebasket with a plastic bag makes waste disposal easier and safer.
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clean your hands with soap and water after emptying the wastebasket
Returning from travel
Anyone who has travelled outside of Canada should:
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self-isolate for 14 days when they return. People who are self-isolating should not go to work
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monitor themselves for symptoms of the 2019 novel coronavirus for 14 days after returning to Canada
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contact their primary care provider or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 if they experience symptoms of the 2019 novel coronavirus
In addition:
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Workers who have travelled and are part of workplaces that are essential to daily living are able to return to work as long as they do not have symptoms. However, they should self-monitor for a period of 14 days and identify themselves to their employer so that a plan can be put into place to ensure the protection of those workplaces.
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Children under the age of 16 years who have travelled outside of Canada should also self-isolate for a period of 14 days. Parents should actively monitor their children’s symptoms. Children who are self-isolating should stay at home and avoid social gathering points such as community centres or parks.
