COVID-19: Get the Facts

Protect yourself and your loved ones with these tips for preventing this new illness.

COVID-19 stands for:

CO = corona

VI = virus

D = disease

19 = introduced in 2019

Who’s at Risk?

Everyone should take precautions to avoid contracting and spreading COVID-19 to these vulnerable groups:

• The elderly
• People with chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and lung disease

It is not known whether pregnant women are at higher risk or how the illness affects them or their babies.

What Are the Symptoms?

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Chills
• Muscle pain
• Sore throat
• Loss of smell or taste
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

This is not an all-encompassing list of COVID-19 symptoms. Not everyone experiences all known symptoms. Some people with the virus may be asymptomatic. In severe cases, infections can cause pneumonia and may be fatal.

How Does It Spread?

• Airborne respiratory droplets from someone coughing or sneezing on you
• Touching infected surfaces and then touching your eyes, nose and/or mouth

COVID-19 can survive:

• up to 4 hours on copper
• up to 24 hours on cardboard
• 2–3 days on plastic and stainless steel

Stay Safe

1. Keep your distance. Stay six feet away from others and avoid crowds.

2. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

3. Use hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol content when soap and water aren’t available.

4. Don’t touch your face.

If You Are Sick

• Stay home. Avoid other family members as much as possible.
• Call your doctor’s office or a Beaufort Memorial Express Care clinic to determine whether you should be tested.
• Cover your coughs with a tissue or cough into your elbow.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health

If you have respiratory symptoms, see a provider from the comfort of home using BMH Care Anywhere, our telehealth service.