In the debut episode of the SMILE podcast, globally recognized facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Babak Azizzadeh and Dr. C. Andrew Schroeder, formerly the Clinical Chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and a clinical instructor of medicine at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, share their thoughts on the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Dr. Azizzadeh and Dr. Schroeder discuss the pandemic’s impact on the health and wellness of people around the globe.
What Is a Coronavirus?
A coronavirus is a type of virus that can cause disease. A recently discovered coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has contributed to a worldwide pandemic of a respiratory illness, COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-flung effects on the global population. People who are infected with COVID-19 may experience difficulty breathing, body or muscle aches, and other physical symptoms. Meanwhile, COVID-19 is believed to spread through close contact with others. This has led the CDC and other public health agencies to urge people to practice social distancing and wear a face mask to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Are Social Distancing and Face Masks Effective to Help Combat COVID-19?
Social distancing involves creating physical distance from others. In doing so, people can minimize the risk of close contact with people who may be infected with COVID-19.
COVID-19 is believed to spread via droplets released into the air when a person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can usually travel only a few feet. In many instances, the droplets fall directly onto the ground after people infected with COVID-19 cough or sneeze.
Thanks to social distancing, people can limit the risk of coming into close contact with someone infected with COVID-19. When used in combination with a face mask, social distancing may help further slow the spread of COVID-19 as well.
Public health agencies recommend people wear a face mask any time they go out in public. Like social distancing, wearing a face mask reduces the risk of breathing in droplets released into the air when a person infected with COVID-19 coughs or sneezes.
What Happens If a Person Gets Infected by COVID-19?
In the event that a person is infected by COVID-19, myriad symptoms may occur. This individual may experience fever, shortness of breath, and other physical symptoms that range from mild to severe. The symptoms may begin five to 14 days after a person gets infected by COVID-19 and require immediate medical attention.
Research into COVID-19 is ongoing. A vaccine has not yet been developed for COVID-19, but people who are infected by the coronavirus are urged to self-quarantine for a minimum of 14 day. With self-quarantining, people can avoid infecting others with the virus and build up the antibodies necessary to mitigate their symptoms.
At the first sign of COVID-19 symptoms, people should get tested. COVID-19 tests are readily available in cities and towns nationwide, and people can receive results within a few days of testing.
If a COVID-19 test is positive, people should begin to self-quarantine right away. If these people recently engaged in close contact with others, they should notify these people accordingly and urge them to get tested, too.
Remember, the coronavirus pandemic is ongoing, but it will eventually come to an end. If people practice social distancing, wear a face mask, and work together to minimize the spread of COVID-19, they can help speed up the pandemic and reduce the loss of life caused by it.
The Bottom Line on the Coronavirus Pandemic
Although the coronavirus is a “silent disease,” it continues to plague people around the globe. Yet, if people take precautionary measures, they can slow the spread of the coronavirus. Over time, people can get through the pandemic together and learn from it.
Listen to Dr. Azizzadeh and Dr. Schroeder Discuss the Coronavirus Pandemic
Dr. Azizzadeh and Dr. Schroeder are medical experts who understand the challenges associated with the coronavirus pandemic. In this episode of the SMILE podcast, they discuss these challenges associated with the pandemic, provide insights into COVID-19, and offer tips and recommendations on how to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Listen to the podcast now to find out what Dr. Azizzadeh and Dr. Schroeder have to say about the coronavirus pandemic.