I'm Michael Cusack, Acting Chief Medical Officer of South Australia.
We've put together a list of some of your most common questions about COVID-19
The main way COVID is spread is through close contact with an infected person.
Close contact means face-to-face contact with someone for at least 15 minutes or
being in the same enclosed space for at least two hours and you come into
contact with droplets when that person coughs or sneezes. Another way that COVID-19
can be spread is when an infected person coughs or sneezes onto a surface
like doorknobs or tables, a mobile phone, stair rails, or elevator buttons, and then
you touch that object with your hands and then you touch your face.
Unlike measles which can travel across distances in the air and stay suspended
in the air for hours, the virus that causes COVID-19 will not stay suspended
in the air.
Washing your hands regularly is one of your best defences. Regular soap will
protect you if you wash your hands properly. Washing with soap will remove
the fat that sits around the virus particles and destroy it.
Hand sanitisers also are okay to use. Make sure you're covering coughs and sneezes with a clean
tissue or your arm so that you protect others.
Wipe down frequently touched surfaces with disinfectant or soapy water and importantly, stay home if you
are sick. As the situation changes the Commonwealth and State Government will
be asking the community to increase social distancing measures. This means
not holding any unnecessary meetings or events, we should work from home where
possible, not shaking hands, hugging or kissing, and touching people
unnecessarily or sharing food and drinks.
People of all ages can be infected by COVID-19. However older people and those
with pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or
people with a weakened immune system are more vulnerable to becoming severely ill
with the virus. These groups should follow the same hygiene measures as the
rest of the community but also they should practice social distancing.
If you're in one of these groups visit your GP and make sure you are managing your
health conditions. The healthier you are, the better you can fight off new viruses
like COVID-19. It's important for healthy members of the community to protect
those who are more vulnerable. Please don't visit places like hospitals
or aged care facilities if you think or know you are sick with a fever or a
respiratory infection or if you have travelled recently. For people who know
someone who is more vulnerable such as an older family member or a friend who
may have a chronic condition, call them and see how they are. It is also helpful
to make sure they have essentials such as food, toiletries and medications.
Young children don't seem to be getting COVID-19 as much as other age groups.
We are not sure yet why this is but if your child has any medical conditions and
they are unwell, it is best to have them checked by your GP as soon as possible.
Also, make sure your children are up to date with their vaccinations.
The healthier they are, the better they can fight off diseases like COVID-19.
Make sure your children practice good hygiene, they wash their hands and cover coughs
and sneezes.
We do not have information from published scientific reports about
outcomes for pregnant women with COVID-19. Some limited initial data from
China indicated that pregnant women are no more at risk than the general healthy
population. However, any infection in pregnancy is a potential risk and
pregnant women should be careful and speak to their GP for advice. If you are
pregnant you should engage in usual preventative actions to avoid infection,
like good hygiene measures and avoiding people who are sick. There is no current
evidence showing the virus in the breast milk of women with COVID-19.
COVID-19 is a virus like the flu but they are different kinds of viruses.
They share similar symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, a
runny nose and muscle aches. However, there is a vaccine against the flu but a
vaccine is not yet available for COVID-19. COVID-19 is a new virus we don't
have any natural immunity and everyone will be susceptible to infection. The flu
does also seem to affect babies and young children but more than COVID-19.
COVID-19 does have a higher person-to-person transmission rate which
means that it spreads more easily than the flu.
If you have returned from anywhere overseas or think you have been in close
contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, you need to isolate in your home and
not go out into public places. If you live with others, they do not need to
self-isolate unless they become unwell, however, there are precautions you and
they must take. There is more advice on how to self-isolate on the SA Health website.
If you are severely unwell, such as having difficulty breathing, then call
Triple Zero. If you have travelled overseas anywhere
in the past 14 days and have symptoms or been in close contact with a known
COVID-19 case, contact your GP to make an appointment. Ensure you advise
them of your travel history and isolate yourself. Alternatively you can visit a
COVID clinic. If you have not travelled overseas recently but are feeling unwell,
then visit your usual health care provider, however please make sure you
phone ahead so that they can be prepared.
Studies suggest that the virus that causes COVID-19 may survive on
surfaces for up to 24 hours or in rarer cases up to several days. This may vary
under different conditions, like the type of surface, the temperature or the
humidity of the environment. That's why it's so important to wash your hands
often and wipe down frequently touched surfaces.
COVID-19 is not a sexually transmissible disease. However, you can get COVID-19
from being in close contact with someone who is infectious with COVID-19. There is
no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 is transmitted through mosquito bites.
At present, there is no verified evidence that companion animals or pets such as
dogs or cats are ever to be infected with COVID-19.
Currently there is no specific medicine which can be used to prevent or treat a
COVID-19 infection however doctors are investigating options and providing
supportive care. While some people use herbal remedies for their general health,
this will not protect you against COVID-19. Antibiotics also will not work
against viruses and should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment
for COVID-19. There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19. Research and
development for COVID-19 vaccine is occurring in multiple countries but it
will take some time to make sure that it is safe.
The whole community has a part
to play in reducing the risk of getting sick and stopping the spread of COVID-19
in South Australia. So to keep informed visit the SA Health website and follow
SA Health on Facebook and Twitter.