Sheesh – we’re in the middle of February and the coronavirus isn’t going anywhere. I’ve been on the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization websites and here’s the coronavirus update – the facts we know right now on February 17, 2020.

In the webinar I took in January, the moderator from the Franklin Institute of Integrative Health Sciences said to please please please stop paying attention to the media and go directly to the CDC and WHO websites for correct information so that we don’t needlessly freak out.

Done.

I keep an eye on the coronavirus situation through both of those websites. Truthfully, I’m keeping more of an eye on the World Health Organization as they are not controlled by politics.

With that said, Here’s the latest update on the coronavirus:

World Health Organization

• No new countries have reported any coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours.
• As of February 11, 2020 the coronavirus is called COVID-19.
• Starting today, WHO will report ALL cases of the coronavirus, not just laboratory-confirmed. They now include clinically diagnosed cases which is why the number of cases jumped so high so fast.
• The situation in numbers:
  • Globally
    71,429 confirmed (2162 new)
    China
    70,635 confirmed (2051 new)
    1772 deaths (106 new)
    Outside of China
    794 confirmed (111 new)
    25 countries
    3 deaths

You can see that China still has 99% of all coronavirus cases. It doesn’t help that they are notoriously not forthcoming with information. (I guess communism does that to a country.)

Obviously, a vaccine is still months off, but WHO has activated an R&D blueprint to accelerate diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics.

Centers For Disease Control

• The CDC has grown the coronavirus in vitro (meaning they’ve grown it in a lab setting) so they can work on a vaccine. Because the coronavirus is brand new, this is extremely good news.
• It’s currently flu and respiratory disease season and CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine, taking everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs, and taking flu antivirals if prescribed.

This is the conronavirus risk assessment from the CDC:

“Outbreaks of novel virus infections among people are always of public health concern. The risk from these outbreaks depends on characteristics of the virus, including how well it spreads between people, the severity of resulting illness, and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus (for example, vaccine or treatment medications).

The potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 is high, both globally and to the United States. The fact that this disease has caused illness, including illness resulting in death, and sustained person-to-person spread in China is concerning. These factors meet two of the criteria of a pandemic. It’s unclear how the situation will unfold, but risk is dependent on exposure. At this time, some people will have an increased risk of infection, for example healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19 and other close contacts of patients with COVID-19. For the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low at this time.“

Any Way To Avoid Getting Sick?

Personally, I’m washing my hands a little more, not touching any door knobs or cart handles if I don’t have to, boosting my immune system (yes, with aromatherapy) and boning up on my Elderberry Extract.

Yes, the coronavirus is dangerous (mainly because it’s brand new), What I read in all of this is do the same thing to protect yourself as you would the flu.

Don’t stop living your life because of this. Wash your hands with soap and water. Get enough sleep. Stay hydrated. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.

I feel kinda stupid telling you to get enough sleep and drink water, but we forget sometimes, okay?

Please use your common sense and let me know if you want any Thievery or Elderberry Extract. I got ’em in spades!

Be Well

Melissa