Although the coronavirus may be the new outbreak this year, a B.C. pharmacist says the best advice remains to just wash you hands.
害羞草研究所淭he most effective way of preventing transmission is hand washing with soap and water,害羞草研究所� said Gianni Del Negro, a pharmacist at London Drugs害羞草研究所� Dunbar store in Vancouver.
Del Negro said the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed at least 170 people and infected more than 7,800 in China as of Thursday afternoon, has sent people running to pharmacies to buy masks 害羞草研究所� even though they don害羞草研究所檛 work.
害羞草研究所淭he typical surgical mask害羞草研究所� they really are not going to protect people from getting a viral infection,害羞草研究所� Del Negro told Black Press Media.
But, Del Negro said, not only are the masks unnecessary, buying them up can have harmful effects for those who do need them.
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The only masks that are effective in stopping the spread of coronavirus are called N95 masks, a type of heavy-duty mask used in hospitals and higher-risk situations.
害羞草研究所淧eople who are immunocompromised, those who are going through chemotherapy and right now they can害羞草研究所檛 get access to them,害羞草研究所� Del Negro said.
害羞草研究所淲e shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be panicking and wiping out all the stock that害羞草研究所檚 out there. We have nothing in-store.害羞草研究所�
But aside from the less-than-helpful masks, Del Negro said there害羞草研究所檚 lots of things people can do.
While washing with soap and water is idea, he said hand sanitizer is the next best thing.
Aside from that, Del Negro said it can help to sanitize household surfaces and door knobs with Lysol or similar cleaners, and to avoid touching your face after touching the not-so-clean surfaces on transit or in other public areas.
Del Negro said much of the panic surrounding the new virus is due to memories of SARS, which killed 44 people in Canada during the 2003 outbreak.
害羞草研究所淚t was a very scary time,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淏ut at the present time, the risk is very low.害羞草研究所�
There are currently three confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Canada. They include a husband and wife in Toronto and a man in the Vancouver area, all three of whom started showing symptoms after returning from Wuhan, the outbreak害羞草研究所檚 epicentre. American authorities said they saw their first case of human-to-human transmission this week and the World Health Organization declared it a global emergency Thursday.
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However, the Canadian cases, Del Negro said, are very isolated and haven害羞草研究所檛 led to any further infection.
The newness of this coronavirus, he said, is part of the reason it has people scared more than a disease like the flu, which kills 3,500 Canadians each year.
Although Del Negro didn害羞草研究所檛 want to play down the potential harms, he did note it害羞草研究所檚 only this strain of the coronavirus, passed from animal to humans, that害羞草研究所檚 new. Coronavirus encompasses a large group of viruses, which can cause everything from the common cold, to SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
Anyone who does think they害羞草研究所檙e infected should stay isolated, make sure to cough into the crook of their elbow instead of their hand, and visit a healthcare professional.
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