Health

8 HE ALTH • Spring 2020 TAILOR-MADE MEETINGS Each meeting held at the Beechwood Hotel is a fully customizable experience We of fer unique meeting room designs with more than 8,0 0 0 square feet of flexible meeting space, custom audiovisual setups, and inspired banquet cuisine options. From the physical setup of the event venue to the finest catering detail, we take care of ever y thing. On-Site Event Planner Customized Meeting Packages Customized Catering Menus Serving the Worcester business community for more than three decades. The Region's Only AAA Four Diamond Hotel Voted Best Hotel Telegram & Gazette Ranked One of the Best Hotels in the USA U.S. News & World Report Voted Best Venue for a Business Meeting Worcester Business Journal Voted Best Hotel for Business Clients Worcester Business Journal Member of the Prestigious Preferred Hotels & Resor ts Connect Collection W H EN O N LY TH E B EST W I LL D O F O R Y O U R N E X T M E E T I N G , E V E N T O R C O N F E R E N C E 363 PLANTATION STREET § WORCESTER, § MA 508.754.5789 § BEECHWOODHOTEL.COM to avoid high-touch surfaces in public places and to practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces within your home. Surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, handles, faucets, sinks and cell phones should be cleaned regularly. To ensure you're cleaning with the right products, the Center for Biocide Chemistries has produced a list of COVID-19 Fighting Products. This list, which can be found on the CDC's website as well as on the American Chemistry Council's website, includes brands such as Purell, Clorox, Lysol, and Simple Green regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "This is a voluntary listing of products that are EPA-regulated," said Komal Jain, executive director of the Center for Biocide Chemistries. "The EPA sets forth criteria that says these companies must provide data proving that the product destroys a virus that is harder to kill than COVID-19." According to the American Chemistry Council, viruses can be generally categorized into three groups, according to the structure. Coronaviruses are enveloped viruses, meaning they are one of the easiest types of viruses to kill. All of the fighting products on the COVID-19 Fighting Products list have been proven strong enough to neutralize the virus. Preparing for a pandemic Despite preventative action, the pandemic of COVID-19 has reached our borders and, collectively, health professionals are all saying the same thing – communal outbreaks are inevitable. The number countries are on the CDC's Avoid Non-essential Travel list has risen to more than 30, including China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea. Most recently, the U.S. Department of State advised U.S. travelers, particularly those with underlying health issues, avoid cruise ship travel. Considering the risk of a localized outbreak, the CDC recommends all persons take the below immediate preparedness steps: Contact your doctor and obtain extra medications so you'll have enough on-hand in case there is an outbreak and you need to stay home for an extended period. Stock up on over-the-counter medicines to treat mild symptoms should you contract COVID-19 and need to self-quarantine. Avoid close contact with people who are sick and people who may have been exposed. Clean your hands often and avoid touching your face, nose, and mouth. Continued from Page 7 "Fact or Fiction?" Wearing a face mask will protect me! FALSE. The CDC does not recom- mend healthy individuals wear face masks. Wash your hands and avoid touching your face. If I think I have COVID-19, I should have my doctor test me for the virus. FALSE. Rapid testing is not available, and there remains a shortage of COVID-19 tests. If you're young and have minor symptoms, doctors recommend you stay home and self- isolate. Coming to the hospital would put others at risk, especially those who are already infirm and at high risk for mortality. Coronavirus comes from bats! TRUE, probably. COVID-19, SARS and MERS are all coronaviruses suspected to have originated from bats.

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