Coronavirus: how not to infect elderly relatives

Age is one of the main factors affecting non-mortality in coronavirus disease. A study in China, where the first infected Covid-19 appeared, shows: the older the person, the more dangerous the consequences of coronavirus for him.

According to the World Health Organization, mortality in coronavirus is about 3.5%. But this figure should not be taken as the probability of dying from Covid-19. Experts in China concluded that among people over 80 years of age, mortality was about 14.8%, while in people from 10 to 39 years old – 0.4%.

In addition, experts suggest that, since many suffer a mild illness, they do not go to the doctors and remain unaccounted for.

Therefore, the ratio between infected and dead can be many times less. British government experts, for example, suggest that in reality the average mortality from a new coronavirus will be about 1%.

But for older people, the risk is still quite large. So what measures should be taken by older people and their relatives?

Masks and self-medication? Not!

“Firstly, do not panic, calmly relate to this situation. What is advised to do? We, for example, take measures such as taking antiviral drugs. We take them every year. Then, if something really happens, we will need masks. But so far, life has not changed at all, “says an elderly Muscovite Catherine, Russian BBC service.

She stands in the middle of the playground and watches the little child who plays with other kids and tries to climb the hill, then runs up and tugs her hand.

As for the effectiveness of both measures, which Ekaterina speaks of, experts have very serious doubts.

Antiviral drugs in Russia are usually called drugs containing the active substance umifenovir. This may be about “Arbidol” and its analogues – this drug appeared in the official recommendations of the Chinese authorities for the treatment of coronavirus.

However, the effectiveness and safety of this drug has not been proven by studies conducted according to international standards.

Experts are also skeptical about the ability of masks to protect against viruses that spread by airborne droplets. In addition, finding them in pharmacies is not easy now.

Insulation? Yes! But…

The BBC asked Dr. Elizabeth Groppelli, a virologist and professor at the University of London, St. George, how to protect the most vulnerable of the elderly.

“There is a fairly simple rule: if you are over 65, stay home,” Groppelli said. “The main ways to protect yourself are to limit close contacts with other people and keep your distance when communicating.”

Coronavirus is transmitted in two ways: from person to person or by contact with surfaces. Usually, says Groppelli, people don’t think about how often they touch various surfaces in public places.

Now, the virologist believes, the most important thing is to start noticing this and often ask yourself the question: do I really need to go to the supermarket or to the bank?

“Photos from Italy are constantly sent to me: they show ads in supermarkets, where it says: if you are over 65, stay at home, call us on the phone and our volunteers will deliver you food,” Groppelli says. “This can be done in “Russia. Volunteers appeared in Italy precisely because of this situation. And if they aren’t in Russia now, it doesn’t mean that they will not appear.”

And in Russia, at least in large cities, and in other countries of Eastern Europe, there are charitable organizations and volunteer groups that take care of lonely old people. In this new situation, they only need to take care not to become carriers of the infection themselves.

How not to infect?

“We don’t have a vaccine or a cure for coronavirus. And it’s very important that we take care of the elderly now. We should not infect them,” Dr. Groppelli recalls.

She clarifies: precautions must be taken, but still do not panic or paranoia.

Before you visit an elderly relative, ask yourself two questions.:

• Do I have a temperature (37.5 or higher)?
• Do I have a dry cough?

“But remember: isolation does not mean that you just need to close your house and not go out. This means that you should constantly think about what we are doing,” the expert concludes.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises what else people can do for their elderly relatives:

• find out what medicines your loved ones are taking and find out if you can help them get these medicines if necessary
• make sure your loved ones have enough food
• for older people it’s worth buying non-perishable products to minimize shopping trips

“You know, my own grandmother died when she was 94. In the last years of her life, she was a small and fragile old woman, I visited her and brought food. And when I had a cold, I certainly did not come. This is a reasonable approach, which should be followed now, “advises Elizabeth Groppelli.

And if the old people live with everyone?

In Eastern Europe, older people often live with their children and grandchildren. In this situation of contacts, of course, it is impossible to avoid, but you can try to somehow reduce the risk.

The Italian newspaper La Repubblica this week compiled a list of experts’ recommendations on how to behave when infected with the Covid-19 virus at home. Some of these recommendations are quite applicable in a situation where one of the relatives needs to be especially protected.

This is, for example, advice to provide this relative with a separate and well-ventilated room, to communicate with him, wearing a medical mask, and also to regularly disinfect all surfaces that family members touch, at least once a day.

–