As PacficSource monitors the spread of the coronavirus (also known as COVID-19), our aim is to keep our members and communities informed.
Although the severity of the coronavirus outbreak is difficult to predict, we’re keeping in close contact with healthcare providers, state coronavirus response teams, and health agencies in preparation to provide you with responsive access to care. We’re monitoring it very closely to detect cases and patterns that may impact how we all go about our daily routines.
Helpful Facts & Preventive Tips: View the video
Because information is key to prevention, please take a moment to watch a video presentation that features Dr. Edward McEachern, executive vice president and chief medical officer of PacificSource. We recorded his presentation to share the most up-to-date insight.
Routine tips to help prevent the spread of disease.
Medical health professionals urge everyone to apply the same routine habits for coronavirus that help reduce the spread of flu. These routine habits include:
- Washing your hands often throughout the day for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap (or alcohol-based hand gel).
- When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue (or into your arm).
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces, which includes regularly wiping down your phone or mobile device.
If you’re feeling ill, help yourself and those around you by:
- Staying home.
- Waiting at least 24 hours after a fever has subsided before returning to work or leaving home.
- Seeking medical care if symptoms are persistent or turn severe.
It’s important to know the facts.
If you’re not having any symptoms, there is no need to change your daily routine. Additional information is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For more scientific information, go here.
About Edward McEachern, M.D.
As Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of PacificSource, Dr. McEachern serves to maintain strong relationships with provider partners to optimize health outcomes across communities throughout the Greater Northwest. Dr. McEachern is also an associate professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine and an assistant professor at Utah’s David Eccles School of Business. Dr. McEachern holds six patents, authored seven books, published more than 80 peer-reviewed articles, and has served as a healthcare consultant for the U.S. State Department and Peace Corps.
Information on these blog pages reflects what is current for its posted date. Because of the nature of the COVID-19 disease and outbreak, please monitor this blog daily for new information.
Any updates to this information as of March 18, 2020? Is it still okay to return to work after fever has gone down, and 24 hours have passed? I have employees at work worried about returning employees who’ve had symptoms that seemingly have passed, but have not been tested for definitive results.
Can I assume the post card, postmarked on 3/3 and received 3/9, from a passenger aboard the Grand Princess is safe to touch now? Should postal employees be concerned?
https://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(20)30046-3/fulltext
According to this study from the journal of hospital infection site (see above link), they are reporting that the virus can live on some surfaces for up to 9 days.
Amy is correct. This Caronavirus can live on surfaces for up to 9 days. Edward gave a great life hack in the video and showed how to make your own disinfectant: Mix 1 part name-brand Clorox to 9 parts water in a spray bottle. Spray on surfaces to kill Coronavirus within 1 minute.
If this is “less infectious” than the standard flu, then why are people to call ahead if they are experiencing symptoms for special precautions to take place? And if this is “just like the flu”, then why are entire cities and countries and ships around the world being quarantined? Actions speak louder than words.
I appreciate the perspective provided by Pacific Source …I found it helpful to receive the comparative information on the impact of other viruses.
Similar to Dr. McEachern’s statements, I recently heard Dr. Paul Offit (past advisor for the CDC) during a PBS interview express caution that COVID-19 has been portrayed as a devastating epidemic. He also stated that COVID-19 should be compared with the impact of the common flu (which he stated was between 20,000 – 40,000 deaths annually in the United States).
The video seems to underplay the seriousness of COVID-19 by comparing it to the common flu considering:
–We have very detailed information about how flu is spread and acquired, incubation period, etc. which we don’t have
for COVID-19;
–It may turn out to be similar to the flu, but we just don’t know that at this point because it’s an entirely different strain.
We know that various flu strains have various virulence and fatality rates. To make a general comparison is to the
common flu not realistic at this point in time.
I’d like to know more about the “best guess” fatality rate of 1.4% which is so different than what I’ve read in numerous other sources and what one gets when just doing the math. Also, you compare it to a flu fatality rate of 1.1%, yet the 18,000 deaths compared to 3 million-and-something flu cases you also present is only about 0.5%.
–What is the difference in these numbers?
–The fatality rate of 3.4%, when looking at the worldwide stats, is holding steady even as we catch up to improved
identification of cases through testing, etc.
–I’ve heard one explanation of this lower estimate is that we are not identifying all of the non-fatal cases (because of the
newness of the disease and similar symptoms of the common cold and flu, etc.), which makes sense, but how do we
know our capture of common flu cases is historically any better? I don’t go to the doctor if I have a flu. That
explanation seems unreasonable.
The fact that there is so little known about the coronavirus and then to compare it to the common flu seems irresponsible from a healthcare provider perspective, at this point in time, because we just don’t know yet. If you’re trying to help people stay calm, just be real. Trying to minimize fears and anxieties without having all of the information is more of a disservice, in my opinion.
The information on how to protect oneself was the most useful information in this video and should be stressed to the general public ad nauseam until we know more. While symptoms will be mild for most infected people, if they do not practice prevention techniques, it’s not themselves, but those around them who are vulnerable who will suffer. I think that should be emphasized as well, that those are the deaths we are trying to prevent.
Hi Steve, For more information check out this article from JAMA Network, published February 24, 2020. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2762130
This is a very fluid environment and new data comes out daily about this epidemic and disease.
Excellent, Jacquelyn, Thanks for sharing! Steve