Coping With COVID-19

This page is to gather any questions or suggestions on dealing with COVID-19. For starters, HERE are the new CDC guidelines. HERE is an article from the Washington Post about who is most at risk and should heed these guidelines.

Older adults, even healthy ones, are at greater risk. From the Post article:

One explanation for the elderly’s higher mortality is that as people age, their immune systems age too, in the same way that bones get weaker. Cell-mediated immunity is an extremely complex process and the various elements do not synchronize as well in older people, said Wilbur Chen, a University of Maryland infectious disease physician.

People with medical conditions, regardless of age, are also at risk.

Patients of all ages with no underlying chronic conditions had a fatality rate of 1.4 percent, according to the WHO report. Covid-19 patients with cardiovascular disease had a rate of 13.2 percent; with diabetes, 9.2 percent; with hypertension, 8.4 percent; with chronic respiratory disease, 8 percent; and with cancer, 7.6 percent.

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People over the age of 80 with one of these chronic diseases are at the highest risk and should take precautionary steps, such as avoiding crowds and nonessential travel, officials advised. Stay close to home, stockpile essential supplies and medicines, and figure out a backup plan if a caregiver becomes too sick to provide care.

On Monday, 3/9/20. Maryland Governor Hogan advised people over 60 to stay home. This is personal advice and not has been translated to any policy at the state or county level.

Update 3/12/20: 
It was determined today that the latest case in Prince Georges County was caused by community spreading. Hence, Governor Hogan has issued emergency measures which include closing all seniors centers in Maryland. I just got word that the Bain Senior Center will be closed as least until the end of April.

See Governor Hogan announcement and plans HERE.