COVID-19 is dangerous to Americans with weaker immune systems or existing lung problems, Yale School of Medicine's Dr. Manisha Juthani says, and older people need to make personal assessments about what's important enough to risk public exposure. (WNPR)
We spoke with Dr. Manisha Juthani, an associate professor at the Yale School of Medicine, to learn more. She’s an expert on infectious diseases in older people.COVID-19 is caused by a virus that we’re finding is easily transmissible. For many younger people, it might just cause the common cold.
So what can nursing homes and assisted living facilities do? Number one is having hand sanitizer right in the front of the facility for anyone who’s visiting; even signs saying “please go to the restroom and wash your hands before you go visit a loved one.” Secondly, I think even symptoms such as common cold symptoms, sniffles, just a runny nose -- if you have a loved one who lives in a facility like that, this is not the time to visit.
I think the major thing there is your own risk tolerance. We’re all going to have our own internal scale for what is most important. Is it very important to you to go to church and to be in front of your pastor or minister and be able to have solace in a time that is very stressful? Well, then, maybe that is the one thing that is very important for you to go to. However, if you could watch a movie on demand or on Netflix, maybe you opt out of that particular outing.
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