Health
Coronavirus Not A Death Sentence — Experts

By Tobi Adebayo, Stephanie Essien and Amarachi Isaac
The Senior Director of New York City Health and Hospitals, Dr. Syra Madad and Dr. Stephen Morse, Professor of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University have allayed the public fear about the deadly coronavirus.
In a video released online by the Insider, these experts debunked some myths about the respiratory illness that’s creating widespead panic in the world.
Dr. Madad stated that Coronavirus is a mild type of viral infection, comparing it to Ebola which has a much higher fatality rate associated with it.
“There’s still a lot that is not known about the disease but based on the data that is coming out, the coronavirus seems to be a type of mild infection.
“There is a 2% fatality rate and about 18% to 20% that may be in kind of critical condition range. These people are the sickest. They are already in the hospitals and they have a 98% chance of surviving. It is not a death sentence.
“The coronavirus is not the most dangerous virus on the planet currently and there are thousands of recoveries which hasn’t been recorded or broadcasted.”
Dr. Morse said those who wear face mask do not wear them properly as there haven’t been any form of training.
“There are two types of masks. One is called the simple or surgical mask, which the general public use. The other is for health care workers, known as the N95 mask, and it’s not safe for general public.”
Dr. Madad cleared claims that the virus only affects older people but they are more susceptible to contacting it.
She further stated that once a person is infected, the only form of transmission is through droplet spread and so far, washing of hands regularly has proven to be very effective.
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Morse and Madad also said that it is not the fault of any government of a country if there is an outbreak in the country as the coronavirus has no respect for borders.
“Travel bans have not proven to prevent the virus from making its way into any country. In fact, they have proven to cause more chaos and panic as people are usually afraid to come foward.”
They also cleared the claims that the virus was man-made and that it was no different from the other outbreaks that had been experienced in past.
The Doctors then advised to get information only from reliable Public Health sources, World Health Organisation and the ProMed website. They stated that panic or fear is not necessary but preparation, precautions and investment in global health security is required.
