Here are some quick tips from ICR’s Dr. Randy Guliuzza on what we all can do to prevent COVID-19 from infecting our families and coworkers.

One key sign the COVID-19 is in your system is running a fever over 100.4°F. Once you sense a fever coming on, you should consider getting tested for COVID-19, and then go home and into isolation as your physician directs.

Symptoms can quickly get severe beyond a fever. These include extreme shortness of breath, chest pain when inhaling, fatigue, and a rapid heart rate. These may get severe enough that treatment in a hospital is necessary.

Intestinal distress (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) can be another early sign for COVID-19 that may appear even before the respiratory symptoms. Diarrhea is a common problem, and by that time you are in danger of spreading the disease, since live virus can be found in your stool even for a week or more after you feel better.

Toilet flushing can actually aerosolize the virus, literally sending the virus into the air. Both at home and at work, please make doubly sure that you wash your hands vigorously and wipe down the toilet seat, handle, and any other surfaces you may have touched. If you have COVID-19 and you don’t wash your hands, you will very likely spread the virus to others.

After you wash your hands, be sure to wipe down the common “touchables” like faucets and door handles, as well as tables and countertops.

Maintain a “social distance” from others—people will understand if you don’t shake their hand. And be especially sensitive to covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Heat and soap will destroy the virus if you wash carefully.

Following a few commonsense guidelines may save a life.

*Randy Guliuzza is ICR’s National Representative. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Minnesota, his Master of Public Health from Harvard University, and served in the U.S. Air Force as 28th Bomb Wing Flight Surgeon and Chief of Aerospace Medicine. Dr. Guliuzza is also a registered Professional Engineer.