People all over the country, and indeed the world, are doing their best to implement safety measures to keep themselves and others healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Nova Scotia government has most recently placed a ban on gatherings of more than five people and the World Health Organization is telling people to wash their hands regularly and avoid touching their face.
Fortunately, I was aware of the importance of regular handwashing long before it became popular to carry hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes.
A diagnosis of cancer in 2011 lead to me having to undergo intensive chemotherapy. The experience instilled in me the importance of maintaining proper hand hygiene.
During a preliminary information session in advance of the aggressive treatment, I was told the chemotherapy would weaken my immune system. I was advised that for several days after every treatment to keep my distance from others.
I was told to be careful what I touched and it was impressed upon me the importance of not only using hand sanitizer, but to wash my hands with warm soapy water as well.
The risk of infection was high and I was encouraged to do everything I could to avoid complications that could jeopardize my treatment.
With the threat of infection looming, I decided to take things one step further and purchase a new thermometer. There was one in the house, but it hadn’t been used much since my daughter was little. There was comfort in knowing that if I was to develop any signs of an infection, like a fever, I had the tools at hand to determine my level of risk.
I am not a doctor, but from what I understand about COVID-19, one of the first symptoms of the illness is a fever.
The virus is spread mostly through contact with others who are infected. Without question, the powers that be are doing their utmost to ensure people stay safe during these uncertain times. They are providing daily, sometimes even hourly, updates on what is going on.
Reports indicate fever is one of the earliest indicators of COVID-19. Despite that fact, I haven’t been hearing much from medical officials about the importance of families having a functioning thermometer on hand. Thankfully, people seem to be aware.
In as much as it was once difficult to access bathroom tissue, and hand sanitizer still remains hard to come by, one pharmacist I spoke to earlier this week reported the sale of thermometers as being brisk.
It goes without saying that individuals who have come in contact with someone with COVID-19 or feel as though they have symptoms of the illness need to be tested. Having a thermometer on hand does determine whether or not a person has a fever, but that is no substitute for seeking medical attention if necessary. There are other symptoms related to the virus that should not be ignored.
A few days ago, my daughter Kiana wasn’t feeling well. She was nauseous and said she felt warm. I didn’t want to panic, but I immediately got my thermometer and took her temperature, thankfully it was normal. I monitored her for the remainder of the day and by the end of the evening she was feeling better.
Had the situation changed and her temperature became elevated, a call to 811 and a trip to the testing station would have been mandatory.
I feel as though my experience with cancer has left me with an advantage in terms of keeping germs from the coronavirus at bay. I continue to employ the same measures with respect to hand hygiene now as I did then. It became habit for me to carry hand sanitizer and alcohol wipes in my purse and the first thing I do when I arrive home after being in public is wash my hands with warm soapy water.
Practising social distancing is proving to be a little more difficult for me. I am anticipating getting more comfortable with that as days go by as I will have no choice.
A recent report indicated that one in five Canadians are not taking this situation seriously. I would suggest that during these uncertain times we all adhere to the advice offered by the medical experts working on the front lines. This is an unprecedented event and there is still so much we do not know about COVID-19.
Sherry Mulley MacDonald is an author and freelance journalist. She is a lifelong resident of the Northside with a fondness for the community in which she lives.
