Currently, many people are comforting younger people by saying “don’t worry, you’re not going to die from the coronavirus — it’s older people who are at risk.” However, the inconsiderate ageism of this statement isn’t lost on us.

If you’re over 60 and start to feel sick, self-isolate and immediately contact your physician. Don’t just show up at the ER.

Though the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) can infect anyone, it’s older adults who are indeed the most vulnerable patients.

This being said, there are specific precautions that adults over 60 should take in order to avoid becoming seriously ill.

Precautions to take if you’re over 60

According to the CDC, if you’re at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, you should take these steps:

  1. Stock up on supplies: This includes contacting your healthcare provider regarding extra necessary medications to have on hand, having over-the-counter medicines and medical supplies (tissues, etc.) to treat fever and other symptoms, and having enough household items and groceries on hand so that you will be prepared to stay at home for a period of time.
  2. Take everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others.
  3. When you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick, limit close contact and wash your hands often.
  4. Avoid crowds as much as possible.
  5. Avoid cruise travel and non-essential air travel.
  6. During a COVID-19 outbreak in your community, stay home as much as possible to further reduce your risk of being exposed.

When to see your doctor

Dr. Carla Perissinotto, an associate professor in the Geriatrics Division of the University of California-San Francisco’s Department of Medicine, is advising high-risk people who live in communities with an outbreak to cancel all non-essential doctor’s appointments, or see if your doctor is open to a video call instead. Telemedicine will rise in popularity in the coming months.

See also

According to Reed Caldwell, Assistant Professor of Emergency Health at NYU Langone (as relayed by MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes), if you’re in a high-risk group (which includes adults 60+) and start to feel sick, self-isolate and immediately contact your physician.

“The only people who should be going to the ER are people who have urgent symptoms (including but not limited to trouble breathing),” Hayes imparted in a tweet. “We need to keep the ER’s clear and right now testing simply is not a priority for the path we’re on, in terms of managing the virus.”

As testing becomes more widely available in the coming weeks, the game plan may change. For now, let your physician tell you what to do and where to go next.

The nest phase of testing [update]

In a news conference on Friday, President Trump announced several partnerships with private companies to help expedite COVID-19 testing. Executives from Walmart, Walgreens, Target and CVS pledged that drive-through tests could take place in their parking lots.

As of Friday afternoon it was unclear how much the tests would cost, or who would pay for them. President Trump said engineers at Google were developing a website to help direct people who require tests to the appropriate testing station. More details are expected in the coming days.

See Also: Anxious over coronavirus? Here are 4 tips for calming your brain

•March 13, 2020