What is COVID-19, why do I need a face covering, and how can I protect myself and others?
What is COVID-19 and how can I protect myself and others?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed the following short video (~1.5 minutes) that provides an overview of COVID-19, how it spreads, and steps to prevent spread (https://youtu.be/1APwq1df6Mw). Another ~30 second video from the WHO shows the seven steps that we can all take to prevent spread of COVID-19 (https://youtu.be/8c_UJwLq8PI).
UPMC COVID-19 Videos:
Our colleagues from UPMC have created a series of short informational videos to answer common COVID-19 questions and provide advice for protecting yourself and others.
- Dr. John Williams, MD, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Disease at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh describes how COVID-19 can be spread between close contacts.
- How is COVID-19 spread - https://youtu.be/Gv6hs94vEYs
- Dr. Joe Suyama, MD, Chief of Emergency Medicine Services, UPMC Magee Womens Hospital provides information about COVID-19 disease, why wearing a face covering in public is importants, and how to prepare and keep yourself and others protected while out in public.
- Why is there a range of severity in COVID-19 cases - https://youtu.be/5PDSmsV01mg
- How long may the virus that causes COVID-19 live on surfaces - https://youtu.be/dZy6L7X2LWY
- Why it is important to wear face coverings in public - https://youtu.be/EQ9JpeUvTLs
- How to prepare for going out in public - https://youtu.be/TEtSDJm_Agc
- How to remain safe while out in public - https://youtu.be/VGXbg2-d_M8
- Beyond masks: Additional steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 - https://youtu.be/ZSaeKRitn1U
How to put on, use, and take off cloth face coverings:
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC), WHO, and other groups have developed posters and graphics to show how to use cloth face coverings properly.
- A one-page poster from CDC describing:
- Why are cloth face coverings recommended?
- Who should wear them?
- How they work to protect you and others, and
- How to put on, use, take off, and clean cloth face coverings
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/cloth-face-coverings-information.pdf
- A one-page poster from CDC showing how to safely put on, use, and take off cloth face coverings - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/cloth-face-covering.pdf
- Graphics from the WHO reminding persons not to touch face coverings while wearing (https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/masks/masks-5.png), and to make sure face covering completely covers nose and mouth (https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/masks/masks-4.png).
Wearing and Safely Removing Gloves:
- UPMC’s Dr. Joe Suyama talks about how to properly use gloves - https://youtu.be/0Hg0U3rALL4
- A video from UPMC demonstrates the risk of cross-contamination of personal items and face while wearing gloves - https://youtu.be/dZMUctNXkM0
- A graphic provided by the WHO regarding use of gloves by the public - https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/risk-communications/general-public/wearing-gloves.png?sfvrsn=ec69b46a_2
- Videos and posters demonstrating how to safely remove contaminated gloves:
- CDC one-page poster - https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/pdf/poster-how-to-remove-gloves.pdf
- Video showing contaminated gloves and how to remove them without contaminating skin - https://youtu.be/xTYioOo__6U
- A video showing the “Beak” method of glove removal, developed by Emory University and Emory Healthcare as a training tool for medical professionals preparing for potential pandemics in the U.S. - https://youtu.be/BOAb_cy3HxM