In this National Health Emergency, Philippines is now under a state of calamity for six months due to the outbreak of coronavirus disease or COVID-19 in the country. COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new virus and it can spread from person-to-person through respiratory droplet.
People infected with COVID virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory symptoms. The foremost common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure, most commonly around five days. Most of the people (about 80%) recover from the disease without having a special treatment. More rarely, the disease can be serious and even fatal. Older people, and people with other medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), may be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill.
According to World Health Organization, in preventing COVID-19 you need to follow these basic preventive measures to protect yourself and help prevent spreading the virus to others:
- Wash your hands frequently
Regularly and frequently wash your hands for 20 seconds, with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub.
- Practice respiratory hygiene
Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your flexed elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
- Maintain social distancing
Maintain at least 1-meter (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Don’t touch
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Eat variety of healthy foods
Boost immune system by consuming variety of healthy foods every day. Refer to the Pinggang Pinoy for healthy food guide. Read our article entitled "Choose your Fighter: Eat your Vitamins and Minerals!" to know more on how you can strengthen your immune system through foods.
- If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early
Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.
- Stay informed and follow advice given by your healthcare provider
Stay informed on the latest developments about COVID-19. Follow advice given by your healthcare provider, your national and local public health authority or your employer on how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
As we all follow basic hygiene guidelines to prevent from contracting the virus and other infectious diseases that threaten our health, one among the best ways to protect yourself is to strengthen the immune system through food. The best way to ‘eat for immunity’ is to balanced diet and eat healthy and nutritious diet rich in vegetables, fruits, fiber and whole grains, which can protect the human body against certain types of diseases. Vitamins and minerals in the diet are vital to boost immunity and healthy development. Also, have healthy lifestyle habits— stop smoking, limit your alcohol consumption, get enough sleep, maintain a healthy weight through exercise and to manage your stress. (PHA John Paul D. Navarro, RPh)
