Berkeley Rotary CIG group meets by Zoom conference calls every Monday at 4PM. Contact Tina E. by email if you want to be included in the invitation to our Zoom calls. All Rotarians are welcome.

 Arlin Peters remains vigilant at capturing the data about our pandemic and has found a way to look at the data and estimate and predict what is happening. We plan to put a summary that is locally focused each Monday and Friday. For a more detailed look at what he is observing check Arlin’s Corner on Berkeley Rotary website, Covid-19 section. We are finding his predictions to be very accurate.     http://berkeleyrotary.org/covid-2020-04-04.php  

What about wearing non-medical masks in public?

By Pate Thomson
I just received an emergency alert on my phone from the Berkeley Health Dept. advising me to wear a non-medical mask in public. This change in recommendation from the CDC is the result of the discovery that a significant number of Corona-19 positive test results come from people with no symptoms.

The period from exposure to developing symptoms may be up to 14 days. So it is likely that there is a large group of folks who are infectious without knowing it. It is also likely that contact with these seemingly well folks could be a mechanism of spread.

So, a non-surgical mask worn in public might prevent transmission In the open air. There are other benefits as well. The mask keeps your hands off your face when hand to face transmission is thought to be the most common way to introduce the bug. The mask plays another very important role. If you have the Covid-19 virus and are coughing and sneezing, wearing the mask prevents the discharge of the virus into the air and it likely reduces the risk to others. It is the Rotary way.

Look for more masks in public and we all agree that this is a good thing. Still practice good hygiene. Save the N95 masks for the front-line medical Teams.

Be “Relaxed, paranoid” and distant, with the cleanest, most washed hands you have ever had, just as if you were not wearing a mask. 

What can travelers do to protect themselves and others? From Pate Thomson

CDC recommends avoiding nonessential travel. If you must travel:

• Avoid contact with sick people.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean your hands often by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60%-95% alcohol. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly dirty.
  • It is especially important to clean hands after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
  • Supplies of hand sanitizer, tissues, and other hygiene products may be limited, so consider bringing them with you.
• Stay home and monitor your health for 14 days after returning to the United States.
• Avoid traveling if you are sick.

If you spent time in China during the past 14 days and feel sick with fever or cough or have difficulty breathing:

• Seek medical advice. Call ahead before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room. Tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.
• Do not travel while sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
• Clean your hands often by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60%-95% alcohol immediately after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly dirty.

 Clinician Information

Healthcare providers should obtain a detailed travel history for patients with fever or acute respiratory symptoms. If a traveler is suspected to have COVID-19, information on evaluating, reporting, clinical care guidance, and infection control are found here. 

Next issue of CIG Bulletin:

Where do we go from here, a road map that the pandemic fight may take.