The Corona Virus and Me

​This is the Corona Virus. It’s been sweeping the world, and not in a good way. It’s teeny tiny. The only way you can see it is through a microscope.

Did you know there’s more than one kind of Corona Virus, but scientists are guessing the new one is about 125 nanometers long. What’s a nanometer? One billionth (10-9) of a meter. I can’t imagine dividing a meter stick into a billion pieces.

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If you want to picture it, look at one strand of your hair. It’s  thin, but huge compared to the virus. Your hair is 80,000 – 100,000 nanometers wide. If your hair is 80,000 nanometers wide, the tip of your hair could hold 640 teeny tiny Coronaviruses. No wonder they make you sick!

​The math : 80,000 ÷ 125= 640.
Size of Virus: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/01/coronavirus-surgical-masks-china.html
Nanometer definition: https://www.thefreedictionary.com/nanometer
Its actual size: https://www.nano.gov/nanotech-101/what/nano-size
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I went to this link. It says the Coronavirus has two strikes on me. One more, and I’m out. Yikes!

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/03.16.20_coronavirus-guidance_8.5x11_315PM.pdf
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Strike 1 - I’m old. I’m 60 years old. But when I look at this  face, I don’t feel old. I know I’m not young, but I don’t feel old either.

Strike 2 - I’m also a diabetic. I never thought you could be too sweet, but you can! I have to watch what I eat, take medicine every day for the rest of my life, but I’ve learned to live with it. There are worse things.
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Now I’m discovering how to avoid the Corona Virus. I don’t want that last strike so I’m following the CDC’s instructions for the Corona Virus. I’d rather be safe than really, truly sorry.
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​​Have you read the the CDC’s instructions? If you haven’t, I have them below because if you stay safe, you can keep me safe too. If you get sick, you can make me sick too. Let’s work together to keep everyone healthy!
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​Here’s the CDC guidelines for how you can protect yourself, and me too!
Link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
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1. Know how it spreads. Knowledge empowers you to protect yourself, to protect me, and all the people you love.

The Coronavirus spreads when you cough or sneeze. Teeny tiny droplets spread through the air. If you stand 6 feet or less away from that cough or sneeze, you might breathe the germs into your lungs. Then you might get sick too! You might even pass it onto me,  onto everyone you know. Please don’t! Read on! You can discover how to stop the Coronavirus from making one more person sick.
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2. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. How long is that? It’s long enough to sing the ABC song once. Long enough to sing the Happy Birthday song twice. Long enough to count to 20. Not 1, 2, 3 . . . Instead count 1001, 1002, 1003 . . . until you get to 1020.

​Why 20 seconds? It’s long enough to wash all the germs away. If you only rinse your hands, most germs stay behind. If you do less than 20 seconds, some germs are still there. But if you don’t wash at all, the germs are all there, waiting to make you sick, your mom and dad, your grandma and grandpa, and me too. Please wash your hands!
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3. But what if you’re somewhere you can’t get to soap and water, what can you do? Germs are everywhere. You can never, ever, get away from them.
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Get out your hand sanitizer. Always carry some with you – a little dot will do it. Rub those hands together till the liquid disappears. Make sure your sanitizer is at least 60% alcohol. Any less – you won’t kill those germs that make you and me sick.

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​4. Learn not to touch your face. It’s a bad habit during cough and cold season, but it’s even worse now with the Coronavirus around. If your hands are clean, it’s not a problem, but if your hands haven’t been washed for a while, they’re covered in germs and viruses.
 
Your eyes, nose, and mouth are the worst places to touch because that’s where germs enter your body. Touching your cheek isn’t a problem, unless you have a cut. That’s when germs have an opening to come in and make you sick.
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5. Use social distancing. That’s a new word people invented for the Coronavirus. The best way – stay home as much as possible.
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6. If you’re sick, stay home. Don’t share your germs! If you have a sick friend, call, text, or Skype them. Keeping your germs to yourself, is a great thing, especially with the Coronavirus around.
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​7. If you have to go out, remember to keep your social distance. Stay 2 meters or 2 yards apart. Stretch your arms out, and look at the distance between them. That’s how far you should stay away from other people, for you and for them. 
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​​8. When you cough or sneeze, cover them with a Kleenex, or an elbow. They’ll catch those germs. If you use a Kleenex, throw it away, and wash your hands. They’re both good things.

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9. Wear a mask only when you’re sick. It will keep your germs from spreading to others.

Don’t wear a mask if you’re healthy. It won’t keep out all the germs. You might feel safe, but you’re not. 

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​10. Keep surfaces clean whether it’s the kitchen table or your cell phone. If you touch it, you should clean it, especially if it’s dirty.
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If you do these simple things, you’ll stay healthy, and you’ll help everyone around you to stay healthy too. 

PS- I added this to the post to help young children, and us adults too, to understand social distancing. I couldn’t find this image, but picture it, and you’ll better picture social distancing. You and your best friend reach out your hands, but don’t let them touch. This is about 2 yards, and social distancing. It helps me, when I see a friend to stay 2 arm lengths apart. I hope it helps you and your family too.

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