11 common questions about the new coronavirus outbreak if you’re living with cancer

Apr 27

Written By Sedaka Charles

As a few members of our family and friends have had a brush with cancer, this blog

is dedicated to all those who have suffered at the hands of cancer.

The global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is having a serious impact on many

people, including cancer patients, their families, friends, and caregivers.

What is coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause the common cold as well as

more serious respiratory diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome

(SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first coronavirus was

discovered in the 1960s.

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is the illness caused by a new coronavirus that has led to a large

outbreak, first reported in China in December 2019. The name of this coronavirus is

SARS-CoV-2.

How can I protect myself and others from getting COVID-19?

. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; use

an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 99% alcohol Are you sure this is

99%? you can only go 1% above this!

. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

. Avoid close contact – stay within two metres of anyone, especially people

who are sick, coughing, or sneezing

. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, and then throw the tissue in the

bin, or cough or sneeze into your elbow

. Avoid shaking hands

. Stay at home as much as possible, and avoid gathering in groups of more

than 10 people

. Stay home when you’re sick

. Clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces daily using a

regular household cleaning spray or wipe

. Avoid non-essential travel

What are the recommendations from doctors to cancer patients?

For many people being treated for cancer, especially with treatments such as

chemotherapy or stem cell (bone marrow) transplants that can weaken the immune

system, doctors often recommend patients to wear a mask to help lower exposure to

germs that might cause infections.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

The most common symptoms of COVID-19, which may appear 2-14 days after

you’ve been infected, are:

. Fever of at least 100.4o F (38oC)  A dry, persistent cough

. Shortness of breath

Some patients may have diarrhoea or nausea before these symptoms occur.

Other symptoms may include:

. Body aches and pains

. Feeling very tired

. Nasal congestion

. Runny nose

. Sore throat

. Headache

. Loss of smell or taste

What else do cancer patients need to know about coronavirus?

The COVID-19 outbreak is still fairly new, so doctors do not have much specific

information on this coronavirus for cancer patients. Avoiding exposure to this virus is

especially important for cancer patients, who might be at higher risk of serious illness

if they become infected. This is particularly true for patients who are receiving

chemotherapy or a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant, because their immune

systems can be severely weakened by the treatment.

What should you do if you’re due for cancer screening?

No one should go to a healthcare facility for routine cancer screening at this time.

When restrictions are lifted, it's important to reschedule any screening test that you're

due to receive.

How serious is the COVID-19 illness?

. People with medical conditions such as diabetes, kidney failure, or liver

disease are more at risk

. Covid- 19 will attack anyone with a weakened immune system, chronic lung

disease (including moderate or severe asthma), and serious heart conditions

How does the virus spread?

. When somebody who is infected coughs or sneezes, the virus can be spread

in respiratory droplets

. These droplets may reach the mouths or noses of people who are in close

contact (within two metres), which could lead to infection

. The droplets can also land on surfaces, which people may then touch, and

could potentially result in infection if a person then touches their eyes, mouth,

11 common questions about the new coronavirus outbreak if you’re living with cancer

As a few members of our family and friends have had a brush with cancer, this blog

is dedicated to all those who have suffered at the hands of cancer.

The global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is having a serious impact on many

people, including cancer patients, their families, friends, and caregivers.

What is coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause the common cold as well as

more serious respiratory diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome

(SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first coronavirus was

discovered in the 1960s.

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is the illness caused by a new coronavirus that has led to a large

outbreak, first reported in China in December 2019. The name of this coronavirus is

SARS-CoV-2.

How can I protect myself and others from getting COVID-19?

. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; use

an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 99% alcohol Are you sure this is

99%? you can only go 1% above this!

. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

. Avoid close contact – stay within two metres of anyone, especially people

who are sick, coughing, or sneezing

. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, and then throw the tissue in the

bin, or cough or sneeze into your elbow

. Avoid shaking hands

. Stay at home as much as possible, and avoid gathering in groups of more

than 10 people

. Stay home when you’re sick

. Clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces daily using a

regular household cleaning spray or wipe

. Avoid non-essential travel

What are the recommendations from doctors to cancer patients?

For many people being treated for cancer, especially with treatments such as

chemotherapy or stem cell (bone marrow) transplants that can weaken the immune

system, doctors often recommend patients to wear a mask to help lower exposure to

germs that might cause infections.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

The most common symptoms of COVID-19, which may appear 2-14 days after

you’ve been infected, are:

. Fever of at least 100.4o F (38oC)  A dry, persistent cough

. Shortness of breath

Some patients may have diarrhoea or nausea before these symptoms occur.

Other symptoms may include:

. Body aches and pains

. Feeling very tired

. Nasal congestion

. Runny nose

. Sore throat

. Headache

. Loss of smell or taste

What else do cancer patients need to know about coronavirus?

The COVID-19 outbreak is still fairly new, so doctors do not have much specific

information on this coronavirus for cancer patients. Avoiding exposure to this virus is

especially important for cancer patients, who might be at higher risk of serious illness

if they become infected. This is particularly true for patients who are receiving

chemotherapy or a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant, because their immune

systems can be severely weakened by the treatment.

What should you do if you’re due for cancer screening?

No one should go to a healthcare facility for routine cancer screening at this time.

When restrictions are lifted, it's important to reschedule any screening test that you're

due to receive.

How serious is the COVID-19 illness?

. People with medical conditions such as diabetes, kidney failure, or liver

disease are more at risk

. Covid- 19 will attack anyone with a weakened immune system, chronic lung

disease (including moderate or severe asthma), and serious heart conditions

How does the virus spread?

. When somebody who is infected coughs or sneezes, the virus can be spread

in respiratory droplets

. These droplets may reach the mouths or noses of people who are in close

contact (within two metres), which could lead to infection

. The droplets can also land on surfaces, which people may then touch, and

could potentially result in infection if a person then touches their eyes, mouth,

or nose

Are there medicines to treat COVID-19?

At present, there are no approved drugs to treat COVID-19, although some

medicines might be helpful in treating symptoms of the disease.

The drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are already used to treat

malaria and some other conditions, and are being studied as possible

treatments for COVID-19.

Is there a vaccine against the new coronavirus?