Hey millennials, WHO has a message for you on coronavirus: You are not invincible

You must be all hale and hearty now but if you don’t take proper measures to protect yourself from coronavirus then you are putting yourself and your family in a soup.
cold
Take steam and cover yourself up well in the changing weather! Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Reuters Updated: 22 Mar 2020, 01:56 am IST
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If you are thinking that I’m young blood with awesome immunity and strength and coronavirus cannot even touch you then, unfortunately, you are highly mistaken. 

Without a doubt, the elderly are the biggest causality but taking yourself and COVID-19 for granted is a rookie mistake. And that’s why the World Health Organisation (WHO) has got a message for all of you.

WHO says, “YOU ARE NOT INVINCIBLE.”

touching your face
It is integral that we become more conscious of our unconscious hands touching our faces. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Coronavirus can sicken or kill young people as well and they must also avoid mingling and spreading it to older and more vulnerable people, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

With more than 210,000 cases reported worldwide and a death toll of 9,000, each day brings a “new and tragic milestone”, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

There is no denying that old age people are facing the brunt of it
Yes, that’s absolutely true. A recent data issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC has shown that eight of 10 people who have been hospitalised due to COVID-19 in the United States of America are above the age of 65.

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Our parents need all of our extra care while coronavirus is doing its rounds. Image Courtesy: Shutterstock

Not just that as Europe is also showing similar data. According to the Associated Press, about 87% of coronavirus casualties in the European countries are people above the age of 70.

But what’s the reason that this virus is hitting the elderly the hardest? Well, the answer is very simple – It’s that they are low on immunity and that’s why they are the most vulnerable.

“Although older people are hardest hit, younger people are not spared. Data from many countries clearly show that people under 50 make up a significant proportion of patients requiring hospitalisation,” Tedros told a virtual press conference.

But it doesn’t mean that coronavirus have zero effect on youth
“Today I have a message for young people: You are not invincible, this virus could put you in hospital for weeks or even kill you. Even if you don’t get sick the choices you make about where you go could be the difference between life and death for someone else,” Tedros said.

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PERSONALISE NOW

Do you know that the WHO has distributed 1.5 million lab tests worldwide and it may need potentially 80 times that for the pandemic?

soap and sanitizer
Wash your hands frequently. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

That’s why it becomes all the more important for people like us to be more vigilant as we can act as a carrier of this virus and can spread it more if we won’t take proper measures.

Whether it’s meeting your friends, not wearing a mask, not sanitizing yourself or just not caring about the guidelines issued by the authorities – all this will bring you and your family closure to the chances of getting infected. So, it’s better to be vigilant enough rather than shrugging it off. 

Social distancing and self-isolation can be boring but it’s the need of the hour
If not for your sake then for the sake of others, please follow the practice of self-isolation, especially when you have cold or fever. The WHO has shifted to recommending “physical distance” instead of social distancing to help prevent transmission of the virus, officials said.

“We are changing to say ‘physical distance’ and that’s on purpose because we want people to remain connected,” said Dr. Maria Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist.

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“So find ways to do that, find ways through the Internet and through different social media to remain connected because your mental health going through this (pandemic) is just as important as your physical health,” she said.

So, be a responsible citizen and act wisely during this pandemic. Otherwise, it will all fall apart and always remember – United we stand, divided we fall. 

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