Recommendations to Students, Faculty and Staff Regarding Coronavirus
What is Coronavirus? Coronaviruses are in fact a familiar family of viruses that cause respiratory tract infections, including the common cold and more serious infections. This new coronavirus called COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China and was not previously found in humans.
How dangerous is it?
The simple answer is we do not know enough yet and will not know until more data becomes available. What we know now is that about 2 percent of people infected with COVID-19 have died so far, whereas, for instance, MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), which was another coronavirus that originated in Saudi Arabia, had a fatality rate of about 35 percent. Fatal cases of the new coronavirus are registered among people with weak immune systems and people who did not seek medical help in timely manner. But experts say the key factors are how contagious the new virus is and what proportion of infected people become severely ill.
What can I do to protect myself?
Practice good personal hygiene, keep your hands clean (wash them often using soap and make sure to dry them thoroughly), and take the following precautions:
- drink extra fluids to stay hydrated;
- cut down on smoking;
- don’t share cups or utensils with other people;
- throw away paper tissues after use.
Wear a surgical mask if you have respiratory symptoms such as a cough or runny nose. Please note that surgical masks are quite useless for healthy people, as the virus spreads through mucosa, including ocular mucosa.
What are the symptoms?
Common symptoms of the coronavirus include:
- fever;
- cough;
- shortness of breath;
- breathing difficulties
If you are having any of these symptoms—immediately seek professional medical help. Contact the International Student Support office if you need additional information or help.
Useful links & contacts
HSE International Student Support Office – Lydia Koshkina (lkoshkina@hse.ru); and Elizaveta Kostireva (ekostyreva@hse.ru)
Information and guidance from WHO: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Euromed clinic (private hospital with English-speaking staff) – www.euromed.ru