Information about COVID-19 and Preventing Transmission
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What is COVID-19?
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a virus in the coronavirus family. Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness, but the virus can affect different people in different ways. Some will become seriously ill and require medical care.
What are COVID-19 Symptoms?
Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to COVID-19, can vary in different age groups and depending on the COVID-19 variant. Some of the more commonly reported symptoms include:
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While many people will develop only mild symptoms, some groups appear to be more vulnerable to COVID-19. Those at higher risk are more likely to develop more serious conditions such as pneumonia, acute respiratory failure and kidney failure, leading to hospitalization or even death.
Some populations are also at overall risk of severe outcomes, which may be related to where they live or work, such as in congregate or crowded settings, and how they access care. This includes people with disabilities, and people who are Indigenous or Black or other people of colour.
Post COVID-19 condition (Long COVID)
Most people with COVID-19 get better within a few days to a few weeks after infection, but some people who have had COVID-19 can experience long-term effects from their infection, known as post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) or long COVID. People with PCC can have a wide range of symptoms, which may include general symptoms like fatigue, respiratory and heart symptoms, neurological symptoms, or digestive symptoms. More information and resources are available at Long COVID - Shared Health (sharedhealthmb.ca)
If you or the person you are caring for is experiencing long COVID, talk to your health care provider or call Health Links - Info Santé at 204-788-8200 in Winnipeg or toll-free 1-888-315-9257.
How is COVID-19 Spread?
Respiratory infections, such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets and aerosols produced when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes. The virus can enter your body if droplets or aerosols get into your throat, nose, or eyes. You can transmit COVID-19 before you start showing symptoms or if you are infected but never develop symptoms.
Smaller droplets or aerosols can collect in enclosed spaces, particularly when more people share a crowded space, spend prolonged time together, or exercise, sing, shout, or speak loudly. Opening windows or increasing fresh air intake with mechanical ventilation are important protective measures that can help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
COVID-19 may also spread by touching something that has the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes with unwashed hands. Even though COVID-19 can survive for periods of time on different surfaces, infection from contact with contaminated surfaces appears to be rare. The most common type of spread is through contact with the respiratory droplets or aerosols of an infected person.
Variants of Concern
Viruses like SARS-CoV-2 are constantly changing through mutation. New variants occur over time; sometimes the new variants emerge and disappear, while others last. Most changes have little to no impact. However, some changes may affect the virus, such as how easily it spreads, the severity of the disease it causes, or how it may impact vaccines, medicines, diagnostic tools, or other public health and social measures.
SARS-CoV-2 variants are classified by the World Health Organization into three main categories: variants under monitoring (VUM), variants of interest (VOI), and variants of concern (VOC).
Given these potential changes, public health officials at all levels (internationally, nationally and provincially) continue to actively monitor and study emerging COVID-19 variants.
Visit the World Health Organization for more information on the naming of COVID-19 variants.
Preventing Respiratory Infections
COVID-19 and other respiratory infections continue to circulate in Manitoba and around the world. Manitoba, like other jurisdictions, has largely returned to normal activities. However, there are still steps we can take to protect us from the impacts of COVID-19, especially during respiratory illness season, or if you are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
- Get vaccinated.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Wash your hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently.
- Cover your cough / sneeze.
- Wear a mask in indoor public spaces.
- Consider your setting, improve ventilation and spend time visiting outdoors.
- Know if you are eligible for treatment.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that are frequently touched by many people.
Each person may choose a different set of preventive steps they follow based on their own personal risk and preferences.
Preventing Transmission
Get vaccinated
Vaccines are effective in preventing serious illness and hospitalization from COVID-19, flu and pneumonia. It's important to keep your vaccinations up to date especially if you are at increased risk of serious illness. To get more information on the following vaccines, visit:
- COVID-19:Province of Manitoba | Vaccine, Eligibility and Proof of Vaccination
- Flu:Province of Manitoba | Seasonal Flu and
- Pneumococcal disease:Invasive Pneumococcal Disease | Health | Province of Manitoba
Stay home when you are sick
Stay home when you are sick and away from others until your symptoms have improved, you feel well enough to resume normal activities, you are free of fever for around 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication (e.g. acetaminophen or ibuprofen). During that time, avoid close contact with others, especially people at higher risk of severe illness or complications from a respiratory infection, and avoid non-essential visits to high risk settings (e.g. personal care homes, health care facilities). Further information is available on the Manitoba Health COVID-19 website Province of Manitoba | Public Health Guidance for When You Have Symptoms of a Respiratory Infection
If there are questions about worsening symptoms, call your health care provider or Health Links - Info Santé at 204-788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257. Call 911 if symptoms are severe.
Wash your hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently
Good hand hygiene provides significant protection from many infections, including viral respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19. Wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds and dry your hands thoroughly afterwards. If using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, make sure it contains at least 60 per cent alcohol and allow your hands to dry afterwards.
Manitoba has hand hygiene posters available in several languages.
Cover your cough / sneeze
Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, or cough or sneeze into your sleeve. Throw used tissues in the garbage and immediately wash your hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Wear a mask in indoor public spaces
Wearing a mask is a personal choice. Masks can be an additional layer of protection along with other measures such as getting vaccinated and staying home when sick.
Situations where wearing a mask may be considered include when:
- Individuals are sick and cannot avoid close contact with others in indoor spaces.
- Individuals are at higher risk of severe illness, especially during periods when respiratory virus activity is high in the community. Information on respiratory activity in Manitoba is available at Provincial Respiratory Surveillance Report | Health | Province of Manitoba (gov.mb.ca).
- In settings where there are many people who are at higher risk for severe disease. For example, healthcare facilities and personal care homes.
- Individuals are caring for someone who is sick to help protect themselves from getting ill.
Visit the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) website for more information, including posters, on how to choose, use, and care for a mask as well as how to make your mask fit properly.
Consider your surroundings, improve ventilation and spend time visiting outdoors
Poorly ventilated spaces, crowds, and large gatherings will increase the risk of exposure to respiratory viruses. Ventilation, whether through opening windows or the use of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, can increase the amount of outside air brought inside. This will dilute the number of viral particles in the air and help to reduce the risk of exposure. Spending time outside may also be an alternative.
During times when respiratory illnesses are widely circulating in the community, if you are at higher risk of severe illness or want to take additional precautions, consider limiting the number of people you routinely have close contact with. More information and resources on ventilation are available at www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/guidance-documents/guide-indoor-ventilation-covid-19-pandemic.html
Know if you are eligible for treatment
Treatments are available for COVID-19 and influenza to help prevent severe illness in individuals who are at higher risk of severe disease. To be effective, you need to begin treatment within days of your symptoms starting, so the best time to find out if treatment may be recommended for you is before you get sick.
More information on COVID-19 testing and treatment guidance is available here: Province of Manitoba | COVID-19 Testing and Treatment Guidance
Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects frequently touched by many people.
Surfaces and objects are more likely to become contaminated with COVID-19 or other respiratory viruses the more often they are touched. Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that are touched more often can inactivate the virus, making it no longer infectious.
