By Señior Tech on the October 2020 Edition
If you haven’t heard, we are in the middle of a nasty pandemic!
While there are numerous claims of remedies and treatments, it is hard to know which information is correct and which information is bogus. Unscrupulous individuals are trying to sell un-proven and even dangerous products claiming to be cures for COVID-19 (the virus that causes the novel coronavirus disease); while others politicise social distancing and the wearing of masks as hoaxes. The only way to protect yourself against possibly getting infected or being scammed is knowledge and the truth. In this article, I will try to provide a number of resources, available online, to help keep you informed.
Over the past few months, there has been talk of many apps for Android and Apple phones that work to determine if people have come into contact with someone who has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. At this time, these apps are battling is-sues with privacy and low adoption rates. So, I will not discuss these contact apps at this time, but will when the roadblocks are resolved. In order for these apps to be truly effective, at least 50% of the population will have to adopt them.
The website for the World Health Organization, WHO, is a good starting point. They have a whole section dealing with COVID-19.
The section on “Advice for the public” addresses topics such as:
Staying physically active Healthy diet
There all also numerous tips on laundry, proper handwashing, stopping the spread and advice -on a number of other topics.
The Pan American Health Organization, PAHO wears two institutional hats: it is the specialized health agency of the Inter-American System and also serves as Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO), the specialized health agency of the United Nations.
The three countries of interest Canada, USA, and Mexico stats can be viewed by clicking on any of the three following links;
United States of America COVID-19 Situation
Situación de COVID-19 en México
The site provides statistical information on cases and deaths to the state and provincial levels in each country. If you are into numbers, this is a great resource. PAHO also has information on these types of disasters;
What to do before, during and after an earthquake
Heatwaves and their effects Note: highly recommended reading for life in Manzanillo
Hurricanes, storms and forest fires, compounded by COVID-19 spread, has made necessary a new level of precautions in order to stay safe. The information provided can ensure you have the best plans for survival in the event of an emergency.
Another resource in the USA is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Like the WHO, the CDC has other resources such as;
Self-check symptoms When to get tested If you are sick
When you can be around others How to protect yourself and others
Also in the USA, CoronaVirus.gov is another site sponsored by FEMA, the Centres for Disease Controls and Prevention and the White House.
The Government of Canada has a website devoted to COVID-19 that includes financial assistance programs for Canadians as well as health information dealing with COVID-19.
If you have doubts about information you receive on social media platforms, I would highly recommend checking the above sites to get the scientific confirmations. I would also recommend using a service like Snopes.com to debunk any question-able claims.
In addition to a quote by a famous Vulcan, “Live long and pros-per”, I would add “stay safe”.
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Señior Tech is a technology addict that loves to share tips. He lives in Manzanillo full time and helps keep the community up on the latest tech tricks and toys.
