Covid-19 Patient Area

Covid-19 will touch everyone in some way over the months ahead. Here we hope you will find a number of resources on Covid-19 for people & patients who live with Obesity. We endeavour to strengthen our community, provide online support and assist in the rapid sharing of important information during this unprecedented situation.

Please share these resources with your patient community

All resources you will find here, have been developed by a number of trusted partners, professional and patient organisations throughout Europe and the rest of the World. Please share these resources with your patient community, and we will continue to collaborate with our partners in EASO to disseminate the information as it is received .

Check back often as this page will be updated frequently.

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What Is Covid-19?

COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) results in a respiratory infection that causes patients to develop mild to severe symptoms that likely include a dry cough, fever, and difficulty breathing. Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to COVID-19.

How Does Covid-19 Spread?

People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick.

How Can I Protect Myself and Prevent Infection?

The World Health Organisation and public health authorities across Europe world-wide describe actions that can help prevent the spread of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses.

Take these steps to reduce exposure to the virus and protect your health:

Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly with soap and water
Follow good respiratory hygiene. Sneeze and cough into your elbow; when using tissues, immediately dispose of them and wash your hands afterwards
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
Regularly clean commonly used surfaces, including digital devices you touch or handle

In addition,

Try to avoid contact with people who show symptoms of respiratory illness, such as coughing
Avoid travel; check national travel advice
If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early
If you have a scheduled visit with your health-care provider, contact them by phone or online first and follow their protocol. Many clinics have increased their use of telemedicine, since visiting a clinic can increase your risk of being exposed to the virus.
For your ongoing health care and for other medical conditions, follow the advice of your health-care provider