Nippon Life Benefits - Coronavirus

COVID-19: The New Coronavirus

Nippon Life Benefits is dedicated to the wellness and health of our members. In effort to best serve them, we want to ensure information from trusted sources is provided efficiently and conveniently in regards to the rapidly evolving coronavirus outbreak. As the situation develops, we will update the webpage with pertinent information and recommend that members check back periodically.

Updated February 11th, 2020

What is COVID-19-The New Coronavirus?

COVID-19 is a virus that has been identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness originating in Wuhan, China¹ with cases identified in Southeast Asia, Europe, Canada, Australia, and the United States.²

How does it spread?

Through the air by coughing or sneezing
Close personal contact with an infected individual³

Symptoms

Reported illnesses have ranged from people being mildly sick to people being severely ill and even death.
Symptoms can include:

Fever
Cough
Shortness of Breath

Symptoms may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 after exposure.⁴

This information is based on currently available data and that our understanding and approach may change as we learn more about the virus.

Reducing Your Risk

Currently, there are no vaccines available to protect against the most recent strain of the coronavirus, however, there are steps you can take to better reduce the risk for yourself and loved ones.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends avoiding travel to China.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid contact with others who are sick⁵
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Treatment Information for Other Coronaviruses

There are no specific treatments for illnesses caused by human coronaviruses. Most people with common human coronavirus illness will recover on their own. However, you can do some things to relieve your symptoms:

Take pain and fever medications (Caution: do not give Aspirin to children)
Use a room humidifier or take a hot shower to help ease a sore throat and cough

If you are mildly sick, you should:

Drink plenty of liquids
Stay home and rest

If you are concerned about your symptoms, you should see your healthcare provider.

Please note that the information provided does not replace counsel from a physician. If you are experiencing symptoms, please see an in-network doctor. More information can be found at the links below:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/index.html
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

¹https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html
²https://edition.cnn.com/asia/live-news/coronavirus-outbreak-01-30-20-intl-hnk/index.html
³https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/transmission.html
⁴https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html
⁵https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html