VNA Nurse manager on how worried you should be about coronavirus

Should we be freaking out about in New Jersey the coronavirus, or are some already over freaking out? Anne Lefferts RN, APN-C, MSN, is the infection control manager for Visiting Nurses Association Health Group out of Holmdel and when she came on my show she said this about how bad coronavirus in New Jersey really is:

"This coronavirus is very limited transmission in the United States compared to current flu statistics in the United States," Lefferts said. "Current Flu 2019-2020, we have 32 million flu-like illness cases. 310 thousand of them were hospitalized and we had 18 thousand people die of flu just here in the United States. So when you start looking at the comparison, coronavirus is minuscule compared to flu."

What's the best way to make sure you or your family doesn't get the coronavirus?

"Well this is my big takeaway," Lefferts said. "It's exactly the same thing as flu. Wash your hands frequently, applicable sanitizer is fine. If you haven't got a flu shot, get one, ya know because that'll protect you from flu, maybe not coronavirus but, ya know it's pretty much the same. Keep your hands away from your face, stop touching your eyes and whatever. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, huge. And then, if you're sick, stay home!"

Here are some more things New Jersey needs to know about the COVID-19 coronavirus.