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PRECAUTIONS AGAINST COVID-19

23/03/2020 Issue: 6

All About CATS

Istanbul Kültür University (IKU), which has been providing access to educational activities independent of time and place with the CATs system since 2011, offers all its abilities to the service of students and academicians with the Distance Education Application under the measures taken against the New Corona Virus (COVID-19) disease.

Frequently Asked Questions about Distance Education

As of March 23, 2020, 17:00, food, cleaning, transportation, etc. all services in all campuses stopped until 29 March 2020

Nutrition Advice About Covid-19 Disease by Turkey Dietetic Association

General Nutrition Recommendations

New Coronavirus (Covid-19) disease, which is now accepted as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, poses an important public health threat in our country. Although there is no food that can prevent or treat the transmission of coronavirus alone; a healthy and balanced eating has been proven to strengthen the immune system, along with physical activity and regular sleep. When healthy nutrition is evaluated in the context of coronavirus pandemics, recommendations for healthy individuals for our country are as follows;

Healthy Nutrition is Important in Quarantine Applications:

As the clearest practice known about Covid-19 is social isolation, where any contact is minimized, many global healthcare organizations recommend that everyone have at least two weeks of medication and food to cover possible quarantine practices. It will be appropriate for the foods to be bought to be as nutritious as possible, long shelf life and durable. It will be appropriate for the foods to be bought to be as nutritious as possible, long shelf life and durable. In order to overcome this difficult period as quickly as possible, the fact that the foods to be selected are rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, is of great importance in terms of balanced nutrition.

Vegetable and Fruit Consumption Should be Prioritized:

Although it does not come to mind immediately when it comes to durable food; In fact, sufficient daily consumption of vegetables and fruits should be eaten every day and every meal. At the initiative of the Ministry of Health, “Nutrition Guide Peculiar to Turkey” prepared by the professors of Nutrition and Dietetics Departments is the latest source on this subject.

According to the Healthy Dish proposed by “Nutrition Guide Peculiar to Turkey” for each main meal; one quarter of the plate should consist of vegetables and the other quarter whole grain products; and the remaining half is recommended to come in three equal parts from fruits, high-protein foods (legumes, meat, eggs, fish, chicken, oilseeds, etc.) and dairy products (milk, yogurt, buttermilk, cheese, etc.).

In addition, it is recommended to ensure sufficient water consumption and use olive oil in daily nutrition. In the light of this information, fruits and vegetables should be emphasized in food shopping. It is also necessary to keep some of the fresh vegetables and fruits frozen in appropriate amounts for later consumption and / or cooking, in order to ensure the continuity of healthy nutrition in cases where it is not possible to leave the house for a long time.

Seasonal and Durable Vegetables and Fruits Should Be Bought:

Considering the season we are in, some vegetables that can last for a long time are cauliflower, cabbage, zucchini, broccoli, pepper, radish, carrot, potato; and fruits are apple, orange, grapefruit, tangerine, underripe banana. Since citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C, which supports the immune system, the consumption of these fruits should be emphasized and, if possible, fresh lemon should be squeezed into the dishes.

To prolong the shelf life of durable vegetables, they should be stored in the refrigerator without washing and cutting. In addition to these, foods such as dried fruit, dried okra, eggplant, pepper, tomato are long shelf life; it will be beneficial to be kept at home as the source of fiber and minerals are foods.

Dried Legumes can be consumed every day:

Another protein source that is quite durable and high in nutritional value is dried legumes. Green, red lentils, chickpeas, bean varieties, kidney beans, etc. foods can be consumed every day. However, storing these products, which can be long in cooking time, in large quantities beforehand, and then to be cooked quickly, will facilitate the consumption of dried legumes. Home made of those that can be also bought as canned food would be more appropriate in terms of the reduction of salt intake significantly above proposals characterized in Turkey.

Eating a Fish Twice a Week is Important:

In cases where the freshness of the fish cannot be found it is recommended to keep frozen or canned tuna alternatives at home against quarantine situations. Compared to the meat of poultry, which are rich sources of protein, fish is one of the foods that need to be increased because it can contain more fat but generally has less energy than the same amount of red and white meat.

Recommendations for Quality Animal Protein Consumption:

Eggs and cheese are also high quality animal protein foods that can last for a long time when stored under suitable conditions. Adequate protein should be taken every day in order for antibodies, which are important defense mechanisms of the body against viruses and bacteria that cause diseases, to perform their duties. In addition, beneficial microorganisms found in products such as probiotic-supplemented yogurt and kefir can be consumed especially during this period, as they can support the immune system.

Foods and Beverages That Should Be Limited

Food and beverages that should be limited during this period; sugar and sugary foods and beverages that rapidly increase blood sugar, pastry products including white bread, processed meat products, foods containing excess salt (ready-made sauces, salty products such as chips, popcorn, salty cookies, etc.). The consumption of alcoholic beverages with high energy content should be limited as much as possible, since they can negatively affect the absorption of vitamins and minerals and lead to sleep problems. There is no evidence that alcohol consumption prevents New Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, and fake drinks containing methyl alcohol instead of ethyl alcohol can cause very serious poisoning.

It is important to clean and cook well while preparing food:

Although there is no evidence that the new Coronavirus is contaminated with food, the highest level of cleanliness in food preparation processes, especially meat products; It is very important that all the food cooked reaches the high internal temperature and is cooked well.

Daily Adequate Vitamin and Mineral Intake Should Be Provided

Finally; Although sufficient vitamin and mineral consumption is provided with foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and oilseeds is the main preferred method, according to ‘’Healthy Food Plate’’ proposed in Turkey Dietary Guidelines people who cannot be fed can also be recommended to take vitamin and mineral supplements daily as an alternative during this special temporary period.

Dieticians Association of Turkey Additional Tips:

1) Solid and hard food intake of the patient, whose dry cough and sore throat are aggravated, can be reduced. Therefore, soft, enriched foods and oral enteral nutritional supplements can be useful in meeting the nutritional and energy needs of patients.

2) In patients who develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), nutritional support can be applied by taking ESPEN and ASPEN criteria into consideration.

3) If organ failure develops in patients, nutritional treatment planning can be made by considering organ failure.

What Should People With Chronic Disease Take into Consideration in the Coid-19 Pandemic?

Diseases such as neurological diseases (MS, Parkinson, Stroke etc.), cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, metabolic syndrome constitute chronic diseases are the ones that are not contagious but affect all societies today and the number of people affected by chronic diseases have been increasing day by day. While people with chronic diseases have many points to consider in daily life, they should be more careful in the new type of corona virus pandemic, which has become a global health problem. Our elderly are at greater risk in this period, for both the damage caused by the corona virus pandemic is higher in individuals over 65 years of age and chronic diseases are more common in the elderly population; that’s why, people with chronic diseases should continue their lives with a little more attention, especially in this process. The fact that the immune system of such patients is weaker than other individuals is one of the most important reasons that increase the risk of infection. The most suitable behavior to be done in this process will be to keep our immune system strong and also to keep our general health status at a high level. For this reason, we need to pay attention to regular and healthy living principles.

It is essential to reduce alcohol and smoking, obtain proper eating habits, pay attention to a healthy night's sleep and keep our physical activity level high. Exercise treatments, which have a very important place for many chronic diseases, should be continued without interruption in this period. As long as the pandemic risk continues, instead of doing our exercises in public areas, we should try to do it in areas that both provide more open air and secluded places such as the garden of our house, if possible.

Drug treatments used for chronic diseases must be continued; treatment should not be interrupted without the doctor's recommendation; and wrong behaviors such as changing drug doses should not be performed. If you have question marks about all the medical tests and examinations planned to be performed, it is necessary to act by discussing with the doctor who is following the patient. It should not be forgotten that the authorized person who will decide the specificity of the course and treatment of the disease is the patient's own doctor.

For the risk of transmission of corona virus is very high, we should spend the big time of the day at home by keeping ourselves away from crowded environments, and we should pay attention to our personal hygiene. It will be the best way in this period to follow the news and announcements made by the competent authorities and act in line with their direction.

Hope to have healthy days that we can embrace as soon as possible…

Research Assistant Gamze Ertürk Uzunoğlu

Faculty of Health Sciences

Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

News From Turkey and World

Information is taken by HASUDER (Public Health Experts Association) COVID-19 page, supported by Public Health Specialist Assist. Prof. Meltem Akın Dikleli, faculty member of the Faculty of Health Sciences of our university.

Definite cases: Turkey (1236), World (292 thousand 142)

Death: Turkey (30), World (12 thousand 784)

WHO Risk Assessment: Global level - Very High

News from World

- The World Health Organization (WHO) reported more COVID-19 cases in ten new countries / regions (Africa Region [6], European Region [1], America Region [1], South East Asia Region [1] and West Pacific Region [1]).[1 ]).

- WHO updated its case definitions. Accordingly, “Possible case that could not be tested for any reason” was added to the Suspicious Case definition from the previous case definitions. To read the full guide...

- WHO Regional directors of Europe, West Pacific, and Africa called for global solidarity to combat COVID-19. Ensuring international cooperation, investing in health, and community involvement are the key to effectively combating the pandemic. To see the full briefing...

- As of March 20, more than 500,000 students enrolled in the online open courses organized by WHO for the name of “OpenWHO” about health professionals, decision makers and the public on COVID-19. WHO is constantly updating these courses in different languages. Turkish is not yet available. To access the courses...

- While the number of cases of COVID-19 continued to increase, many countries asked citizens to stay at home with personal quarantine practices. WHO Europe has published a guide to stay physically active to those who remain in quarantine at home. To reach the guide ...

- There has been an increase in criminals who use the WHO name to steal personal information and money. WHO strongly advises individuals to be careful and verify the reliability of those requesting data. To read the description ...

World Medical Association;

- The President of the World Medical Association, Dr. Miguel Jorge, sent a message to the physicians about COVID-19 Pandemic. In the message Jorge said, “This is a moment when ownership, professionalism and discipline are of great importance for what you do to help our patients and protect our communities. I must proudly say that this is exactly what the vast majority of physicians and other healthcare professionals do. Let us create belief and trust in people: we will be there for our patients and protect our societies.” For the entire message...

- WHO reported that the first vaccine trial began just 60 days after the virus's genetic sequence was shared by China, and a large international study called "Solidarity Experiment" was organized to compare different treatments in many countries.

Characteristics of Patients Who Died in Italy Due to COVID-19

In the report prepared by the Italian Institute of Health, based on the data of 20 March 2020, the characteristics of the first 3200 people who died due to COVID-19 were examined for those who lost their lives. The report stated that;

- The average age is 78.5 (73-85 between quarters),

- 29% are women,

- The proportion of men who die in all age groups up to 90 years old is higher than women,

- The ratio of women in deaths is more in 90 years old,

- The median age for women is 82, for men, 79,

- There are about 3 different chronic diseases on average in those who lost their lives,

- Among the comorbidities accompanying, hypertension is the first with 73.8%. Others are Diabetes (33.9%), Ischemic Heart Disease (30.1%), Atrial Fibrillation (22%), Chronic Kidney Failure (20.2%), respectively.
- The most common symptoms are fever (76%), difficulty breathing (73%) and cough (40%),

- 8% of the dead have diarrhea,

- The average time from symptoms to loss of life was reported as 8 days.

Developments in Turkey

Ministry of Health (MoH);

- It was announced that all hospitals with Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Chest Diseases, Internal Medicine specialist physicians and third level adult intensive care beds were accepted as Pandemic hospitals.

- The Ministry of Health increased the number of tests with the recommendation of the Scientific Board in order to prevent the spread of the virus. According to the statement, in addition to the local diagnostic kit that allows comprehensive results in 60-90 minutes, the new diagnostic kit, which can yield results in 15 minutes, will be used in the diagnosis of New Coronavirus.

- Minister of Health Dr. Fahrettin Koca stated that all of our deceased citizens are old people.

Presidency;

The 2020/4 Presidential Circular on Additional Measures for Public Employees within the Scope of Combating Coronavirus was announced. According to this;

- Flexible working methods such as distance working, rotating work can be applied to employees working in public institutions and organizations, regardless of the way they are employed, provided that there is a minimum number of staff to meet the need, without disrupting public services.

- Alternate employees will be deemed to have administrative leave during the period when they do not actually take office.

- Employees benefiting from flexible working methods and those deemed to be on administrative leave will be deemed to have actually fulfilled their duties essential to their employment during this period.

- Distance or alternate employees and those working at the office will be equal in terms of responsibility for the service.

- Financial and social rights and benefits and other personal rights of those working remotely or alternately and those considered administrative leave will remain reserved.

- Administrative leave, remote or alternate employees will not be able to leave their duty areas without the permission of their superiors, those who need their services will have to return to their jobs as soon as they are called.

- Those previously considered administrative leave under COVID-19 will continue to be considered administrative leave until a new decision is made.

- Employees who are stated to be able to use annual or excuse leave will be deemed to have administrative leave within the procedures and principles to be determined within the scope of the circular.

- Circular no 2020/3 on postponing all kinds of scientific, cultural, artistic and similar meetings and activities throughout the country until the end of April was published.

Ministry of Interior;

Ministry of Internal Affairs published “Curfew Circulation for Those 65 and Above and Those with Chronic Diseases”. According to this,

- People aged 65 and over and with low immune system, chronic lung disease, asthma, COPD, cardiovascular disease, kidney, hypertension and liver disease, and citizens using drugs that disrupt the immune system as of March 21 at 00.00 out of their residence, open spaces, parks and public transportation to travel by restricted to the streets are prohibited.

- If there is a need, citizens of 65 years of age or older and those with chronic ailments who do not have relatives who can meet their needs are not victimized; Vefa Social Support Group over 65 years old will be formed under the chairmanship of governors / district governors to meet their basic needs.

- Ministry of Internal Affairs with the article titled “Combating the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Outbreak”, it has decided to temporarily take measures regarding the cessation of flights from Kuwait, Bangladesh, Mongolia, TRNC, Ukraine, Kosovo, Morocco, Lebanon, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Oman, Slovenia, Moldova, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Canada, India, Hungary, Guatemala, Poland, Kenya, Sudan, Chad, Philippines, Latvia, Taiwan, Peru, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Niger, Tunisia, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Finland, Angola, Czechia, Dominican, Cameroon, Montenegro, Colombia, North Macedonia, Mauritania, Nepal, Portugal and Panama States and the entry / exit of the citizens of these countries.

KoronaTube was established for reliable information about the new coronavirus outbreak

KoronaTube, which was founded under the leadership of Public Health Experts Association with the decision of the Coordination Board of Turkish Medical Association Specialist Associations, started its broadcasting life.

KoronaTube is a platform created by the experts of the field to bring the right information to the society, healthcare professionals and managers in the corona epidemic. Its aim is to provide the society with information in line with scientific facts and to produce some solution to information pollution.

Who are the experts of the field?

- Public Health Experts

- Infectious Disease Experts

- Microbiology Experts

- Intensive Care Specialists

How are the videos to be added to KoronaTube determined?

- Attention is paid to the speakers being one of the above specialties.

- He/She is undergoing peer review.

- Speeches of health authorities from outside the field can also be published after peer review.

To access the KoronaTube page...

This Journal was prepared by the General Secretariat with the contribution of the Directorate of Information System and Technologies.