Public health and safety is of paramount importance to the Los Angeles Lakers.
With the temporary suspension of the 2019-20 season, it is vital to understand key information about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Below are key information and answers to common questions.
What is the coronavirus?
• Coronaviruses are a type of viruses that are common in many different species of animals and can occasionally infect and spread between people.
• An outbreak of novel (new) coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in December 2019.
• The disease caused by this virus has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (often called “the coronavirus” or more specifically “COVID-19”).
How does the coronavirus spread?
• The coronavirus is thought to spread similarly to the flu by:
◦ Droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes
◦ Close person-to-person contact with an infected individual
◦ Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then
touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands
• The CDC states that a person’s risk is dependent on location, with people in places with sustained person-to-person spread of the virus at elevated risk of exposure. Travelers returning from affected international locations, healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19, and close contacts of persons with COVID-19 are also at elevated risk.
What are the symptoms of the coronavirus?
• Symptoms of infection with the coronavirus typically begin 2‐14 days after exposure.
• Symptoms of COVID-19 may include some combination of the
following: fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing,
chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat,
or new loss of taste or smell. This list of symptoms is not all inclusive.
Please consult your medical provider about any other symptoms that
are severe or concerning to you.
Should I wear a facemask?
• Individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 or who have COVID-19 may use a facemask (if available) or a face
covering when they need to leave their home for medical appointments. Cloth face coverings like a bandana or
towel should be used by the general public to cover the nose and mouth when they need to leave their home for a
short period of time to obtain essential services or goods. It is important to note that these face covering are not a
substitute for social distancing and other prevention measures like washing your hands regularly. These face
coverings are used to help protect others if you have the infection and are not showing signs of infection yet.
Remember it is important to save respirators and surgical masks for healthcare providers and those providing care
to those with COVID-19.
Infants and children under the age of 2 should not wear cloth face coverings. Those between the ages of 2 and 8
should use them but under adult supervision to ensure that the child can breathe safely and avoid choking or
suffocation. Anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, or otherwise unable to remove the mask or
cloth face covering without assistance should not wear one.
Who is at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19?
• Based on what we know now, those at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19 are people aged 65 and older and people who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility.
• People of all ages with underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, including: chronic lung disease o moderate to severe asthma; serious heart conditions; severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥40); diabetes; chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis; liver disease.
• People who are immunocompromised:
Many conditions can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications.
What should people at higher risk of serious illness with COVID-19 do?
• If you are at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, you should: stock up on supplies; take everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others; when you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick; limit close contact and wash your hands often; and avoid crowds, cruise travel, and non-essential travel. If there is an outbreak in your community, stay home as much as possible. Watch for symptoms and emergency signs. Watch for symptoms and emergency signs. If you get sick, stay home and call your doctor.
Steps to Prevent Illness
Clean your hands often
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick, even inside your home. If possible, maintain 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members.
• Put distance between yourself and other people outside of your home. Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread the virus. Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’s length) from other people. Do not gather in groups. Stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings. Keeping distance is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Stay home if you’re sick
Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care.
Cover coughs and sneezes
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
• Throw used tissues in the trash.
• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Clean and disinfect
• Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
• If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
• Then, use household disinfectant Most EPA-registered household disinfectants will work.
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