To My Future Constituents:

Like many of you, I have been watching stories of the novel coronavirus and wondering about its impact on SC-4.

As of this writing, there are 2 cases in South Carolina but none in the Upstate. Let’s break it down:

What is coronavirus?

Coronavirus is a family of viruses that cause a variety of illnesses from the common cold to SARS. Although the current virus is often referred to as COVID19, COVID19 is actually the disease syndrome, not the virus. The virus that is causing COVID29 is SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the coronavirus family (which has to do with the virus’ shape under a microscope and has nothing to do with Corona beer). In most people, the new virus will cause normal cold symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and a dry cough. Some people will also experience a runny nose, nasal congestion, diarrhea, sore throat, and body aches. The vast majority (80%) of people infected with the virus go on to make a full recovery without any medical treatment from doctors or hospitals.

Unfortunately, about 1 in 6 people experience more intense symptoms and end up needing some help. More severe symptoms include difficulty breathing and those most affected tend to be the elderly or those with underlying medical conditions like diabetes or heart problems.

Regardless of SARS-CoV-2 exposure, if you’re having difficulty breathing, you should seek medical attention

How is SARS-CoV-2 spread?

Like many viruses, SARS-CoV-2 spreads when we cough or exhale. Doing so releases droplets containing the virus into the air and those in close proximity to an infected person might then breathe in the droplets or touch a common surface and then touch their face, allowing the virus to invade a new host. While we’re still learning about SARS-CoV-2, research suggests that people have to be pretty close together for transmission to occur via inhalation.

How can I keep myself and my family safe?

Wash your hands. It really is the best way to stay healthy, especially since SARS-CoV-2 isn’t the only virus out there. Most people, especially kids, don’t wash their hands long enough or frequently enough. Here’s a good demonstration of the proper technique:
[link removed]

Wash hands before every meal, after using the bathroom, and anytime you’re touching common surfaces like door knobs.

You’re probably wondering if you need a mask. The short answer is no, not unless you’re sick. The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak is causing a shortage of face masks and we need to prioritize those still available for our frontline healthcare workers who are at the greatest risk of infection from SARS-CoV-2 and other illnesses like the flu. Most commercially available masks aren’t up to the task of preventing virus transmission anyway.

The harder ask is to stay home when you’re sick. Not everyone has that ability and it will greatly hamper our ability to contain this outbreak.

If you do suspect that you’ve been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, it is best to call your doctor before showing up. They might have special protocols in place to decrease exposure to other patients. For other questions, SC DHEC has a hotline (1-855-472-3432). I also recommend the following resources to stay up to date:

CDC: [link removed]
Johns Hopkins: [link removed]
WHO: [link removed]

We don’t want anyone to panic as that won’t help the situation, but it’s not a bad idea to stay on top of your prescription refills and have a plan in case of school closures.


Yours truly,

Kim Nelson
Kim Nelson for Congress
PO Box 325
Taylors, SC 29687-0006
Paid for by Kim Nelson for Congress

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Kim Nelson for Congress . PO Box 325 . Taylors, SC 29687-0006 . USA