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Wear the Gown | Keeping your family safe from the coronavirus

Today's Gown Talk is all about dealing with the coronavirus and making sure you and the family stay safe.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Today's Gown Talk is all about dealing with the coronavirus and making sure you and the family stay safe. It's why we've gone out and gotten you a doctor's appointment.

Dr. Gerry Jones, Chief Medical Officer at Chi St. Vincent’s Infirmary, hustles to make his appointment at the Center for Health Education with you. Who better to give you a coronavirus review than Dr. Jones.

RELATED: All public schools in Arkansas closed this week due to coronavirus concerns

“The most vulnerable the people are those that are older and people that have diseases of the lungs or that affect the immune system,” Dr. Jones said.

We can understand the virus stalking anyone with medical complications, but why older people?

“As we get older, our immune system becomes less tolerant,” Dr. Jones said.

Not a good time to be old or an Arkansas extrovert.

“We live in the south, and we love to shake hands, and we love to hug, but right now we need to avoid those contacts,” he said.

It's no accident we interviewed the doctor in an empty auditorium. Cancellations of gatherings are rampant these days.

RELATED: New CDC coronavirus guidelines: Cancel events with 50 or more people

“And I think that speaks to the gravity of the situation that we're in right now,” he said.

Families now even have to consider close contact within their family — particularly with elderly members of the family. 

The doctor said to run errands or do chores for seniors — and here it comes the one millionth reminder — wash your hands. It's a cliché for most of you but for Dr. Jones, it's a silver lining.

“If anything good comes out of the current concern we all have about viral illnesses, it'll be a greater awareness of the needs for hand hygiene,” Dr. Jones said.

With that, our time was up. The doctor had another appointment, and with all that's going on, there are plenty of them. Again, the primary symptoms of the coronavirus are fever, cough and shortness of breath.

RELATED: VERIFY: You can still get COVID-19 if you have the flu. Everyone needs to take the same precautions.

Dr. Jones said if you feel like you're not getting better, contact your doctor by phone.

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