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'It can happen to anybody': Georgia woman speaks out after battle with coronavirus

Updated  March 26, 2020 2:54pm EDT
Coronavirus in Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta

ATLANTA (STORYFUL) - A Georgia woman has spoken out about the seriousness of the novel coronavirus after almost succumbing to the illness.

In a video uploaded on Saturday, March 21, Terrica Parks urged viewers to stay at home and to take the pandemic seriously.

In the viral Facebook video, Parks speaks about her high fever, severe body pain, nausea, difficulty breathing, dizziness, coughing, and rapid heart rate. At one point, Parks admits she felt “ready to give up my fight.”

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Parks’s husband brought her to the emergency room on March 20. She is now recovering at home and feeling “much better,” she told Storyful in a message on Thursday.

As of Thursday, there were more than 1,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Georgia. The Department of Publich Health has reported more than 40 deaths related to the disease.

Since the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the state, Gov. Brian Kemp has issued a "shelter-in-place" order for groups "at-risk." Groups affected by the order include people living in longterm care facilities, have chronic lung disease, are undergoing cancer treatment, have a positive or are suspected to have a positive test, or who have been exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19.

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Public gatherings have also been limited to no more than 10 people in order to prevent the spread of the virus. The executive order will also enforce a statewide closure of all bars and nightclubs.

On Thursday, the governor declared an executive order extending the closure for all K-12 public schools through April 24.

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Best prevention measures:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least twenty seconds.
  • If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

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