CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

What is Coronaviruses (COVID19) ?

Coronaviruses are a common group of viruses; while some coronaviruses affect only animals, a few others can also affect humans. It is very likely that all of us have been infected by coronavirus at some point in our life. The symptoms of a coronavirus can range from a mild cold to flu like symptoms to moderate and severe upper-respiratory infections. The SARS epidemic (severe acute respiratory syndrome) was also caused by coronavirus. Coronavirus is also known to affect the gut and hence some patients may suffer from diarrhoea.

The current situation is caused by COVID-19.

Coronavirus infections typically spike up during winter months as the virus can thrive in cold temperatures. So, people typically suffer from cold due to coronavirus in the months that are cold. The immunity is short lived and so we fall prey to cold and flu again.

You can protect yourself and help prevent spreading the virus to others if you:

Do

Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub

Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow when you cough or sneeze

Avoid close contact (1 meter or 3 feet) with people who are unwell

Stay home and self-isolate from others in the household if you feel unwell

Don't

Touch your eyes, nose, or mouth if your hands are not clean

How dose  COVID-19 spread ?

• Currently COVID – 19 is spreading from people to people
• The infection spreads through small droplets from the nose or mouth from the infected person when he/ she coughs or exhales
• One may directly get infected from this or may also get infected when these droplets land on surfaces and objects.

• When you touch infected surfaces and objects, the infection is spread to you
• That is why it is important to avoid touching your face – this greatly increases the chance of infection.

People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. Therefore, it is important to stay more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick.

Symptoms of Coronavirus / COVID 19 infection

·         The current COVID 19 infection has typical flu like symptoms

·         The symptoms may begin 2-10 days after initial infection

·         Sneezing, runny nose, fever, fatigue and cough are all symptoms of COVID 19 infections. In certain patients, diarrhoea was also reported.

·         1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness.

·         People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.

Precautions Against COVID-19 or Coronavirus infection:-

Below are some basic precautions that each one of us should follow for our good health. Pass it on to your family, friends and loved ones.

·         If you are sick, make sure you stay at home.

·         Avoid handshakes. Use gestures like waving, saying namaste etc.

·         To touch light switches or elevator buttons, use your knuckle for minimum contact. To lift the gasoline dispenser, use a paper towel, tissue or disposable glove.

·         Avoid grasping the door handles of bathrooms and commercial doors unless necessary. Try to open doors with fists or by using your hips.

·         Try using disinfectant wipes when touching door handles in stores, grocery carts etc.

·         Regularly wash your hands using soap and water or use an alcohol-based sanitizer with over 60% alcohol content when you cannot wash your hands. Make sure you keep your hands clean and dry after washing.

·         At the entrance of your home and car , keep a bottle of sanitizer handy.

·         Always cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard it immediately. Cough or sneeze into your elbow if you don’t have tissues but keep in mind that infected viruses contained on the clothing around your elbow can be passed on for upto a week or more.

·         Sanitize and disinfect your mobile phones, light switches and other things you frequently contact or touch.

·         Follow reliable authorities like WHO or the CDC on guidelines about wearing masks. As per CDC, people showing COVID-19 symptoms should wear masks to protect others from being infected. The CDC doesn’t recommend people who are well to wear facemasks to protect themselves from COVID-19 or other respiratory diseases.

Can the virus that causes COVID-19 be transmitted through the air?

COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through contact with respiratory droplets rather than through the air.

What are the treatments for coronavirus infections?

There is no vaccine or specific treatment for COVID-19. Medical care can help to relieve the symptoms. Antibiotics do not work against viruses; they only work on bacterial infections. COVID-19 is caused by a virus, so antibiotics do not work. Antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment of COVID-19. They should only be used as directed by a physician to treat a bacterial infection.

If you are not in an area where COVID-19 is spreading, or if you have not travelled from one of those areas or have not been in close contact with someone who has and is feeling unwell, your chances of getting it are currently low.

However, it’s understandable that you may feel stressed and anxious about the situation. It’s a good idea to get the facts to help you accurately determine your risks so that you can take reasonable precautions.

Should I wear a mask to protect myself?

People with no respiratory symptoms, such as cough, do not need to wear a medical mask. WHO recommends the use of masks for people who have symptoms of COVID-19 and for those caring for individuals who have symptoms, such as cough and fever? The use of masks is crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone (at home or in a health care facility).