CORONAVIRUS Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic- Infectious disease

WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS?

Coronaviruses are an extremely common cause of colds and other upper respiratory infections that are part of a family of viruses. COVID-19 is short for Coronavirus disease 2019, official name given by the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered Coronavirus that emerged in China in December 2019.

Picture of medical animation corona virus

A Coronavirus primarily spreads between people in a way similar to influenza, via respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing. The range of this virus is between 2-14 days but exposure and symptom onset time is typically 5 days.  The WHO has declared it is a pandemic.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19?

Symptoms of COVID-19

According to World Health Organization (WHO), the mostly common symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19) are:

• Fever
• Tiredness
• Dry cough

There are also some others symptoms with some patients:

• Shortness of breath
• Aches and pains
• Sore throat
• And very few people will report diarrhea, nausea or a runny nose.

The WHO says: people with high faver, cough or difficulty breathing should call their doctor and seek medical attention. The COVID-19 Viruses are greater risk to elderly and people with underlying medical problems like chronic respiratory, heart problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, asthma etc.

The National Health Services (NHS) has also identified the specific symptoms to look for as experiencing either:

• A high temperature – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back.
• A new continuous cough – this means you have started coughing repeatedly.

This is also a kind of viral pneumonia and there are not any antibiotics and vaccines for this viral flu. Many people who get COVID-19 about as serious as a regular cold recover without needing any special treatment. Mainly the strength of the immune system of patients depends on recovery. Those with weakened immune systems may develop more serious symptoms as like pneumonia or bronchitis.

WHAT CAUSES A CORONAVIRUS INFECTION?

The Coronavirus primarily spreads from human to human in a way similar to influenza via respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing. Another might be also being caused by touching something an infected person has touched and then touching your hand to your mouth, nose or eyes.

What do we do to prevent or safe our self and others from getting Coronavirus ?

Prevention Covid 19

No vaccine and antibiotic are available to prevent infection with COVID-19. Take care of your health yourself and protect others by doing the following:

• Avoid mass gatherings and large events.
• Maintain 1 meter (about 6 feet) with anyone who has symptoms or is sick.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or clean them with alcohol-based hand rub that must contain at least 60% alcohol.
• Always cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth if your hands are not well clean.
• Do not share dishes, glasses, bedding and other household items with anybody who has symptoms or is sick.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces you often touch on a regular basis.
• Stay at home if you have symptoms or sick and avoid taking public transportation even going time to get medical care.
• Refrain from smoking and others activities that weaken the lungs.
• If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early.
• Stay informed and follow advice given by your healthcare provider.
• Do not Travel and keep distance between yourself and others if Coronavirus is spreading in your community, especially more care if you have a higher risk of serious illness.
• Wear a facemask if a health care provider tells you to wear mask. (NOTE: CDC and WHO does not recommend wearing face mask for healthy people to protect from respiratory illnesses including COVID-19).

WHO also recommends you to do that:

• Try to avoid contact with live animals and surfaces they may have touched if visiting live markets in areas that have recently had new COVID-19 cases.
• Do not eat raw or undercooked meat of any animal organs.

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR?

SEE A DOCTOR

Currently no vaccine or treatment exist to prevent Covid-19 but if you worse than a common cold, fever, cough or having trouble difficult for breathing, contact your doctor or visit your nearest health service provider and start to stay in Isolation or Quarantine. Even live in or have travelled from an area with ongoing community spread of COVID-19 then immediately consult with doctor and follow the instructions form doctor or WHO. The only way include identifying and isolating those who are ill, and tracking down anyone they have had contact with and possibly placing them under quarantine.

WHAT IS ISOLATION?

Isolation is a health care term that means separating infected people with a contagious illness away from people who are not infected. The confirmed person to have COVID-19, isolation is appropriate. Isolation can take place at a hospital or care facility or at home. Special Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be used to care for these patients in the health care settings.

Self-Isolation: Stay at home and do not leave home if you have symptoms of coronavirus or live with someone who does called self-isolation. When you are in self-isolating, then:

• Cannot go outside from home even for any reason, other than to exercise once a day but say at least 2 meters away from other people.
• Do not go out to buy food or collect medicine. Always order them by phone or online and ask to someone else to drop him or her off to your home.
• Not allowed any visitors such as friends and family in your room/home.

How long do you stay to self-isolate?

If you have only symptoms:

• You will need to self isolate for 7 days and after 7 days if you do not have a high temperature, you do not need to self-isolate any more but if you still have high temperature, keep self-isolating until your temperature returns to normal.

If you live with someone who has symptoms:

• Sty to self-isolated for 14 days from the day their symptoms started. Symptoms can take 14 days to appear.
• If you do not get symptoms, you can stop self-isolating after 14 days but if you have symptoms then keep self-isolating until your temperature returns to normal.

WHAT IS QUARANTINE?

Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. This is when state or federal law essentially on lockdown. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms.

HOME QUARANTINE

Self-Quarantine: Health experts recommend that self quarantine for 14 days. Generally it’s needed two weeks time to know whether or not they become ill and be contagious to other people. If you have recently returned for traveling to a part of the country or the world where COVID-19 is spreading rapidly, or if you have knowingly been exposed to any infected person, you might be asked to practice self-quarantine.

During self-quarantine:

• Follow then step of preventions defined by WHO.
• Do not share dishes, clothing, bed and room.
• Do not meet any people.
• Staying at least 2 meter away from other people in your house.

Once your self-quarantine has ended, if you do not have symptoms, follow the instructions of doctor how to return to your normal routine. If you have symptoms, then go ahead to isolation with PPE medical setting consulting with doctor or health caring service.

More Information: World Health Organization (WHO)

Coronavirus cases: Live Updates