Coronavirus: Covid-19 Overview – Symptoms and Prevention from Covid-19!

by Alok Vats / Health, India, Special Feature / 08 May 2020

Probably we are fighting World War 3. From the last one and half months, we are going through the Lockdown in India. The whole world is fighting against this deadly Coronavirus, let us get an overview of Covid-19. This blog includes the symptoms and prevention’s from Covid-19.

What is COVID-19?

Coronavirus Disease 2019 is a newly found infection. It can cause illness in humans as well as some specific animals. It directly attacks to our respiratory system. In an individual, some coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory pollutions running from the basic virus to dynamic general diseases, for instance, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). This virus first detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019. And for now, COVID-19 is a pandemic affecting many countries over the globe.

As of date around 4 Million people are infected from Novel Covid-19 around the world. While I am writing this blog 270,740 deaths are already reported from it throughout the globe. To check the latest numbers you can visit: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Most people suffering from COVID-19 experiencing mild to moderate respiratory illness. Those who are suffering from other medical problems like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to get affected. It is found that COVID-19 is transmitted from respiratory droplets. When the respiratory droplets particles <5-10 μm, these are called respiratory beads and when these particles are <5 μm in diameter, they are referred to as nuclei.

According to research, the main mode of transmission of COVID-19 is respiratory beads and contact courses. In a survey, 75,465 cases reported in china are not due to airborne transmission. Droplets transmission occurs from person to person when an individual is in close contact (say 1m) with somebody who has some respiratory problem (for example coughing and sneezing) and this can be a danger of his/her mucosae (mouth and nose) or conjunctive (eyes) exposed potentially infective respiratory droplets.

Bead transmission may likewise happen through fomites in the quick condition around the contaminated individual. Therefore, COVID-19 can occur by direct contact with the infected person or indirect contact with the environment surrounded or things used by an infected person.

The main cause of stress in the regards of Novel coronavirus is that in some uncontrollable and specific circumstances it acts as an Airborne disease, in the supportive treatment a procedure form mist concentrates are Studies that have cultured that this coronavirus may prompt intestinal contamination and be available in dung. Aerosols, however, until now only one experiment had shown the novel coronavirus from a single stool example. No other study can clear of fecal-oral transmission of COVID-19 to date.

Symptoms of COVID-19

COVID-19’s effect is different in different people. In some cases, one can recover without hospitalization too, on the other hand, it is not recoverable even with the help of proper medication.

The significant indicators of COVID-19 are high fever, Dry Cough and Cold, and Tiredness along with Breathlessness. Remember if you are having fever or cough or cold it doesn’t mean that you have Corona or you are suffering from Novel Coronavirus. It can be normal flu as well. Different manifestations can be a throbbing painfulness, nasal clog, sore throat, headache, conjunctivitis, diarrhea, & loss of taste and smell, and a rash on the skin, or discoloration of fingers or toes (these are some of the newly found sysmptoms of Covid-19). There are some other serious symptoms also that are difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, and loss of speech or movement.

In the event that you have any of these side effects, you ought to talk with your primary care physician. One should always call before visiting their doctor. If someone has mild symptoms, then they can be recovered at home (remember the term Home Isolation).

On average, it took 5-6 days when someone is infected with the virus or they have some of these symptoms. Otherwise, it will take 14 days to recover. You should follow national guidelines on self-isolation.

Other than this, if you are living in an area that is infected from malaria or typhoid, you should not avoid the risk of fever. Whenever you are attending any medical health facility, you should wear a mask. Keep at least 1-meter distance from people surrounds you and avoid touching and being in physical contact with anyone. Seek immediate medical help, if you are facing any kind of breathing problem/chest pain. If possible, call your health advisor in advance to get the health facility as earlier as possible.

Some reports stated that who has no symptoms or mild symptoms of corona can also infect other people. It is not confirmed yet how often it happens. Mostly COVID-19 transmits through respiratory droplets by someone who has fever or pain. And this is true in earlier stages of this disease. Researches are going on to find the reason behind this.

Prevention from COVID-19

Stay aware of the latest COVID-19 outbreaks. Many nations like China are now prevailing in slowing their outbreaks. Numerous nations over the world encountering instances of COVID-19 while some others are encountering significant flare-ups. This situation is unpredictable, so should be updated with news. There are some guidelines or precautions provided by WHO (World Health Organization), which you should follow (for more details on Coronavirus disease you should visit: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019)

1. Thoroughly wash your hands with cleanser and water. Or you can use alcohol-based hand sanitizer having at least 70% of alcohol. Why? Because it kills the germs or viruses that may be present on your hands only when if it is having the required amount of alcohol. Remember alcohol taking will not help you preventing from Covid-19 or Novel Coronavirus, so please don’t break the Lockdown to get Alcohol for yourself. When you are going to the crowd for bringing Alcohol, you might bring Covid-19 along with it as well.

2. Maintain social distancing from people (at least 1-meter distance). Why? Because when someone speaks, cough or sneeze, they produce some droplets from their mouth or nose which can contain the virus. If you are too close to someone who is infected with this disease might affect you.

3. Abstain going to crowded places. Why? Because in such places, there are more chances to get close contact, anyone might be suffering from COVID-19 can come in contact with you. Also, in such a place it is more difficult to maintain a physical distance of 1 meter.

4. Avoid touching your body parts like eyes, nose, and mouth. Why? Our hands touch uncountable surfaces, they may have a virus on it. Once you touch your Mouth, Nose, and Tounge as when you touch them with your hand carrying virus it will enter your body through these senses and will infect you and this may cost your precious life.

5. You must be sure that the people around you should have a good respiratory system. This means that they are not suffering from severe cold, Dry Cough, mild Fever, and if suffer one should cover his mouth and nose with elbow or tissue and dispose of the tissue and wash his hands immediately. Why? The droplets came out of the person may lead touch of the infected one during coughing and sneezing carries the virus and will infect you and is much harmful to you.

6. If you are suffering from a minor cold, cough you should not step outside your house. You should stay home, and self- isolate yourself. Allot the duty to someone to bring your supplies. Why? There are possibilities that it will spread to others and infect them.

7. Seek medical attention if you have fever, cough, and facing problems in breathing but prefer to call first before making the appointment and follow guidelines of medicinal authority first. Why? It will avoid physical contact and probably retards the rate of infection and significantly break the chain. Moreover, your medical advisor will instruct you instantly and you will feel more comfortable again with a view of social safety.

8. Get the updates from reliable sources like WHO and ICMR and other advisory Institutions. Why? These authorities are best placed to advise you. Neither belief in any piece of news coming from untrustworthy places, nor trust the rumors, nor spread them out.

Airborne Disease – A phase of COVID-19

These experiments are conducted under artificial control conditions, some such studies have been conducted to find out that the COVID-19 can act as an airborne disease or not. A careful interpretation has been done to conclude. After the hours of hard work, fortunately, there is not any significant evidence that proves that it can act as an airborne disease. It is the small droplets present in the air due to cough and sneeze of an infected person that enters through mouth, nose, and tongue. That is why it is strictly prohibited to come out of houses without wearing a mask.

Conclusion

In an analysis, WHO suggests precaution against droplets and contact for those people who are caring for infected persons. WHO additionally suggests airborne precautionary measures for explicit conditions and settings in which vaporized producing systems and bolster treatment. These guidelines are provided by the National and International government, including those developed by the European Society of Serious Care Medicine and Society of Critical Care Medicine and those at present utilized in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

The countries and organizations including the US center for disease control and European center for disease control and prevention have performed some studies that signify that it can act as an airborne disease to combat this phase of COVID-19. They suggest some measures including wearing a mask-like FFP2, N95, and FFP3 to prevent infection. WHO emphasizes the rational use of PPE kits and a medical mask. It further effectively stresses frequent hand wash for 20 seconds, respiratory hygiene, and environmental cleaning and disinfection. further, it is highly advised to maintain social distancing as it acts as a panacea for it. We should maintain distance from sick people.

Suggestions:

We should not move out of our houses until it is VERY urgent.

We must cooperate with doctors and police.

We should follow the guidelines issued by WHO and ICMR and our local authorities.

At last, In this terrible crisis, we should help needy people. Don’t forget to help and feed those who are unable to do so on their own. Take care of the elderly persons of your family and nearby surrounding. Take care of the kids nearby. Please ask elders and kids to stay at home only and spend some quality time playing or talking with them.