Recently there has been an outbreak of the Coronavirus (now called COVID-19) that has caused a global stir. The seat of the virus was in Wuhan in China, a seafood and meat market in December. It has since spread to several countries such as the United States.
Despite most countries trying their best to be quarantined, the COVID-19 has spread to a large number of countries. In India, about 415 people have been affected and 4 deaths have been reported. If you suffer from any of the symptoms as listed below, call the top hospitals in Hyderabad to know how to deal with this condition in the best way possible.
What is Coronavirus?
A Coronavirus is found in animals and then spreads from person to person. There are other similar COVID-19 virus attacks such as The MERS virus or the Middle East respiratory syndrome. It gets its name because of the Coronavirus structure, a crown-like structure.
The severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS virus was first discovered in the Guangdong province in southern China.
Symptoms of a Coronavirus?
The symptoms of COVID-19 can range from mild to severe. The symptoms can start from 2 to 14 days after getting exposed to the virus. Symptoms, causes, treatment of Coronavirus are as follows,
- Fever (The Centers for Disease Control considers a temperature over 100.4 °F or 38 °C to be at risk.
- Dry cough
- Shortness of breath
People who have weakened immune systems can have some serious symptoms such as pneumonia or bronchitis. The symptoms are more pronounced in people suffering from COVID-19. So far, most people suffering from COVID-19 are adults in general or the elderly but there are instances where children have also been infected.
Dealing with the Coronavirus
The novel Coronavirus has instilled a sense of fear and panic among the people who are clueless as to how to stem the outbreak and prevent it from affecting them and their loved ones. The onset of novel Coronavirus was identified in January and left a flurry of news articles and a continuous stream of social media posts about the dreaded virus also identified as the COVID-19.
The information influx is making things difficult to differentiate between fact and fiction. Many people are vulnerable to this condition; this is particularly true for people who have low immunity, which are co-morbid conditions such as diabetes and other pulmonary conditions. In times like this, you may be unsure of the current information you are getting and want some information from an authentic source.
How Coronavirus Spreads?
Human Coronaviruses can affect the nose, throat, and lungs. It can easily spread from one person to another. It spreads via various carriers such as,
- When you cough or sneeze it can spread via the droplets.
- Touching or shaking hands or via other types of contacts, touching something then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands.
- Current evidence suggests person-to-person spread is rampant and can spread via close contact.
How Coronavirus can be prevented?
Your actions can help you prevent and beat the virus. That’s right the right steps can go a long way in preventing the virus. Take a look at these preventive steps, the right COVID-19 – Control and Prevention steps to control the transmission of the virus.
- Plan and prepare if any family member falls ill.
- Follow the best guidelines provided by your state government and central government.
- Avoid going for non-essential travels as much as possible and that includes cruise ships.
- Practice self-isolation and keep a closer watch on your symptoms such as cough, fever or suffering from breathing problems.
- Maintain proper hygiene and social distancing.
- Wear masks as much as possible.
Control the Spread – The Concept of Social Distancing
We can slow down the spread of COVID-19 by stepping up our efforts to keep a great distance between each other. Social distancing is the best way and sometimes the only way to minimize the spread of illness during a virus outbreak such as Coronavirus. Small significant everyday changes can make a great difference. Include the following to stem the spread.
- Avoid crowded places as much as possible; especially you can avoid gatherings deemed as non-essential.
- Greet people with a Namaste instead of handshakes.
- Ensure you take care of older adults particularly those with poor health; ensure you keep a distance of at least 2 arms-lengths from others.
- Maintain proper hygiene and reduce infection risk.
- Ensure you wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Use an alcohol-based (60% or more) sanitizer if you do not have soap and water at hand.
- Ensure you cough or sneeze at the bend of your arm but not your hand.
- Dispose of used tissues into a wastepaper basket and wash your hands afterward.
- Avoid touching the t-zone of your faces such as eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Keep cleaning high-risk zone areas such as gadgets, tables, door handles, toys, with regular household cleaners, using diluted bleach.
- Wear a mask only if you are ill as it gives a sense of security, this can increase your chance of spreading COVID-19.
Risks of getting Coronavirus increases in the following instances,
- At cruise ships
- Crowded places such as public transits and shopping plazas, theatres, festival gatherings and so on.
How long does Coronavirus last?
The virus can survive on hard surfaces such as metal, glass, and lasts for nine days unless they go for proper disinfection. Some can exist for 28 days in low temperatures.
The best way to deal with the virus of any kind is to be aware of the right information and not get affected by myths. Take the right steps; follow the guidelines set by the governments and stay at home. It is important to stay at home and break the chain of the virus. Let’s repeat this, together we can beat corona.
