Simple Safety Tips to Protect Yourself from Corona Virus

Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19)

 The Symptoms:

The person afflicted by COVID-19 shows, one or more of, the following symptoms:

Most common symptoms:

·        fever

·        dry cough

·        tiredness / fatigue

Less common symptoms:

·        body pains

·        sore throat

·        diarrhea

·        conjunctivitis

·        headache

·        loss of taste or smell

·        running nose

·        nasal congestion

·        difficulty in breathing

It is observed that the children, the older people and people with already existing medical conditions are more vulnerable to the corona virus.

How to stay safe (and also to keep others safe):

The age-old maxim “Prevention is better than cure” is the best way to remain safe.

• Stay away from the person infected by Corona virus
• Avoid moving out of house
• Wear good quality mask when you are out of house
• Follow strict hand hygiene - Sanitize / wash your hands after touching any objects which might be carrying virus
• While sneezing cover your mouth or sneeze in elbow
• In case you are visiting any person / place, maintain Social Distancing, at least of one meter
• If you show any symptom of the COVID-19, consult a doctor
• Keep eye on news channel, be informed, be aware and follow the Govt advice
• Keep away from the crowds, meetings, gatherings, religious meetings, during the initial period of relaxation of lockdown/ quarantine / self-isolation
• Clean doorknobs, handles, staircase railings, telephones, etc with disinfectant / sanitizer
• Keep separate table-ware/cutlery, glasses for drinking water for each person or use disposable items
• Don’t be complacent. Don’t take chance. No one is immune to COVID-19.
• Do not hesitate to get tested due to fear of societal aversion to a  COVID-19 positive person.
• While at home, keep your mind engaged in some activity of your liking rather than pondering over the situation you are bogged down in – you are not alone, all are affected. Every cloud has silver lining. 

 Corona Virus Past and Present:

The human history is dotted with calamitous curses of outbreak, endemic, epidemic and pandemic of various diseases, mainly: plague, smallpox, cholera, malaria, dengue, influenza, typhus and HIV/AIDS. The death toll of such occurrences is heart wrenching. Inspite of nearly miraculous research and developments in medical sciences and better availability of health care services, mankind seems far away from such bane. The present onslaught of Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19), to be more specific, SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2), is bit different in terms of its geographical spread, growth trajectory, absence of proven, time-tested preventive vaccine / medicine and curative medicine, unpredictable fate of eradication, social, political and economic repercussions and anxiety amongst the people at large (thanks to Social Media). 

The Corona Virus:

The COVID-19 disease is spread by corona viruses. As per the scientific classification (taxonomy), they belong to the Coronaviridae family. Shape-wise, they are spherical with bulb-like spikes sticking out around the surface. Under a powerful electronic microscope, they look similar to the corona (from the Greek word crown) on the surface of the sun. Hence, they are christened corona virus. They were known to scientist since 1930 but it came to limelight and haunts the general public when it spread in a small town of Wuhan in China in December 2019 and before long, it spread across the globe like a wild fire. It is reported that out of 193 countries in the world, only 12 are free from the attack (most of these countries are small island nations in the Oceania). 

How it spreads:

Though virus is thought to have a zoonotic origin ( a phenomena of natural transmission of any disease or infection from vertebrate animals to humans), how the first person in Wuhan was infected with Corona Virus is not clear. The virus spreads from infected person to other person through close contact with infected person, kissing, hugging,   contact with droplets from an infected person's cough or sneeze; touching objects or surfaces (like doorknobs, handles, keys, table-wares, tables) that have cough or sneeze droplets from an infected person, and then touching your mouth or face. External body parts e.g. mouth, nose, eyes  having mucous membranes (wet surface) are easy entry points for the virus as they facilitate  direct access to throat and lungs. 

These droplets carrying SARS-CoV-2 can enter your body through the mucous membranes (wet parts) of your face – your eyes, nose and mouth – which provide a direct pathway to your throat and lungs. The good news is that it can’t get in through other parts of your body like your skin or your hair, but you might be surprised just how easily it can get to the mucous membranes of your face.

Treatment of the patient:

The treatment differs from patient to patient depending upon the severity of the disease and other factors. It is emphatically advised to consult the doctor and follow the advice.

Various remedies are indicated by various sources but they are myths. The experts say that there is no clinically tested medicine available at present for COVID-19 disease. Supervised Supportive care, Rest, isolation and quarantine measure are vital to  cure the patient.

(Reader's comments are welcome at gnpatel@gujaratinfotech.com).

Disclaimer: "The information given in the blog is only for general awareness  and must not be construed as a professional advice. Readers are advised to consult the professionals in any subject matter of the blog before acting on the information discussed in the blog and follow govt norms. The readers who are acting otherwise are doing so at their own risk."

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