What is coronavirus
The coronavirus is an infectious disease caused by COVID-19 of still unknown origin. It can affect both humans and animals, and its origin and transmission is believed to have emerged in a market in the town of Wuhan in China in December 2019.
The main problem with this virus is that it is highly contagious, which is why it has become a pandemic in a very short time. In general, it does not cause major complications, but even with a low percentage of patients presenting with serious conditions, health systems collapse since, although it is a low percentage, there is still a very high number of people affected.
How Coronavirus is transmitted
As explained by the World Health Organization, this virus can be spread from person to person through droplets from the nose or mouth that are released when an infected person coughs or exhales. These particles that contain the virus can survive on objects or surfaces on which they have fallen and in this way be transmitted to another person who later has contact with that object, or they can be inhaled directly by another person who is close to the infected person. .
The biggest problem with transmission is that those infected do not present symptoms during their first week of infection, so they do not know that they are affected and can continue with their normal lives, infecting more people.
How to prevent contagion?
Taking into account the forms of transmission explained in the previous section, we can determine the ideal ways to prevent the disease.
The general recommendations of the medical community are the following:
- Maintain a safety distance of at least one meter from other people to avoid inhaling droplets that can be ejected from an infected person.
- Wash your hands frequently and avoid putting your hands on your face.
- Cough covering the inside of your elbow to avoid leaving the virus on your hands, since then you can touch something else and leave it contaminated.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces as frequently as possible to eliminate the possible presence of the virus.
- Those who present symptoms must wear a mask and remain isolated.
- And of course, as much as possible, absolutely all of us should avoid contact with anyone and stay isolated as much as possible from other people.
What are the main symptoms of COVID-19
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is believed that symptoms can take from 2 to 14 days to appear and can range from mild to very serious problems. In general, the main symptoms that occur with this disease are the following:
- Dry cough
- Fever
- Difficulty breathing
Although the latest research has determined that there are more symptoms related to the digestive system such as diarrhea. So if a person sees themselves within this box, they should contact the specialized help center in their community by telephone.
Is there a treatment?
To date, no vaccine has been discovered to prevent this virus or any medication to treat it. In a large percentage of patients, the typical medications prescribed for a normal flu are being used, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, however, those patients who present severe symptoms need treatments with respiratory assistance, here is the importance of keeping those infected to a minimum: It is important that everyone who needs more specialized care has the necessary resources.
In summary, it is important to remain calm in the face of this pandemic, but be very attentive and forward-thinking to be able to go through it in the most controlled way possible. We leave you here a video of Dr. Ghassan Elgeadi explaining from his medical experience how to deal with this pandemic.
