Coronavirus, or what you need to know about the new COVID-19 virus, - this is one of the most popular Internet searches since the beginning of 2020. This is not surprising, because the pandemic has become the source of mass psychosis in many countries.
Let's see what everyone needs to know about the coronavirus. In this article, we will try to answer the most important questions related to the COVID-19 coronavirus.
What is coronavirus
Coronaviruses are a family of RNA viruses that infect humans and animals. They got their name due to the external similarity with the solar corona.
The purpose of the "crown" in coronaviruses is associated with their characteristic ability to penetrate the cell membrane by mimicking the molecules that the transmembrane receptors of the cells respond to with "fake molecules". The virus is literally forced into a healthy cell, after which it infects it with its RNA.
What is COVID-19
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new type of coronavirus, which can occur in both a mild form of a respiratory viral infection and a severe one. In the latter case, a person begins to progress viral pneumonia, which can lead to his death.
As of March 2020, doctors have not yet managed to develop an effective vaccine against coronavirus, however, in the media and on television, you can repeatedly hear that doctors in a particular country were able to create a vaccine.
According to many authoritative scientists, a vaccine will appear no earlier than in a year, since before launching it into mass production, many observations are required and only then draw conclusions regarding its effectiveness.
How dangerous is COVID-19
In most cases, children and healthy young people have mild COVID-19. However, there is also a severe form of infection: approximately every 5th person who is sick with coronavirus needs hospitalization.
It follows from this that it is imperative for people to adhere to quarantine, thanks to which the spread of the coronavirus can be contained. Otherwise, the disease in the shortest possible time will begin to spread exponentially.
How contagious is the COVID-19 coronavirus and how it spreads
A person infected with coronavirus is capable of infecting 3-6 people around him, but this figure can be several times higher. COVID-19 is transmitted as follows:
- by airborne droplets;
- when shaking hands;
- through objects.
A person can get the coronavirus from a sick person by coughing or sneezing. Also, COVID-19 can be picked up by touching an infected person or object that the patient touched. An interesting fact is that in the air the virus can remain viable for several hours, while, for example, on plastic for up to 3 days!
When a person touches contaminated objects with their hands, they are essentially not yet infected. Infection occurs at the moment when he touches his eyes, nose or mouth with a “dirty” hand. Curiously, according to statistics, we somehow reflexively touch our mouth, nose and eyes at least 23 times per hour!
For this reason, you should wash your hands as often as possible and not touch your face, as well as keep at least 1.5 meters from sick or potentially sick people.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19
The main symptoms of coronavirus infection:
- Increased body temperature (fever) - in 88% of cases;
- Dry cough with little sputum (67%);
- Feeling of constriction behind the breastbone (20%);
- Shortness of breath (19%);
- Muscle or joint pain (15%);
- Sore throat (14%);
- Migraine (13%);
- Diarrhea (3%).
According to statistics, 8 out of 10 people are successfully recovering from the coronavirus COVID-19, with virtually no need for treatment. In about one in six cases, the patient develops a severe form of respiratory failure.
If you have a fever, frequent and dry cough, or shortness of breath, seek immediate medical attention.
Who is at risk
Chinese experts presented a large study of all cases of the disease until February 11, 2020, according to which:
- the overall death rate from coronavirus is 2.3%;
- the highest mortality rate among people over 80 years old - 14.8%;
- in the group from 70 to 80 years old - 8%;
- death of children aged 0-9 years is extremely low (few cases);
- in the group of 10-40 years, the mortality rate is 0.2%.
- women die less often than men: 1.7% and 2.8%, respectively.
According to the data presented, it can be concluded that people who are over 70 years old and especially those who have chronic diseases are at risk.
How to protect older people
First of all, older people should stay away from crowded places. They need to stock up on medicines and food for as long as possible. Relatives, neighbors or social services can help them with this.
It is worth noting that old people often tolerate coronavirus without fever. Therefore, they should seek medical attention as soon as they develop other symptoms of COVID-19.
The sooner they seek medical help, the higher the likelihood of their recovery.
How resistant is the coronavirus in different conditions
- In the external environment, coronaviruses are inactivated from surfaces at +33 ° C in 16 hours, while at +56 ° C in 10 minutes;
- Italian experts claim that 70% ethanol, sodium hypochlorite 0.01% and chlorhexidine 1% can destroy the coronavirus in just 1-2 minutes.
- The WHO strongly recommends the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers as they are very effective in the fight against coronavirus.
- Coronaviruses continue to function in aerosol for up to 10 hours, and in water for up to 9 days! In this case, doctors suggest using UV irradiation with "quartz lamps", which can destroy the virus in 2-15 minutes.
- According to the WHO, COVID-19, as a particle, is quite large and heavy. Thanks to this, the coronavirus spreads only within a radius of 1 meter around the infected person and is not able to be transferred over significant distances.
How to protect yourself and others from coronavirus
As mentioned earlier, in order to protect yourself from coronavirus, you need to avoid crowds, stay at a safe distance from sick and potentially sick people, not touch your face, and also adhere to strict hygiene.
In addition, doctors advise to take off outerwear immediately upon entering the home, and not walk around the house in it. You should also drink more fluids and preferably hot. When it settles in the pharynx, water flushes the coronavirus into the stomach, where it immediately dies due to an unfavorable environment.
Can a person get COVID-19 from an animal
As of today, doctors cannot say with certainty whether it is possible to contract the coronavirus through contact with animals. However, people are advised not to come into contact with animals as they may well be carriers of the virus.
It is also necessary to refrain from cheeses of animal products. For example, meat or milk should be heat treated.
Is it possible to get coronavirus from a person who has no symptoms
According to the WHO, the likelihood of infection from a person who does not show open symptoms of coronavirus is very low. This is due to the fact that an infected person produces little sputum through which the virus spreads.
However, for many people, the symptoms of coronavirus may be mild, as a result of which there is a risk of transmission of COVID-19 from a person who considers himself healthy and has a mild cough.
How long is the incubation period
From the moment of infection with the coronavirus and until symptoms appear, it can take from 2 to 14 days.
How many days have they been sick with coronavirus
The mild form of the disease COVID-19 lasts up to 2 weeks, while the severe one can proceed within 2 months.
Where can I get tested for coronavirus
Testing for the coronavirus COVID-19 is prescribed by medical professionals, who draw conclusions based on the symptoms observed in patients.
The first systems for rapid analysis were developed by German scientists in January 2020. About 250,000 tests were distributed in different countries with the assistance of WHO. Today there is news that doctors from other countries have created similar analyzes, which is essentially not surprising.
Is it possible to get coronavirus again
Now there is not a single officially reported case of re-infection with coronavirus. At the same time, it is fair to say that today doctors lack information about how long immunity can last after an illness.
Some people mistakenly believe that they have re-infected. Since the disease can last for several weeks, a person gets the impression that he has caught COVID-19 again, when in reality it is not.
Is there a cure for COVID-19
As mentioned earlier, so far, scientists have not been able to create a complete vaccine against the COVID-19 coronavirus. However, for now, WHO is calling for the use of ribavirin (an antiviral agent for hepatitis C and hemorrhagic fevers) and interferon β-1b.
These medicines can prevent the virus from multiplying and improve the course of the disease. Patients with pneumonia are advised to use antimicrobial agents. Oxygen and ventilators are essential for severe infections.
Should you wear a mask to protect you from coronavirus?
Yes. First of all, a person infected with the virus should have a mask so that he does not spread the infection. It is also necessary for healthy people who can catch an infection anywhere.
And although many European and American scientists claim that masks are not effective in the fight against COVID-19, Chinese and Asian experts hold diametrically opposed opinions. Moreover, they argue that it was the negligence in wearing masks that caused the sharp outbreak of the virus in the EU and the US.
In addition, the mask will help you protect your nose and mouth from reflexive touches of your own hands. It is worth not forgetting that disposable masks can be worn no more than 2-3 hours and not used a second time.
Before putting on the mask, you need to treat your hands with an antiseptic, and then make sure that it completely covers the chin. Remove the mask in such a way that it does not touch the face and other parts of the body.
Used masks must be placed in a plastic bag, which will prevent the spread of possible infection, and then discarded in a closed container. Then you should definitely wash your face, hands and other exposed areas of the body with soap.
Do I need to self-isolate
Coping with the coronavirus pandemic will only be possible by reducing the number of cases. Otherwise, doctors simply will not be able to technically and physically provide assistance to those infected with COVID-19, which will lead to serious consequences.
For this reason, the only way to finally overcome the coronavirus will be quarantine and appropriate treatment.
In the end, I would like to add that according to some sources, smoking increases the risk of developing coronavirus to a more severe degree, which can be fatal.
