What is Coronavirus?

Is an umbrella term for a family of different viruses such as the common cold and flu to more severe viruses and diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Covid-19 is the most recent discovered virus in the Coronavirus family.

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a new virus from the Coronavirus family and was recently discovered in Wuhan, China in late 2019 when there was an outbreak. This strain of the virus is very infectious and at this moment (22 March 2020) there isn’t any known cure or vaccine.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

For most people the virus can cause mild to moderate respiratory illness if there aren’t any other underlying medical conditions (such as: heart problems, Parkinson, Multiple sclerosis (MS) or diabetes) and can recover (80% of people recover) from it without any special treatment. However, for the older population, it can be serious for the older generation/population.

Common symptoms are fever, dry cough and tiredness; other symptoms may include: aches and pains, sore throat, shortness of breath and for a few people are reported: a runny nose, nausea or diarrhoea.

If you have these symptoms, it is important to self-isolate for about 2 weeks, to prevent infecting others (also do remember that we are still in the flu seasons and Coronavirus also covers flu). If your symptoms persevere or you have fevers, difficulties in breathing, please seek medical attention and follow the advice of the NHS.

Please remember that people may not show any symptoms at all and may still be infected with COVID-19

How is COVID-19 Spread?

COVID-19 can be spread between person to person through little droplets from the nose to the mouths (when an infected person coughs or inhales); hands to mouth, nose or eyes (avoid touching the face is essential) from touching surfaces from an infected droplet. Many studies have suggested that COVID-19 is not airborne and therefore it is not transmitted in the air.

How to Protect Yourself?

These suggestions can kill the virus or prevent you from getting infected.

Wash your hands frequently and often and each handwash should last for a minimum of 20 seconds. If you don’t have access to wash your hands, use alcohol sanitisers.

Increase your personal space and stand away from others by at least 1 meter.

Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, mouth and nose.

Follow good respiratory hygiene by sneezing and coughing on bent elbows tissues and disposing of the tissues immediately; covering your mouth and nose.

Staying at home if you feel unwell or general as the cases of COVID-19 is on an increase in the UK

Disinfecting and Cleaning surfaces on a regularly and frequent basis.

Not Shaking hands with people.

Avoiding overcrowding places and social interaction.

Only travel on public transport if it is an absolute must.

If you are concerned that you have COVID-19 you can always check here.

Reference:

NHS; Stay at home if you have coronavirus symptoms; https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

NHS; Staying at home can help stop coronavirus spreading; https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-advice/

World Health Organisation; Coronavirus; https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1

World Health Organisation; Q&A on Coronavirus (COVID-19); https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses

World Health Organisation; Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public; https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

Unicef; FAQs; https://www.unicef.org.uk/coronavirus-facts/

Unicef; What is a ‘novel’ coronavirus? https://www.unicef.org/stories/novel-coronavirus-outbreak-what-parents-should-know

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