BREAKING THE CORONAVIRUS CHAIN

Corona virus or COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus. This virus is described with the word novel because it is a newly discovered virus. Most people infected by this virus experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without any special treatment.

The people of advanced ages or those already underlying with medical problems like diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and cancer are more likely to develop this illness.

It being a new disease, there is still no vaccine or medicine that has been developed to prevent the spread of this disease.

This disease is not an airborne disease that is it does not spread through air but through the droplets from an infected person sneeze, cough or spit. Now you may think that it is a good think that it is not in the air but no we still need to undertake various precautions to prevent it.

Much like common cold or flu, the symptoms of this virus are runny nose, sore throat, fever etc. That is why we cannot separate it from a common cold.

Then the only way left to prevent the contraction of this virus is social distancing and taking a few precautions.

SOCIAL DISTANCING: The World Health Organisation has strongly been recommending the need for social distancing since the outbreak of the virus started around 3 months back in China. Today the countries which are most affected like Italy, the US and the UK have reached at this position because of the continuous ignorance of the WHO’s guidelines. Countries like Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea had started taking measure like complete lockdown long time back and thus could contain the spread to a large extent. The Indian government has also been taking the required measures like complete lockdown across all states and borders.

Measures like these are important as the virus cannot stay on surfaces or the air for a long time and thus it is expected to die when it does not get a host to live or mutate further.

WASH HANDS-The WHO: has issued various preventive measures like washing your hands properly for 20 whole seconds. Usually in our daily life we are in a hurry and just wash our hands for the sake of it, but now we just need to a little more careful and wash our hands from front and back, between the fingers and thumb and the nails by following the 11 steps rule.

MAINTAIN DISTANCE: We understand that you cannot stay at home for the entire lockdown period, eventually you may have to step to buy groceries or medicines. Then also no need to worry and just remember to maintain a proper distance and a proper 1 meter distance from someone coughing or sneezing. If standing in a queue stand at proper distances and avoid touching, shaking hands or hugging someone.

DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE: Do not touch your face because even if you touch an infected surface or a person then if you don’t touch your face the virus will not enter your body. This is so because the virus can only enter your body through your eyes, nose, mouth or ears. Wash your hands or rub an alcohol based sanitizer on your hands.

AVOID SMOKING: Avoid drinking or smoking or anything that can affect your lungs. These things are not the direct cause of the coronavirus but they can weaken your lungs an thus hit your immune system and of course you need a healthy immune system to fight any disease.

STAY HOME: Avoid any unnecessary travel and only step out in case of an emergency.

COVER YOUR MOUTH: Cover your mouth and nose with a bent elbow while coughing or sneezing because that is the place with which you do not touch someone or something so you can prevent the spread. If you use a tissue paper throw it in a covered bin. Also, stay at home and self- quarantine yourself if you are not feeling well

The most important thing is that does not panic and do not get overwhelmed by these precautions. These precautions are not anything that is extreme that is being asked to be done from us. Things like washing hands and covering your mouth is what we were taught in school, it is just that now it is more important than before.

Also, do not get carried away by myths and superstitions and do not believe everything you read or hear as it may affect your mental health and make you anxious.

Only rely on credible sources like the official site of WHO which is being updated regularly. Also, WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom has been regularly conducting meetings with the press and important leaders taking a view of the entire situation and updating the world with the latest developments. These videos are available on YouTube which you can refer to on a daily basis. Practice these measures and have faith as this too shall pass!