COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease
All you need to know about coronavirus (COVID-19). Its underlying cause, symptoms, preventions, safety measures and homeopathic medicine.
FAQ : COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus (CoV) belong to family of viruses which are capable of causing respiratory infection in humans and other life forms. They are single stranded- RNA viruses.
Coronaviruses are known to cause diseases ranging from common cold to severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
The most recently discovered coronavirus(SARS- CoV 2) causes coronavirus disease, COVID-19.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is the contagious infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV 2).
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
People may be sick with the virus for 1 to 14 days before developing symptoms.
The most common symptoms of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are
2. Tiredness, and
3. Dry Cough
Some patients may suffer from body pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea, breathing difficulty, etc.
Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment.
How does it spread?
COVID-19 is a Droplet infection.
ADVICE -
COUGHING INTO THE ELBOW can help prevent the Droplet spread and use of masks in vicinity of affected people can help you prevent from inhaling the infected droplets.
How to prevent COVID-19 spread?
You can protect yourself by :
1) PERSONAL HYGIENE
•Wash your hands frequently with soap or handwash and water.
•Avoid touching your face, eyes, mouth and nose.
• Use face- masks
-If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected Covid- 19 infection.
- Disposable face mask can only be used once.
• Use sanitizer ( if soap and water are not available).
• Cough into your elbow rather using hands to cover mouth.
• avoiding close contact (1 meter or 3 feet) with people who are unwell.
• avoid attending large gatherings
Stay at home and take rest if you feel unwell.
If you have recently travelled from the affected countries or came in contact with people who travelled from such countries and you feel headache, high fever or cough , then you must get your self checked and tested as soon as possible.
It has been seen that people with weak immune system are easy target of coronavirus disease. Elderly people or people with other health issues are at more risk.
Tips to boost your immunity-
• Be well Hydrated - drink enough water and take liquid diet more.
• Take balanced diet with good intake of fruits and vegetables.
• Get enough sunlight.
• Be active and fit - do few exercises daily.
• Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
• Avoid non- vegetarian diet.
Is this virus deadly? Compare this with other viruses ?
It is less as compared to mortality rate of other viruses.
Deaths are usually caused by viral pneumonitis (direct virus damage of the lung) or by superimposed bacterial pneumonia.
How long is the incubation period of COVID-19?
The “incubation period” means the time between catching the virus and beginning to have symptoms of the disease.
Most estimates of the incubation period for COVID-19 range from 1-14 days, most commonly for around five days.
Can we get infected by animal source?
Coronavirus (CoV) are zoonotic that means they are transmitted to humans through animals.
But previous coronaviruses for example, SARS-CoV was associated with civet cats and MERS-CoV is transmitted by dromedary camels.
So better be careful and follow precautions in handling raw meat, milk or animal organs with care to avoid contamination of uncooked foods and avoid consuming raw or undercooked animal products.
How does Coronavirus harm?
VIROLOGY:
When a host cell is infected by a virus there is forced production of thousands of identical copies of the original virus at an extraordinary rate. Viruses do not have cells that divide; new viruses are assembled in the infected host cell and its DNA gets damaged. The host cell is unable to repair itself and can't perform its functions properly.
Most virus infections eventually result in the death of the host cell.
initially the virus infects the cells of throat, airways and lungs and starts replicating therby turning them into "coronavirus industries/factories" that produce huge numbers of new viruses which in turn infects more cells.
At this early stage, there is no sign and symptom of sickness and some people may never develop symptoms (
asymtomatic cases).
The incubation period (the time between catching the viral infection and beginning to have symptoms of disease).
There may be body aches, sore throat, runny nose, headache with fever and dry cough.
Dry Cough is caused due irritation of cells by infection and multiplication of invading virus.
Some people might have
productive cough which means they cough up sputum (a thick mucus containing dead lung cells killed by the virus).
Inflammation of the lungs is called
Pneumonia which can eventually cause shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing. Mostly it is bilateral pnuemonia (affecting both lungs).
With pneumonia, the air sacs may fill with fluid or pus and it becomes difficult for air to pass.
People may need nebulizer or ventilator to breathe in properly.
Finally the damage can reach fatal levels at which organs can no longer keep the body alive and eventually leads to
death.
Can coronavirus survive in hot temperature?
According to WHO - From the evidence so far, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in ALL AREAS, including areas with hot and humid weather.
Reference : https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
Is there any vaccine for COVID-19?
Not yet.
There is no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-2019. However, those affected should receive care to relieve symptoms.
People with serious illness should be hospitalized.
How severe can COVID-19 get?
A study in China found that about 80% of confirmed cases had fairly mild symptoms (defined as no significant infection in the lungs). About 15% had severe symptoms that caused significant shortness of breath, low blood oxygen or other lung problems, and fewer than 5% of cases were critical, featuring respiratory failure, pneumonia, septic shock or multiple organ problems.
Can spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body kill the new coronavirus?
No.
Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not kill viruses that have already entered your body.
Are antibiotics effective in preventing and treating the new coronavirus?
No, antibiotics do not work against viruses, only bacteria.
Should I travel?
It is not recommended to travel during this outbreak.
However if unavoidable, you can take precautionary measures and be safe.
Is there any preventive medicine in Homeopathy?
They recommended Arsenicum album 30 could be taken as prophylactic medicine against Coronavirus infections.
It has recommended one dose of
Arsenicum album 30, daily in empty stomach for three days.
The dose should be repeated after one month by following the same schedule incase Coronavirus infections prevail in the community.
What is the structure of Coronavirus (SARS- CoV 2) ?
SARS- CoV 2, previously known as 2019 novel coronavirus (2019 - nCoV) is a positive-sense single stranded RNA virus (+)ssRNA virus.
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