COVID-19: What You should Actually Know About This Highly Contagious Disease

Coronavirus is a type of virus of different kinds that cause diseases. The newly identified COVID-19 has caused a recent outbreak of respiratory illness which started in Wuhan, China. Research has stated that the virus is passed from person to person and community spread is also seen, which means that people who are infected with the virus in particular areas, which include people who are not sure how or where they became infected. 

The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control is continuously monitoring the spread of this new coronavirus.

 

 

Coronavirus Symptoms: When should You See the Doctor?

The virus causes pneumonia like symptoms. If anyone suffers from fever or any kind of respiratory problems like coughing or shortness of breath, or persistent pain or a sort of pressure in the chest, then he or she should get medical attention immediately.

In severe cases there can be organ failure. Since this is a viral pneumonia, antibiotics do not work and the anti-viral drugs that are available in the market for normal flu also doesn’t work. The recovery from this illness totally depends on the strength of your immune system and many who have died were in poor health condition.

Medical practitioners have advised that anyone in the family who develops a persistent cough or high temperature should stay quarantined for at least 14 days and stay away from other people. This condition applies to everyone irrespective of whether they have travelled abroad or not. If symptoms get worse or lasts longer than seven days, then the patient should call the health care center and get tested for the virus.

How Coronavirus can Spread Among Others:

We all know that coronavirus is highly contagious and there is no vaccine available for the new virus, which means that it is difficult for elderly people or patients with respiratory disease to protect themselves. The virus spreads mainly from person to person:

1. Close contact with an infected person
2. Through respiratory droplets that is produced when a patient coughs or sneezes

The droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

How to Take Steps to Protect Yourself?

The first and most important thing is to stay aware of the latest information. Most people who have become infected with the virus may experience mild illness and even recover, but in some cases things can be more severe. Here is how you can take care of yourself:

Wash Your Hands Frequently: Clean your hands with soap and water for about 20 seconds as it will kill the virus in your hands. You can also use an alcohol based sanitizer frequently. It is better not to wear any ring and keep your nails properly trimmed.

 

 

Maintain Social Distance: If you have people suffering from cough and cold, then maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance between yourself and the infected person. When a person coughs and sneezes, they spray tiny liquid droplets from their nose or mouth that may contain the virus. If you are close to the person, then you may breathe in the droplets and get infected.

Avoid Touching Your Mouth, Nose and Eyes:  Since your hand touches many surfaces, you can easily pick up the viruses. And then again if you touch your eyes, mouth and nose, you will transfer the virus, which will enter your body and make you fall sick.

 

 

Wear a Face Mask If You are Sick:  In case you are suffering from cough and cold, then you should wear a facemask so that you don’t spread the droplets while coughing or sneezing. Your facemask will protect others from contamination.

 

 

Stay at Home and Follow the Advice of the Healthcare Provider: If you are suffering from any symptoms, then it is advised to stay at home and avoid going to crowded places. Stay informed on the latest development of Covid-19 and follow the instructions offered by the healthcare professionals.  Watching the national and local news will keep you informed about the virus spreading in your area.

Clean the Surfaces and Objects with Disinfectants: Droplets from infected people often settle down on flat surfaces and on door knobs and can stay active for many hours. It is recommended to clean the surfaces or any objects that are frequently used with disinfectants on a regular basis to stop spreading of infection.

How Corporates can Get Started with Remote Work Option?

The rapid spread of COVID-19 is forcing employers to send their staffs home and close offices to prevent the spread of the virus and protect their employees. Working remotely all of a sudden can be a challenging task, but here are some ways to make things easier during the coronavirus pandemic:

Have a Fast and Secured Internet Connection:

Your internet connection is the most fundamental tool that helps you work remotely and connect with others for data and necessary documents. With a good connection, you can check your emails from time to time and can arrange a video conference for meetings. In case you are using a WiFi, then work close to the hotspot or router and upgrade your home connection plan for more bandwidth.

Make Your Work Area Comfortable and Specific:

Remote work will also mean working for specific hours so don’t neglect your work spaces. You should avoid working uncomfortably on your bed or sofa. This will reduce your productivity. So it is crucial to choose a specific place to start your remote work and invest in some comfortable furniture. Some good lights and ideally a separate room which is quieter and will allow you to focus on your work is a good option.

Get Quality Headphones, Mic and a Camera for Great Communication:

To communicate with your team, you will have to arrange meetings and calls. Headphones, microphones and a good camera will help you to easily connect and talk to your team and clients clearly while doing conference calls. Remote workers need to make some arrangements to work efficiently.

Follow a Complete Work Schedule and Routine to Overstress Yourself:

Your working hours should be well defined and you should stick to your schedule which you usually follow when working at the office. Maintaining a routine will help you to end up overworking as it may be difficult at times to disconnect after a day of work. Establishing certain times for breaks like lunch time will help you to understand where to stop work and where to resume it again.

Stay Informed with Covid-19 Tracker:

Bing has recently launched the COVID-19 tracker that will help people to track the number of confirmed cases all over the globe. The entire data is split into various sections which include the active, recovered and fatal cases and the data can also be filtered based on geo location.

Google has also added the SOS alert, affected areas and safety tips with the search result pages on coronavirus.

A number of other publications have also been released from health organizations to keep people well informed about the coronavirus pandemic.