If you’re on planet Earth, you’ve heard of the Coronavirus. But you may still have some technical questions about what this virus is, where it came from and what it can do to your body. You may also have questions on what you can do to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and limit your chances of contracting it. We’re here to help with those questions.
The novel Coronavirus that has put the world on pause is part of the general Coronavirus family, which is made up of hundreds of viruses that thrive in animal populations. Seven of these viruses are known to affect humans including SARS, MERS, and now, the novel coronavirus. It was first introduced into the human population on 17 November 2019 in Wuhan, China. At the time, it was referred to as 2019 Novel Coronavirus (nCoV).
On 11 Feb, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially began using the term COVID-19 because this virus causes what is known as “coronavirus disease 2019”. The term is abbreviated as COVID 2019 (CO=Corona, VI=Virus, D=Disease, 2019= year of origin).
Symptoms of Coronavirus Infection
When this virus first appeared, the known symptoms were fever, cough and difficulty breathing. After more study, that list has been expanded to include sore throat, body aches and headaches. A lab test is required to diagnose someone with COVID-19, and testing can be done through your local health department depending on the severity of your symptoms and the availability of testing equipment.
Who is most at risk of complications from COVID-19?
According to early research, those most at risk for complications due to coronavirus are the elderly (70+) and individuals with underlying medical conditions, including cardiac diseases, diabetes, those with pulmonary conditions and breathing conditions such as asthma.
Serious complications from COVID-19 include intense fever, severe respiratory difficulty requiring the use of a ventilator and death.
What can I do to prevent getting coronavirus?
There is no treatment for COVID-19. All medical professionals can do is provide supportive care and help you to breathe through the use of a ventilator and oxygen. In short, the best way to protect against COVID-19 is prevention. Stay home. Self-isolate and practice disinfection routines. The goal is to prevent cross-contamination of items that may have the virus on them with items that don’t, including your face, nose, eyes and mouth.
The best way to do this is to wash your hands frequently whenever you re-enter your home or touch something you’ve brought in from outside. Use high quality hand wash and wash your hands for 20 seconds or longer. Have hand sanitizer on-hand and disinfect your home daily.
Disinfect any packages you bring in the house with a disinfectant spray before you open them. Disinfect the items inside, then wash your hands. Clean your counters, doorknobs, refrigerator door handles, light switches and all frequently touched surfaces often.
Limit going outside only for important things, and do not invite anyone over. Do not host parties or visit anyone else, especially the elderly, who are most at risk.