Facts about COVID- 19

COVID-19 is caused by a new coronavirus strain known as SARS-CoV- 2. The virus was discovered in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and has since spread around the world. On March 11, 2020, it was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In the majority of people, the virus causes mild symptoms such as dry cough and high body temperature (38 degrees Celsius or above). Some people develop severe symptoms of COVID- 19 (like difficulty in breathing) and need to be hospitalised. Older people and people with underlying medical or health conditions like heart or lung diseases or diabetes are more prone to contracting COVID-19.

Some of the best ways to prevent COVID- 19 include:

1. Regular hand washing under running water with soap

2. Use of an alcohol-based hand sanitiser (that contains at least 60% alcohol) if you do not have access to soap and water

3. If you sneeze or cough, use a clean tissue to cover your mouth and nose, then make sure you immediately dispose of it in a bin and wash your hands. If you don’t have a tissue, use the inside of your elbow to cover your mouth and nose

4. Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever or a cough. Similarly, if you are feeling unwell, make sure you keep away from others.

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

6. Avoid handshakes.

7. Wear face mask before you step out.

8. Practise physical / social distancing by maintaining about 2 meters between you and others around you

How is COVID-19 spread?

COVID-19 is spread through contact with respiratory droplets of a person currently infected with the virus. These droplets are from the infected person’s nose and mouth which may land on surfaces and objects around them. The virus is then spread when another person comes into contact with these droplets and touches their face, nose or mouth.

The virus may also be spread when an infected person sneezes, coughs or exhales, and people around the infected person breathe in these micro-droplets. For this reason, it’s important to stay around two meters (6 feet) away from someone you know to have the virus.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

A wide range of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe illness, have been reported for people with COVID- 19. The most common symptoms are a dry cough, tiredness and high body temperature. Symptoms may appear within 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Other flu-like symptoms such as aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea are also common.

Around 80% of people with COVID-19 recover from the virus without the need for special treatment, usually in about seven days. Many may not even know that they have the virus, while others may feel like they have a common cold and treat it as they normally would at home. Around one in six people will get seriously ill from the virus and may have trouble breathing. These people will need hospitalisation.

What to do if you have symptoms:

If you have a fever, cough, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, difficulty breathing, stay at home and call your local health authority or call your nation’s or the local emergency number for COVID- 19 response. They will give you advice and tell you what to do and where to go.

Coronavirus is very infectious, so it’s important to follow guidelines to protect your health, the health of medical staff and your wider community.

Remember to listen to announcements from your government and public health department if they need to contain the virus where you live.

What is social or physical distancing?

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, people are advised to keep their distance from others. The exact advice on how to do this varies between countries. In some places, people have been asked to stop shaking hands and avoid large gatherings. Other places have advised people to stay at home completely and only leave the house to exercise, shop for essentials and go to work (if you can’t work at home).

This advice aims to slow the spread of the virus by reducing the number of people you meet in a day. This will help the health system by preventing a large number of critical care patients presenting at the same time.

Written by: Esther Selasi Avinu

SRH Specialist and Public Health advocate

RESOURCE: W.H.O., Avert and CDC