A corona virus is a kind of common virus that causes an infection in your nose, sinuses, or upper throat.
Corona-viruses are a large family of viruses that are known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. A corona virus (COVID-19) was identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China. This is a new corona virus that has not been previously identified in humans.
Illness caused by SARS-CoV-2 was termed COVID-19 by the WHO, the acronym derived from "corona virus disease 2019".
Lets look at the Symptoms of COVID-19. The main symptoms include:
- Fever
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Trouble breathing
- Fatigue
- Chills, sometimes with shaking
- Body aches
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Loss of smell or taste
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
If you’re infected, symptoms can show up in 2 days or as many as 14. It varies from person to person. According to researchers in China, these were the most common symptoms among people who had COVID-19:
Fever 99%, Fatigue 70%, Cough 59% , Lack of appetite 40%, Body aches 35%, Shortness of breath 31%, Mucus/phlegm 27%.
How does the corona virus spread?
As of now, researchers know that the new corona virus is spread through droplets released into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The droplets generally do not travel more than a few feet, and they fall to the ground (or onto surfaces) in a few seconds — this is why social and physical distancing is effective in preventing the spread.
A study shows that SARS-CoV-2 can last for several hours on various types of surfaces:
Copper: 4 hours
Cardboard: up to 24 hours
Plastic or stainless steel: 2 to 3 days
That’s why it is very important to sanitize disinfect surfaces to get rid of the virus.
What is community spread?
We called it community spread when someone gets the virus even though they haven’t been out of the country or haven’t been exposed to someone who’s traveled abroad or who has COVID-19.
It’s likely that person was exposed to someone who was infected but didn’t know it.
Corona virus Prevention
Follow the Steps:- Wash your hands often with soap and water for 2 minutes at least or clean them with an alcohol-based sanitizer. This kills viruses on your hands.
- Practice social distancing. Because you can take and spread the virus without knowing it, you should stay home as much as possible. If you do have to go out, stay at least 6 feet away from others.
- Cover your nose and mouth in public: If you have COVID-19, you can spread it even if you don’t feel sick. Wear a cloth face covering to protect others. This isn’t a replacement for social distancing. You still need to keep a 6-foot distance between yourself and those around you. Don’t use a face mask meant for health care workers. Don’t touch your face. Corona viruses can live on surfaces you touch for several hours. If they get on your hands and you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, they can get into your body.
- Clean and disinfect. You can clean first with soap and water, but disinfect surfaces you touch often, like tables, doorknobs, light switches, toilets, faucets, and sinks. Wear gloves when you clean and throw them away when you’re done.
How can you help stop the spread of the corona virus?
Now Government, is easing restrictions and allowing businesses to reopen. This doesn’t mean the virus is gone. Continue to follow safety practices such as wearing a cloth face mask in public places. Because the virus spreads from person to person, it’s important to limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Some people work in “essential businesses” that are vital to daily life, such as health care, law enforcement, and public utilities. Everyone else should stay home as much as you can and wear a cloth face mask when you can’t. You might hear officials use these terms when they talk about staying home:
Social distancing or physical distancing, keeping space between yourself and other people when you have to go out.
Quarantine, keeping someone home and separated from other people if they might have been exposed to the virus.
Isolation, keeping sick people away from healthy people, including using a separate “sick” bedroom and bathroom when possible
