COVID-19 is a disease, caused by a new trait of coronavirus. It emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan and became pandemic as it started affecting a large number of people all over the world.
How Do You Get COVID-19?
It mainly transfers from person to person by droplets from the mouth, nose, and breath of the infected person from a 1-meter distance.
The infected person has droplets on his hands and he touches surfaces, can leave the virus there, when you touch that surface and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes, you can become infected.
What Do You Feel When You Catch COVID-19?
- You can have COVID-19 and will feel nothing, then you will be known as an asymptomatic carrier and can spread the disease to others.
- Symptoms can present from 1–14 days after exposure.
- Pain in throat
- Nose blockage
- Loose motions
- No taste or smell
Mostly these symptoms are mild and don’t require any specific treatment, but if it’s severe and involves difficulty in breathing and heaviness, it should immediately require medical help.
How Can You Find Out Its COVID-19?
It’s a heavily misinterpreted section by the majority of the people. Please clear your concepts about COVID-19 testing.
What Are The Types Of Tests For COVID-19?
- PCR kit testing: Done by taking swabs from nose or throat.
- COVID-19 antibody: Tested in blood after 1–3 weeks of infection.
- CT Scan Chest: It is not specific for COVID-19.
Who Should Get Tested?
If you think that you got infected, check out with your doctor he might advise you to get tested if you have symptoms or if you are exposed to someone who is positive, or if you are at high risk of developing COVID-19.
Results Of The Tests
- Please understand that PCR testing is only about 71% sensitive means If you are having symptoms and your PCR is negative it DOESN’T mean that you are not infected DON’T RELY on it alone and get precautions while observing your symptoms. Repeat PCR if needed.
- CT scan chest is done in people who have severe symptoms, and it is more reliable than a PCR test with 98% sensitivity, and shows the classic picture is ‘Ground Glass Appearance’.
What To Do Once You Caught COVID-19?
- COVID-19 has no specific treatment.
- Medications are in the trials, that might help treat COVID-19 but to date, NO specific treatment has been approved. Trial drugs are available in the market but CAN’T and SHOULDN’T taken as self-medicine.
- ISOLATE yourself in a confined space at home that is a room with an attached washroom, for 14 days.
- Use a disposable or separate plate, glass, spoon, and discard them or wash them yourself after usage.
- Maintain a 1-meter distance from everyone, if you are having no place for isolation, don’t roam around, limit your human and surface contact.
- Wear a mask.
- Eat well-balanced nutrition for COVID-19.
- Exercise daily like walk, yoga with deep breathing exercises. Learn more about COVID 19 exercise recommendations.
- Get proper rest and sleep.
- Avoid dehydration, drink 8–10 glasses of water daily.
- Observe your symptoms daily and get medical help if symptoms worsen.
- Take treatment for symptoms like paracetamol for fever and pain, steam for nose blockage, warm saline gargles for sore throat.
- Supplements and COVID 19 have a direct relationship, supplements rich in vitamins and minerals especially Vitamin C and zinc are a must.
- Generally, once you have recovered or isolated for 14 days, you can break your quarantine. Repeat your PCR test if needed.
Is It Preventable?
COVID-19 spread by close human contact and 100% preventable if required precautions are taken. Remember, PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE so try to get prevented rather than facing the consequence after getting infected.
- Avoiding all the gatherings in the first place, and at least 1 meter or 3 feet distance from everyone.
- Wash your hands regularly and frequently with ANY soap and water, carry alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and use it as an alternative.
- Don’t touch your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Use masks whenever you are not alone, and change them every 8 hours.
- Maintain good overall health to build up your immunity by having a well-balanced diet, drinking adequate water, and aerobic exercises at least 30 minutes a day.
- Start taking your multivitamins and minerals from today.
- Cover your coughs and sneeze in a bent elbow or tissue.
- Clean surfaces that are in human contact frequently.
- Stay home and DON’T leaves the house unnecessarily.
- If you need to go outside, take precautions, and carry only important stuff, remove your shoes, and wash your hands before entering house premises.
- Shop with cards instead of cash.
Myths About COVID-19
Only trust the certified authorities for any news, precautions, and techniques concerning COVID-19. Stay away from myths, and clear them today:
- Cold or hot food doesn’t help to prevent COVID-19.
- Have you seen infrared devices checking on your forehead wherever you go? They don’t detect coronavirus and only detect fever.
- Instead of running after the medications which are in trial for COVID-19, focus on improving your overall health to prepare your immunity to fight against the disease.
- No food choices are tending to be protective against COVID-19.
- Only alcohol-based hand sanitizer is effective in killing COVID-19.
- Extremes of temperature are not protective against COVID-19.
- Holding breath and checking doesn’t guarantee that you are free of COVID-19.
- It can affect or become severe in people of any age group.
- You can use any soap for handwashing, just follow the steps properly, and do it frequently.
- Your PCR test can be positive after resolved symptoms that don’t mean you are still infected.
- Wearing gloves is not necessary, washing hands is necessary, if you touch all the surfaces and your mouth, eyes, and nose with the same gloves it can be more harmful.
Lastly, I just wanted to say that it’s a disease that we all have to fight with, and this can be done by following simple steps, don’t confuse yourself with false information and please avoid spreading them as well, stay away from all the controversies that are spreading now a day. Don’t stress yourself, just focus on your overall well being, and the basics listed above.
This is a new virus so very little information available about it and this article is authenticated on current guidelines, this can vary with time according to new research, keep yourself up to date, and feel free to ask any questions in the comment section.