WHAT IS CORONA VIRUS (CONVID-19) ?
Corona virus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused
by a newly discovered corona virus.
Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience
mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special
treatment. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like
cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are
more likely to develop serious illness.
The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is be well
informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads.
Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an
alcohol based rub frequently and not touching your face.
The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva
or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s
important that you also practice respiratory etiquette (for example, by
coughing into a flexed elbow).
At this time, there are no specific vaccines or treatments for
COVID-19. However, there are many ongoing clinical trials evaluating potential
treatments. WHO will continue to provide updated information as soon as
clinical findings become available.
CORONA VIRUS SYMPTOMS
The
COVID-19 virus affects different people in different ways. COVID-19 is a
respiratory disease and most infected people will develop mild to moderate
symptoms and recover without requiring special treatment. People who have
underlying medical conditions and those over 60 years old have a higher risk of
developing severe disease and death.
Common
symptoms include:
- fever
- tiredness
- Dry cough.
Other
symptoms include:
- shortness of breath
- aches and pains
- sore throat
- And very few people will report
diarrhea, nausea or a runny nose.
People
with mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy should self-isolate and contact
their medical provider or a COVID-19 information line for advice on testing and
referral.
People
with fever, cough or difficulty breathing should call their doctor and seek
medical attention.
CORONA VIRUS PREVENTATIONS
To
prevent infection and to slow transmission of COVID-19, do the following:
- Wash your hands regularly with
soap and water, or clean them with alcohol-based hand rub.
- Maintain at least 1 meter distance
between you and people coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Cover your mouth and nose when
coughing or sneezing.
- Stay home if you feel unwell.
- Refrain from smoking and other
activities that weaken the lungs.
- Practice physical distancing by
avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away from large groups of people.
*WHO Myth-busters*
There is a lot of false information
around. These are the facts.
🔢 People of all ages CAN be
infected by the corona virus. Older people, and people with pre-existing
medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more
vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.
❄️
Cold weather and snow CANNOT kill the corona virus.
The corona virus CAN be transmitted in areas
with hot and humid climates
🦟 The corona virus CANNOT be
transmitted through mosquito bites.
🐶 There is NO evidence that
companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can transmit the corona virus.
🛀 Taking a hot bath DOES NOT
prevent the corona virus
💨 Hand dryers are NOT effective
in killing the corona virus
🟣 Ultraviolet light SHOULD NOT
be used for sterilization and can cause skin irritation
🌡️ Thermal scanners CAN detect
if people have a fever but CANNOT detect whether or not someone has the corona
virus
💦 Spraying alcohol or chlorine
all over your body WILL NOT kill viruses that have already entered your body
💉 Vaccines against pneumonia,
such as pneumococcal vaccine and _Homophiles influenza_ type b (Hib) vaccine,
DO NOT provide protection against the corona virus.
👃 There is NO evidence that
regularly rinsing the nose with saline has protected people from infection with
the corona virus.
🧄 Garlic is healthy but there is
NO evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people
from the corona virus.
💊 Antibiotics DO NOT work
against viruses, antibiotics only work against bacteria.
🧪 To date, there is NO specific
medicine recommended to prevent or treat the corona virus.
Basic protective measures against the new coronavirus
Stay
aware of the latest information on the COVID-19 outbreak, available on the WHO
website and through your national and local public health authority. Most
people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be
more severe for others. Take care of your health and protect others by doing
the following:
Wash your hands frequently
Regularly
and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them
with soap and water.
Why? Washing your hands
with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be
on your hands.
Maintain social distancing
Maintain
at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing
or sneezing.
Why? When someone coughs
or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may
contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including
the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
Why? Hands touch many surfaces
and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to
your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can
make you sick.
Practice respiratory hygiene
Make
sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This
means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you
cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
Why? Droplets spread
virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you
from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.
If you have fever, cough and difficulty
breathing, seek medical care early
Stay
home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing,
seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local
health authority.
Why? National and local
authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your
area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct
you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent
spread of viruses and other infections.
Stay informed and follow advice given by
your healthcare provider
Stay
informed on the latest developments about COVID-19. Follow advice given by your
healthcare provider, your national and local public health authority or your
employer on how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
Why? National and local
authorities will have the most up to date information on whether COVID-19 is
spreading in your area. They are best placed to advise on what people in your
area should be doing to protect themselves.
Wash your hands frequently
Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based
hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using
alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.
Maintain social distancing
Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and
anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid
droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too
close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the
person coughing has the disease.
Avoid
touching eyes, nose and mouth
Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick
up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose
or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.
Practice
respiratory hygiene
Make
sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This
means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you
cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
Why? Droplets spread virus. By
following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from
viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.
If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care
early
Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and
difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the
directions of your local health authority.
Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to
date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow
your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility.
This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other
infections.
Protection measures for persons who are in or have
recently visited (past 14 days) areas where COVID-19 is spreading
- Follow the guidance outlined
above.
- Stay at home if you begin to feel
unwell, even with mild symptoms such as headache and slight runny nose,
until you recover. Why? Avoiding contact with others and
visits to medical facilities will allow these facilities to operate more
effectively and help protect you and others from possible COVID-19 and
other viruses.
- If you develop fever, cough and
difficulty breathing, seek medical advice promptly as this may be due to a
respiratory infection or other serious condition. Call in advance and tell
your provider of any recent travel or contact with travelers. Why? Calling
in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to
the right health facility. This will also help to prevent possible spread
of COVID-19 and other viruses.
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