 |
| Coronavirus Disease has created a massive halt in the day-to-day activities of people, creating casualties, morbidities and a big blow to the economy. |
COVID-19 or coronavirus disease has created shockwaves across the entire world. The virus which causes the disease, SARS-CoV-2, was born in December 2019, possibly in China. Within a short span of time, it has created a havoc in many countries, and has put the mankind in still.
In this article, we try to discuss why this virus is so deadly so that we can understand it better. And, possibly, play our part in controlling the pandemic.
1. There are different ways how the virus is transmitted between people.
The virus is spread from person to person through respiratory droplets from nose or mouth, which is passed when an infected person sneezes or coughs. When another person nearby inhales these respiratory droplets, then he gets infected as well. This is known as respiratory transmission.
These respiratory droplets may also fall on objects and surfaces around the infected person. When another person touches these objects and surfaces with his hand, and then again touches his eyes, nose or mouth with that hand, the virus gets passed on to next person. This is known as contact transmission.
 |
| With researches still going in regarding the nature of virus, social distancing measures seem to be the best modality one can follow at the moment. |
So, to avoid contact with any virus-laden respiratory droplets, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises people to maintain atleast 6-foot distance between you and other people.
But, according to Rainta Macintyre, a research fellow at Kirby Institute, Australia, the 6-foot rule is probably not safe enough. It is based on studies from 1930s and 40s, which have since been proved to be wrong. And, so, droplets can travel further than 6 feet.
2. Highly contagious nature.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), on average, each COVID-19 case infects 2.5 other people when no effort is taken to keep people apart. This means the virus can grow exponentially. And, this is when a disease spreads widely and becomes dangerous.
But, according to new researches from China, the value maybe as higher as 5 or more!
3. People infected, but not showing symptoms or showing mild symptoms, may also transmit the virus.
Researches in China showed that people who didn't show symptoms still had high levels of virus in their nose and throat. This means we do not know who in our community are infected until they symptoms and get tested.
So, until they show symptoms, it is likely that they can spread the virus to people they come in contact with.
4. Ease of transportation.
The world is not as it was centuries ago when it was difficult to travel between countries. Today, with the massive development of airlines, ships and land travel, anyone can easily move between countries in less time. And, this ease of transportation has what made the coronavirus disease spread so widely.
5. Virus remains active on surfaces once it is shed after coughing or sneezing.
According to experts, the virus remains active for 4 hours on copper, 24 hours on a cardboard, 2-3 days on plastic and stainless steel. So, any uninfected person who touches these infected surfaces are likely to get infected as well.
The problem is that the virus can't be seen with naked eye and so you can't differentiate which areas are infected and which are not. Therefore, it is best if you follow personal protective measures to fullest.
6. Elders and those with underlying health problems are more vulnerable.
As we age, our immune system weakens. When our immune system weakens, we are more vulnerable to infections. Add to that, if you have preexisting health condition, there is more challenge to the body. This further makes people having preexisting health conditions more vulnerable.
7. Result of RT-PCR takes time and requires special equipments and chemicals.
 |
| The major test done for coronavirus is RT-PCR but produces results only after a considerable time. |
It takes atleast a day to get the results of RT-PCR, a test done to detect the presence of virus from your nasal, pharyngeal, tracheal or blood sample. This facility may not be present in remote areas. So, transport of samples from remote areas to labs takes time, which further delays the result time.
8. No vaccines or drugs yet.
The virus is new. There aren't any vaccines or drugs prepared to contain the virus yet. This is because any drug which has been found effective during research must pass clinical trials before it can be widely used in a population.
Normally, clinical trials take years. But, with the support of government, many pharmaceutical companies are racing their procedures to come up with clinically approved drugs.
So, we must stay calm and patient, because within months we may find a pharmaceutical company coming up with a vaccine or drug for widespread use and ending the pandemic.
9. May overwhelm healthcare system.
Usually, in normal cases, healthcare systems are working in its full capacity. So, even a small increase in number of patients during a pandemic can overwhelm the healthcare system. When this happens, not everyone who is infected will get treatment.
Doctors may face a hard time deciding which patients to provide treatment and which patient not. And, so, many deaths are likely.
We can tackle this problem by following social distancing measures. Social distancing measures reduces the number of people who are infected, thereby decreasing the number of cases in hospitals. This allows hospitals to provide adequate life-saving care to people who are in most need.
0 Comments