What Is Coronavirus and How Does It Affect You?
Coronaviruses are a viral type. There are numerous types, some of which cause sickness. COVID-19 is a pandemic of respiratory sickness caused by SARS-CoV-2, a coronavirus discovered in 2019.
Lauren Sauer, M.S., director of operations for the Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response as well as director of research for the Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit, discusses COVID-19 and what you should know.
What is the coronavirus’s mode of transmission?
The coronavirus is disseminated through droplets and virus particles released into the air when an infected person breathes, talks, laughs, sings, coughs, or sneezes, according to researchers. Larger droplets may fall to the ground in a matter of seconds, but microscopic infectious particles can persist in the air and concentrate in enclosed spaces, particularly where a large number of people are assembled and ventilation is poor. COVID-19 prevention necessitates the use of masks, hand cleanliness, and physical separation.
When did the coronavirus first appear?
The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 1, 2019, and the culprit was a novel coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2 at the time. SARS-CoV-2 may have started in an animal and evolved (mutated) into a virus that can infect people. Viruses that originated in birds, pigs, bats, and other animals changed to become hazardous to people in the past, causing multiple infectious disease outbreaks. More research is needed to understand how and why the coronavirus evolved to produce pandemic sickness.
What is the COVID-19 incubation period?
Symptoms appear two to fourteen days after a person has been exposed to the virus. A person infected with the coronavirus can be communicable to others for up to two days before symptoms develop, and for 10 to 20 days after symptoms appear, depending on their immune system and the severity of their sickness.
COVID-19 is diagnosed in one of two ways.
A laboratory test is used to diagnose COVID-19. Because many COVID-19 signs and symptoms might be caused by other disorders, a diagnosis based solely on inspection is difficult. Some patients infected with the coronavirus show no signs or symptoms. Find out more about the COVID-19 test.
What is the treatment for COVID-19?
COVID-19 treatment focuses on the infection’s signs and symptoms, as well as providing support to patients with more severe disease. Your doctor may prescribe fever reducers or over-the-counter drugs for mild cases of coronavirus illness. More serious cases may necessitate hospitalisation, where a patient may get a mix of medications, including steroids, oxygen, mechanical breathing assistance, and various COVID-19 medicines that are currently being developed. Certain patients may benefit from monoclonal antibody infusions given early in the infection to minimise symptoms, severity, and length of sickness.
How can you defend yourself against the coronavirus?
SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, has now been approved for vaccination. However, until more is known about how immunizations impair a person’s ability to transmit the virus, COVID-19 prevention measures including as mask use, physical separation, and hand hygiene should be continued regardless of vaccination status. Find out more about the COVID-19 vaccine and how to stay protected.
Is COVID-19 a life-threatening virus?
COVID-19 can be lethal in severe cases. See the Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases map generated by the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering for the most up-to-date information on coronavirus illnesses, deaths, and immunizations around the world.