Case study 1 - Lets use this case study to try to troubleshoot the situation we...

Coronavirus (CoV) belongs to a virus family with many disease-causing viruses that cause common cold to severe diseases like MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) etc. The current Coronavirus disease is caused by COVID-19 or 2019 NCoV, a new CoV virus strain discovered in December 2019, which has not been identified in humans previously. Common symptoms of infection include fever, cough, breathing difficulties, and other respiratory symptoms. In severe cases, the infection causes pneumonia, kidney failure, and even death. This is a zoonotic disease, transmitted from animals to humans and humans to humans.

This disease can make some people mildly sick with just a runny nose and others like the elderly and immunocompromised sick with worse symptoms and could be fatal.

Basic measures to prevent the spread of infection or the best practices to fight the disease are:

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds.
• Always use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Cover nose and mouth while coughing and sneezing with a flexed elbow or folded tissue. Discard the used tissue immediately into a closed bin.
• Do not eat any meat or other animal products.
• Maintain and encourage social distancing.
• Avoid contact within 1.8 meters with anyone showing respiratory illness symptoms like coughing, sneezing, fever, etc as the infection is mostly spread through secretion droplets from an infected person.
• Use a face mask when necessary; when going out of the house in a public place to avoid exposure.
• If there is any respiratory symptom like fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, seek medical care immediately and share any recent travel information with the healthcare provider.
• If the symptoms are mild with no history of travel, then the above precautions should be carefully followed with stay-at-home self-quarantine measures.
• Avoid unnecessary touching of eyes, nose, and mouth as the contaminated hands can transfer.
• Shaking hands should be avoided. Instead greet others with a nod, a bow, a wave, or a namaste (folded hands).
• Be supportive of elders and immunocompromised people more susceptible to the worst form of the disease.
• Be prepared for an emergency situation like lockdown with at least a month’s supply of food, medicine, and other essentials.
• Be kind to those who have the infection.
• Give emotional and financial support to those in need.
• Always check the source of any new information and avoid spreading rumors.
• Follow WHO’s advice in all Coronavirus related issues. Pay attention to local health authority/ministry for any treatment, restrictions etc. Share these facts with others.
• Coping with stress during a pandemic is an issue.

  Adopt coping strategies and help others also.

• Be informed about the latest Coronvirus developments globally as well as locally. Gather information about the spread and prevention of the disease. New preventive measures including vaccines will be introduced and one should be aware of all these. New information will be added and the present information will change based on the ongoing studies. Be aware of any travel restriction and best travel practices.

Let us be safe than sorry.

Following the above practices will help us in handling this crisis in a smart way and will help to identify the real risks versus fear-based falsehoods of fearmongers.