In early 2020, a new virus started to be mentioned in world news headlines with its incredible transmission rate.
This virus, whose starting point is the food market of Wuhan city of China, has spread to almost every country, from the USA to our country, since 2019, and it is now said to have caused tens of thousands of deaths, and the number of cases is in the hundreds in total. It reaches thousands.
The disease caused by this virus, called SARS-CoV-2, is called COVID-19.
Despite the global panic about the virus, your chances of catching it are as long as you do not come into contact with someone who has the disease. It is almost non-existent.
However, there are also some legends about the disease. Therefore, let's take a look at how it spreads, its connection with other coronaviruses, and what can be done to prevent its spread.
What are the symptoms?
Doctors learn new information about the virus every day. They are learning something. Among what we've learned so far is that the virus may not cause any symptoms in some people.
You can carry the virus for 2 days to 2 weeks without experiencing any symptoms.
Some common symptoms related to COVID-19. is as follows:
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shortness of breath
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cough that becomes more severe over time
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low level fever that increases in temperature over time
These symptoms become more severe in some people. Call the emergency room if you or someone you know shows the following symptoms:
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shortness of breath
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purple lips and face
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persistent pain or pressure in the chest
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confusion
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excessive sleepiness
All symptoms are still under investigation.
Comparison of COVID-19 and Flu
COVID-19 is seasonal. Studies are being conducted to see whether it is more lethal than the flu.
This is difficult to determine because the total number of cases is unknown. There are many people with mild cases who are not tested or do not seek treatment. However, early evidence shows that the coronavirus is more lethal than seasonal flu.
While 0.06-0.1% of people who caught the flu in the 2019-2020 season in the USA died. In COVID-19 cases, this rate is around 1.2%.
Some common symptoms of the flu are as follows:
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cough
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runny nose
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sneezing
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sore throat
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fever
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headache
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fatigue
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chill
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body aches
What Causes Coronaviruses?
Coronaviruses are zoonotic viruses. In other words, they develop in animals before developing in humans.
In order for the virus to pass from animals to humans, people must come into close contact with the animal carrying the infection.
When the virus develops in humans, it begins to spread from person to person through respiratory droplets. This name is given to the particles we emit into the air when we cough and sneeze.
The viral substance attaches to these droplets and when inhaled by someone else, the virus becomes infected.
The 2019 coronavirus has not yet been associated with a specific animal.
Researchers believe the virus passed from bats to other animals and then to humans. This transmission probably occurred in an open food market in Wuhan, China.
Who is at greater risk?
If you have been in contact with someone carrying the virus, especially if they have coughed Your risk is higher if you were around him when he sneezed.
Your risk is higher if you do the following without taking the right precautions:
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Living with someone who has been in contact with the virus
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caring for someone who has the virus
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having a partner who has the virus
Older people and People with certain health problems have a higher risk of complications from contact with the virus. These conditions are as follows:
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Lung problems such as COPD and asthma
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certain heart diseases
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Immune system disorders such as HIV
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cancer requiring treatment
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extreme obesity
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chronic diseases if they are not under control; Other health problems such as diabetes, kidney diseases and liver diseases
The risk of complications in pregnant women is higher for other viral infections, but it is not yet known whether this is also true for coronavirus.
How is Coronavirus Diagnosed?
COVID- 19 is diagnosed in a similar way to other conditions caused by viral infections: with blood, saliva or tissue samples. However, most tests involve taking a sample from your nostril with a cotton swab.
If you think you may have COVID-19 or if you see symptoms, talk to your doctor immediately. The doctor will tell you whether you should stay at home and monitor your symptoms. He or she may also refer you to the hospital if necessary.
What Treatments Are Available?
There is currently no specific treatment for COVID-19 and there is no cure for the infection, but options are being explored. Current treatment is based on managing symptoms while recovering from the virus.
If you think you have COVID-19, seek medical help immediately. Your doctor will recommend a treatment for developing symptoms and complications.
Other coronaviruses, such as SARS and MERS, have also been treated with symptom management. In some cases, experimental treatments are also applied to see their effectiveness. Examples of therapies applied for these diseases are as follows:
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antiviral and retroviral drugs
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breathing support
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steroids to prevent lung swelling
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blood plasma transfusion
COVID-19' What are the Possible Complications?
The most serious complication of the virus is called 2019 new coronavirus infection pneumonia.
According to the results of a study conducted in 2020, people were hospitalized due to pneumonia in Wuhan. 26 of the 138 people who came were in serious condition and had to be taken to the intensive care unit.
4.3% of the people taken to intensive care died due to this type of pneumonia. It should not be forgotten that the average age of people taken to intensive care is higher and they have more health problems than those who are not taken to intensive care.
Currently, the only disease directly linked to the 2019 coronavirus is pneumonia. Researchers have also seen the following complications in people who developed COVID-19:
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acute respiratory distress syndrome
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irregular heart rhythm
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cardiovascular shock
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severe muscle aches
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exhaustion
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heart damage or heart attack
How to Prevent Coronaviruses?
The best way to prevent the spread of the virus is to avoid contact with people showing symptoms of COVID-19 or respiratory diseases or limiting contact.
The next good thing you can do is to maintain good hygiene and practice social distancing to prevent the transmission of bacteria and viruses.
Prevention Tips
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Wash your hands frequently with warm water and soap for 20 seconds.
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Do not touch your face, eyes, nose and mouth when your hands are dirty.
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Do not go out if you feel sick or have cold or flu symptoms.
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Stay at least 1 meter away from people who are coughing and sneezing.
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Cover your mouth with your elbow when coughing or sneezing. Throw away the tissues you use immediately.
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Clean the objects you touch a lot. Clean places such as phones, computers, cutlery, plates and door handles with disinfectants.
Other Types of Coronavirus
Coronavirus It gets this name because of its crowned appearance under the microscope.
The word Corona means crown in Latin, and when looked closely, there are crown-like proteins in the virus that protrude from its center in all directions. These proteins enable the virus to identify whether it can infect its target.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, was also caused by a coronavirus that was highly contagious in the early 2000s. The SARS virus has been kept under control since then.
COVID-19 and SARS
This is not the first time that coronavirus has been in the news because the 2003 SARS epidemic was also caused by coronavirus.
Like the virus in 2019, the SARS virus first passed from animals to humans.
It is thought that the SARS virus came from bats and passed to other animals, and from there to humans.
passed on to humans Then SARS began to rapidly spread between people.
The worrying point about the new coronavirus is that there is no treatment yet and its transmission from person to person cannot yet be prevented. SARS could be brought under control.
What Will Happen in the Future?
First of all, it is recommended not to panic. Wearing your mask, complying with hygiene rules, not going out unless necessary and complying with social distance practices will reduce your chances of being exposed to the virus.
The news about deaths, quarantines and travel bans about the 2019 coronavirus probably seems very scary.
Stay calm, follow the doctor's recommendations if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and wait for recovery. This way you can't infect anyone.
These days will end as they began. And we will return to our healthy days again. If you have any questions, you can contact me via e-mail or message. If you have not been diagnosed with Covid-19 and you are constantly in fear and anxiety about the transmission of this disease, and this affects your quality of life and your functionality is impaired, do not hesitate to seek psychological support.
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