Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause diseases ranging from simple upper respiratory tract infection to more serious diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).
Is Coronavirus the Same as Influenza Virus (Influenza)?
Coronaviruses (CoV) range from simple upper respiratory tract infection to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV)
Coronaviruses (zoonotic) are transmitted from animals: civet cats are the source of SARS-CoV, dromedary camels are the source of MERS-CoV. There are many coronoviruses that have not yet been transmitted to humans but have been detected in animals.
Chinese scientists believe that the new coronavirus (nCov), or more commonly called COVID-19, has a genetic sequence of 96.2% to a bat virus and 79.5% to a bat virus. It has been revealed that it is similar to the SARS structure.
How Do I Differentiate Symptoms of COVID-19 Infection from Flu?
Symptoms of COVID-19 37.5° Dry cough and/or respiratory distress with fever above C. All or some of these symptoms are also seen in upper respiratory tract diseases such as colds, flu or allergic rhinitis (hay fever).
COVID -19 How Long Does It Stay On Which Surfaces?
- Plastic: 5 Days
- Paper: 4-5 Days
- Glass: 4 Days
- Wood: 4 Days
- Steel: 48 Hours
- Aluminum: 2-8 Hours
- Surgical Gloves: 8 Hours
Who is in the Risk Group for COVID-19?
The World Health Organization has determined the people in the risk group as people with accompanying health problems, especially those over 60 years old. . Among the additional health problems, people with chronic respiratory problems such as heart (cardiovascular) diseases, asthma and chronic lung disease, diabetes (including both types) are counted in the first three places. This order is followed by conditions that negatively affect the immune system (cancer, cortisone treatment, immune system deficiency diseases). It should be kept in mind that the contact distance (social distance) should be at least 1.5 meters.
In order not to get the infection/to get it late:
- If we are in the risk group, let's rearrange our lives so that we won't be in crowded places.
- When people in the risk group develop upper respiratory tract symptoms, first of all their chronic conditions (
- Patients in the risk group should never stop the treatment they receive for their chronic diseases and/or change their treatment plans according to their own opinions.
- Hand hygiene is the most important issue in controlling and preventing epidemics. Let's wash our hands with normal soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizer, if available, is sufficient in environments where soap is not available, and if it is not available, common cologne is sufficient for the period until soap is reached.
- The hands should not come into contact with the mouth, nose and eyes even after they are cleaned.
- Do not share your personal items such as towels, water glasses, pens, papers with anyone in all areas including the house.
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What Can I Do to Protect Against Coronavirus Contagion?
If you do not have a history of contact, if you have a cold-like condition that develops with weakness, malaise (muscle aches), sneezing and/or coughing:
- Separate yourself from your environment. If you are at home, separate your items such as towels and glasses.
- Follow your temperature. If your fever rises above 38°C, difficulty breathing or respiratory distress is added to the table, you should apply to a health institution.
- If you notice deterioration in your general condition, apply to a health institution by wearing a mask.
- The rules set in the epidemic are scientifically based and all members of the community are expected to comply. There is no room for comments.
- The rules to be followed in the epidemic protect both individual and public health. Let's fulfill our responsibilities towards the society we live in.
- Intensive news and social media posts cause an “anxiety epidemic” among people. Anxiety; In extraordinary situations such as epidemics, it easily leads to direct deviation and not applying the warnings.
- P Protect your psychological health as well. In case of intense news bombardment, you may feel helpless and may not be able to make healthy evaluations. Take a certain amount of time for yourself to follow the news and social media, and take care not to go beyond it.
- COVID-19 has now entered the category of a disease seen in humans. It is a virus disease that we have just encountered and will be seen in societies all over the world.
- It is clear that most of us will get this virus in our country, but everyone will create a response according to their own immunity level.
Our Immune System Should Be Strong Against COVID-19!
First of all, let us remind you that it is necessary to pay attention to hand washing and social distance to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
With these measures, stay away from smoking-alcohol, Proper nutrition, mild-moderate exercise and quality sleep are the issues that we need to pay attention to during this period, as they strengthen the immune system of the person. Let's not forget that there is no miraculous food. The real miracle is to gain the right eating habits!
Turkish cuisine, which we call Mediterranean cuisine, is quite rich in this regard. Fresh vegetables and fruits; fish, chicken, low-fat meat, milk and dairy products as a source of protein; dried legumes as high quality carbohydrate sources should be on our table at every meal. - Vitamin C, which ensures the increase of our antibody levels and differentiation between our immune cells according to the task, comes from orange, grapefruit, kiwi, strawberry, red and/or green pepper, cabbage and cauliflower;
- Vitamin D, which increases the special killer cells of the immune system during infection, comes from eggs, cheese, tofu, seasonal (oily) fish and mushrooms;
- Zinc, which enables the immune system cells to become active and differentiate rapidly, from yogurt, beans, chickpeas, lentils, hazelnuts and steak;
- Pro- and prebiotics for our microbiota that we live together in our body, which is our solution partner in possible situations and supports our immunity, include banana, yoghurt, kefir, onion, garlic, leek and most
And of course, exercise! We can say that it is the most important tool both in coping with stress and in getting rid of toxins accumulated during life functions by accelerating the body's basal metabolism. In these days when you can't leave the house, of course, we can say that the movements that are suitable for your condition will give you vitality and positive emotions.
Asthma and Chronic What Should Those Who Have Lung Diseases Do?
As we all know, COVID-19 infection is a disease that occurs with cold, flu-like symptoms and is transmitted by the spread of respiratory secretions by sneezing and coughing (droplet infection).
Asthma, People with chronic lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema are in the risk group for COVID-19. These people were found to be four times more likely to have a severe infection than healthy people. That's why experts have some recommendations for all people with chronic lung disease:
- Like everyone else, you should follow hand hygiene meticulously. Wash your hands with normal soap and water for at least 20 seconds or clean them with alcohol-based hand disinfectant.
- You should not be in crowded environments and keep a distance of at least 1 meter between you and people. you should continue it exactly as planned.
- Keep your inhaler at hand so that you can use it under all conditions
- Make sure that you have enough of your rescue medications, especially.
- Away from things that trigger your asthma stop.
- These patients and/or their caregivers, their people with whom they live, should clean or disinfect daily common and frequently used surfaces such as door handles, light switches, table tops.
- If you are not sensitive, you can use 1/10 diluted bleach (1 tea glass of bleach to 9 tea glasses of water), otherwise you can do it with vinegar water.
- Keep the window open and ventilate well during this process, and then wipe the surfaces with clean water to avoid odor in the room.
- Stay away from disinfectants and/or chemicals that will trigger your asthma or make your breathing difficult.
- If you are using oral cortisone-containing medication in your treatment, you should apply all protection measures more meticulously. It may be healthier to keep your distance of 1.5-2 meters from those living with you at home.
- Even if it is not related to COVID-19 (such as exacerbation of your chronic disease), you can contact your physician or hospital, who follows you without delay, in case of any disease symptoms. contact us. Follow the instructions given to you.
- If you need to apply to a health institution, always wear a protective mask that covers your nose and mouth.
At home COVID-19 Epidemic Hygiene
There are simple but effective solutions that we can apply at home during the measures we are experiencing. What are these?
- When entering the house from the outside, take off your shoes at the doorway. Shoes can be carriers for bacteria to enter the house.
- The second thing to do at the entrance to the house is to remove the top clothing such as coats and coats and hang them on a ready hanger and leave them for ventilation on the balcony.
- Hands should be washed for at least 20 seconds with water and normal soap. Afterwards, the face, especially around the nose and mouth, should be washed with plenty of soapy water.
- Then the clothes worn outside should be removed and left to air on the balcony.
- The clothes worn outside and home clothes are different from each other.
- The clothes should be washed with plenty of water at 60°C or 90°C using normal detergents. Depending on the type of textile, cotton clothes can be soaked in bleach for up to 2 minutes before being washed in the washing machine.
- When cleaning the house, surfaces touched by household members such as floor, doorknobs, taps, 1/10 diluted bleach (1 tea glass of laundry) should be wiped with 9 tea glasses of water) or vinegar water. Afterwards, these surfaces should be wiped again with clean water. In this way, if there is any virus living on these surfaces, it is ensured that it is completely killed.
- The rooms in the house should be regularly ventilated several times a day.
- Individuals living together at home should not use items such as towels and water glasses together.
- People living together
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