Coronaviruses are a type of virus that causes a range of illnesses including common cold to more severe diseases such as MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) or SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). The recent Coronavirus outbreak is named COVID-19 by the WHO, referring to the type and the year of origin of the virus. Recently, the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic.
As of now, there have been 127,000 confirmed cases and 4,718 deaths due to the outbreak. The virus emerged from Wuhan, China and like most CoV viruses, COVID-19 is zoonotic, which means it is transmitted between animals and people.
Common symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, cough, headache, and difficulty in breathing. In more severe cases, the virus can cause pneumonia, kidney failure or even death.
In order to protect yourself from catching this virus, you will have to take the same measures that you would take to avoid flu.
Wash your hands
Our hands come in contact with a lot of things throughout our day. Most of these objects have been touched by other people and there are chances that their infection has been transferred to these objects through direct contact. The COVID-19 has been reported to remain about 48 hours on an object. Therefore, it is necessary that you keep washing your hands every now and then to get rid of the contaminant that you might have acquired.
Cover your face while sneezing
This one is a basic behavior etiquette. You should always cover your mouth while sneezing to avoid propagating the flu. Similarly, when you are around a lot of people, you should cover your face using a mask or a piece of cloth to protect yourself from the potential viruses in the air. Moreover, you should refrain from touching your face, eyes, and nose as they are the body parts most prone to receiving the virus.
Avoid crowded places
Since the virus can spread from one person to another merely by coming in contact with air that the infected person exhales, it is better to avoid places that are crowded. If you absolutely have to visit bustling places, make sure you are wearing a mask and avoiding touching or coming in physical contact with people.
Besides taking these measures, be smart about avoiding the virus. Although you are not advised to panic as that would lead you nowhere but anxiety, you are also not supposed to take this lightly. Coronavirus is real and it has claimed several lives all over the world since its outbreak. Make smart choices about your living, traveling, and eating habits and make sure your loved ones understand the gravity of the situation. The best and the only way to fight Coronavirus is hygiene. As long as cleanliness is maintained, you can rest assured that you are safe.