PREVENTION

The main stay of the prevention is SOCIAL DISTANCE, FACE MASK and HAND HYGIENE.

Social Distancing is to avoid any gathering, crowded places. One should not go to crowed places and if meeting someone outside your family, keep a distance of at least 6 feet from each other.

Even if you are talking to someone, try to talk in a soft voice as the louder you speak the more chances are that you are shedding the virus if you are infected. Social distance is very important as someone who has no symptoms can also be infected and spreading the disease.  Keeping a distance of 6 feet is important as the virus which comes out in breathing, talking etc does not travel 6 feet, so the person next to you ,who has shed the virus will not not reach you if you are 6 feet away. However if some one is coughing or sneezing it can travel more than 6 feet also.

Face Mask:   Another measure is to cover your mouth and nose with a cloth mask. Single layered cloth mask is less effective than multi layered cloth mask. It not only protects you getting the infection from some one but also protects the others   getting infected by you. So the mask is more useful if you and the person next to you is also using it. It is very useful as a patient who does not have any symptoms may also be spreading the disease. SO NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT A MASK.

One can use a surgical mask, multi-layered cloth mask or medical grade masks. For the non health care workers a cloth mask is enough. Please note that after wearing a mask don’t touch it and if you touch it wash or sanitize your hands

Hand Hygiene As is been mentioned above, the virus after exiting the body through the breathing travels less than 6 feet. After that distance it does not remain suspended in the air, as some virus do. Instead it settled down on the surface which ever is available. It may feel on the floor, on the table, on the chair, on the door and for that matter on any surface. On the various surfaces it lives for a variable number of hours or days. On some surfaces it dies quickly and on some it may live for 72 hrs. When you touch a surface which still has the living virus, it gets stuck to your hands. Now from your hand it will spread to whatever surface you will touch. Also, when you touch your face, mouth or eye with the infected hand ,virus enters your body and infects you. But fortunately the COVID 19 virus gets killed by soap and 70% Isopropyl alcohol. Here comes the importance of hand hygiene. One should repeatedly wash his hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. If soap and water is not available then use 70% Isopropyl Alcohol. Soap and water is as effective as alcohol.

Never cough or sneeze in air but should cover your face while coughing or sneezing followed by hand hygiene.

Clean the frequently used surfaces periodically with alcohol or a particular chemical, sodium hypochlorite  (use sodium hypochlorite only after consulting a specialist as it is a chemical)

The ultimate protection and prevention would be a VACCINE which is still in development.

TREATMENT

The treatment of the COVID 19 Virus is still evolving. It depends upon the severity of the disease. If there are any symptoms which are suggestive of COVID 19 consult your doctor and get the treatment according to the severity. In general the various drugs used are Hydroxychloroquine, Azithromycin, Doxycycline, Remdisiver , Fevipiravir etc.

Please note that out of 100m patients 95 to 97 will survive the COVID 19 infection.

In short STAY HOME STAY PROTECTED. DON’T GO OUT IF IT CAN BE AVOIDED. KEEP SOCIAL DISTANCE, PRACTICE HAND HYGIENE AND WEAR A MASK