Symptoms of COVID-19
Early to late symptoms of any disease are
the first things one must learn to stay cautious and increase awareness. As for
COVID-19, the signs and symptoms may appear at any time between 2 and 14 days
after an individual’s exposure. These include:
- Mild to high fever
- Cough (usually dry)
- Shortness of breath or
difficulty in breathing
The intensity of the symptoms of COVID-19 can
vary between individuals, anything between very mild and severe. Elderly
individuals with previous records of medical conditions, including diabetes, heart
disease, influenza, fall under the higher risk category.
People having a weak immune system might be
prone to developing symptoms that can be more serious, e.g., bronchitis or pneumonia.
Strangely, you may never develop the associated symptoms even after being
exposed to anyone affected by COVID-19.
It has also been recorded that most
confirmed cases are in adults; however, some children have also been found to
be infected.
Risk Factors – who all are at a
greater risk
Being an infectious disease, COVID-19 is
prone to spread through man to man contact. The top risk factors of the viral
disease include the following:
- If you have recently travelled
to or resided in an area with ongoing spread of the disease, as has been determined
by The Centers for Disease Control or World Health Organization.
- If you have come in close
contact with an individual who is suffering from COVID-19, including a family
member, or even a health care personnel or an attending doctor taking care of a
coronavirus-infected person.
How to keep Covid-19 away
We all know that prevention is better than
cure; and once you abide by the rules of maintaining hygiene, you are at a much
lesser risk of contracting the disease. Here is what you need to follow:
- Stay at home if you feel sick.
- Stay away from people who are sick, and avoid meeting in large groups.
- Do not cough into your hands. When you cough, sneeze or blow your nose, make sure you cover your mouth and nose with a tissue paper; alternately, you can also cough and sneeze into your elbow or upper sleeve.
- Keep washing your hands from time to time with normal soap and water for at least 20 seconds each time, especially when you leave your bathroom, before taking food, after blowing your nose, and even coughing or sneezing, if you do the same into your palms.
- If you do not have soap and water at hand’s reach, go for a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% ethyl alcohol.
- If your hands are visibly dirty, wash them immediately in the procedures mentioned above.
- Avoid touching your mouth, eyes, and nose, especially if your hands are not clean.
- If you are sick, refrain from sharing bedding, dishes, glasses, or other items of your household with others.
- Keep cleaning and disinfecting the surfaces from time to time you often touch.
- Avoid visiting public places and areas like schools, shopping malls, parks, theatre halls, parties, etc.
- Follow the travel advisories issued by CDC (Centers for Disease Control) while visiting the Corona-affected countries.
- Speak to your doctor if you need to travel to any area that has been affected by COVID-19.
