Understanding Covid-19 by Nurse Bowick

Who could have imagined in the year 2020, a combination of five letters, a dash and the number 19 would have changed life as we knew it?

The closures, confusion, fear and uncertainty the Covid-19 pandemic has caused in our everyday lives is mind blowing. Most of the world had not heard of Coronavirus until it made headlines late last year. Once individuals realized that the term Coronavirus was listed on the label of decade old cleaning products, fear, mistrust and confusion set in. My hope is that this question and answer blog will help you gain better understanding of Covid-19, and how to keep you and your family safe and healthy.

What is a Pandemic?

A pandemic is a disease that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents, or worldwide. What is a virus?

• Viruses are infectious agents that require living hosts such as people, plants or animals to multiply. Otherwise, they can’t survive. When a virus enters your body, it invades some of your cells and takes over the cell machinery, redirecting it to produce the virus. Diseases caused by viruses include: Chickenpox, AIDS and Common Colds.

What is a Coronavirus?

• Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans. Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. Detailed investigations found that SARS was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS from dromedary camels to humans. In humans, several Coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.

Why is the 2019 Coronavirus outbreak being reported as new?

• The Coronavirus that was discovered in 2019 had not been previously identified in humans, before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China.
• Viruses are named based on their genetic structure to facilitate the development of diagnostic tests, vaccines and medicines. Viruses, and the diseases they cause, often have different names. For example, HIV is the Coronavirus that causes AIDS.

What is Covid-19?

• COVID-19 is the official name for the disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Diseases are named to enable discussion on disease prevention, spread, transmissibility, severity and treatment.

Covid-19 Symptoms:

• The most common symptoms appear 2-14 days after exposure and include: fever, dry cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Call your Health Care Provider if you are experiencing symptoms.

Covid-19 Treatment:

• There is no vaccine or specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-2019. However, those affected should receive care to relieve symptoms. People with serious illness should be hospitalized. Most patients recover with supportive care.

Covid-19 Prevention-How Do I Keep Myself and Family Safe?

• Remain aware of the latest information and your specific community guidelines on the COVID-19 pandemic. Standard recommendations include social distancing-minimizing contact with people and maintaining a distance of at least six feet between you and others, frequent hand washing, cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, avoid touching your face, thoroughly cook meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

What is SARS-CoV-2?

SARS-CoV-2 is the Coronavirus that causes the disease Covid-19.