Corona Virus (Covid-19) Symptoms, Treatment & Precautions at Home

Corona Virus has caused a pandemic in the world. What started as a plain infection has turned out to be more than that by affecting health and the economy worldwide. The virus has morphed itself into many variants and is adapting itself to the climate and region. It poses an unprecedented challenge to the best of the human brain.
Corona Virus leads to an acute respiratory syndrome, also threatening the lives of people with comorbid conditions. The virus is part of the group that causes SARS and MERS.

Origins

China’s Wuhan province was the first region to report the outbreak of this virus. From there, this community-acquired disease has spread worldwide. Corona gets its name from the Latin word meaning hat since the virus exhibits a crown-like structure.

Coronaviruses Causes

COVID is a respiratory condition caused by a SARS-CoV-2 virus, or in simple terms, coronavirus. The conditions exhibit flu-like symptoms, but the impact is much harder on the human body.
The virus is present in large respiratory droplets to small aerosols.
There are two critical ways of how the virus spreads –
●The condition causing virus spreads from one person to another in small liquid particles when the infected person coughs, sneezes, breathes, sings, or speaks.
●Touching the infected surface and rubbing eyes or picking nose without washing your hands properly.

Coronaviruses Symptoms

Corona Virus does not affect everyone the same way. Some people who test positive for the virus are asymptomatic and act as carriers. For others, especially people with comorbid conditions like diabetes, the virus can wreak havoc with their health.
The symptoms of COVID-19 are across the spectrum. COVID symptoms range from loss of smell to more severe symptoms like swollen glands or chest pain.
The first sign of the infection can be a loss of smell, following which other symptoms may develop. A few of the common COVID-19 symptoms are:

• Fever
• Cold
• Caugh
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Tiredness
• Diarrhoea
• Body pain
• Sore throat
• Frequent headaches
• Congested or runny nose

Emergency symptoms include:

• Rash
• Blue lips
• Conjunctivitis
• Sudden confusion
• Breathing problems
• Constricted chest or chest pains

COVID Precaution Guidelines

There is no specific treatment plan for COVID. Doctors form a treatment plan according to the symptoms displayed by the individual since it may vary from person to person.
Antibiotics are not effective against the coronavirus. The WHO and the local medicine approval boards have suggested using the following medicines for the covid treatment.

• Antiviral drug Remdesivir
• Baricitinib to reduce inflammations and viral activity.
• Monoclonal antibody medications like Casirivimab and Imdevimab is prescribed for people with mild to medium infection risk.
• They gave people with severe COVID infection who are on ventilators or supplemental oxygen corticosteroids such as hydrocortisone, prednisone or methylprednisolone.
• Convalescent Plasma Therapy: Medical practitioners suggest this method of COVID-19 treatment to people with a weak immune system or in the early stages of the infection. It is the process where plasma from people who have recovered from COVID is infused into patients who need it.
  Though there is no specific treatment, scientists have been able to develop Corona Vaccinations. The vaccines have been successful up to an extent to bring down the mortality rates and reduce the severity of the infection. 

 Also, refer to the precautions guide from Indian govt https://static.mygov.in/rest/s3fs-public/mygov_161725058451307401.pdf

Precautions for COVID-19

One has to follow simple precautions to avoid getting infected. The most common pre and post covid precautions include:

• Standing approximately six feet from others when in a queue, while using public transport, or in public spaces.
• Wash your hand as frequently as you can for a minimum of 20 seconds. Only if you do not have access to the hand-wash, use personal hand sanitizers.
• Avoid shaking hands as a measure of greeting.
• Applying self-quarantine or isolation for individuals who feel sick.
• Avoid mass gatherings during functions or events.
• Avoid eating and drinking at bars, restaurants, and food courts.
• Do not travel unless necessary.
• Do not panic and take drastic measures as it can cause adverse health effects.

COVID Precautions and Treatment at Home

In the event of a person showing asymptomatic conditions for COVID, follow the below precautions at home.

• Avoid eating together with the family. Adding to it, do not share plates and glasses to consume food and liquids, and wash utensils thoroughly after every use.
• Wear a mask at home when using common spaces.
• Isolate self for a minimum of 14 days to avoid passing the infection to the family members.
• Consume easy-to-digest foods. Have food rich in Vitamin C like citrus fruits to decrease the rigour of the infection.
• Wash hands frequently.
• Regularly sanitise commonly used surfaces like doorknobs or handles.
• Get a minimum sleep of 7 hours.
• Perform 150 minutes of physical activity that will increase your heart rate per week.

Hospitals and healthcare facilities can also contribute to the spread of the virus. So, in case of COVID-19 infection, consult a family doctor online. Based on their suggestion, one can decide if one should go to the hospital or follow home quarantine. In case of doubt, get a video consultation with our specialists at Vydehi today and clarify your doubts and queries.

Disclaimer

The Knowledge included here is only for information sharing purposes, and the blog is not intended to be a substitute for diagnosis, medical advice or treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of individual needs appropriate advice, the reader should consult their doctor to determine the appropriate disease depending on their situation.