#Longpostalert
Today we are in the middle of a global crisis due to the Corona virus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic. What exactly is it? Through my post I would like to explain the scientific aspect as well as simple measures to protect ourselves from possible infection.This post is also useful for the children.
The cause of any type of disaster is always some inhuman activity by us which is focused on our selfish greed and motives.
DISASTERS:-
- A natural catastrophe having unfortunate consequences is called a disaster.
TYPES OF DISASTERS:-
- GEOPHYSICAL (e.g. Earthquakes, Landslides, Tsunamis and Volcanic Activity)
- HYDROLOGICAL (e.g. Avalanches and Floods)
- CLIMATOLOGICAL (e.g. Extreme Temperatures, Drought and Wildfires)
- METEOROLOGICAL (e.g. Cyclones and Storms/Wave Surges)
- BIOLOGICAL (e.g. Disease Epidemics and Insect/Animal Plagues)
The world is right now in the middle of a Biological disaster.
WHAT IS A BIOLOGICAL DISASTER?
- The devastating effects caused by an enormous spread of a certain kind of living organism that may spread disease, viruses or infestation of plant, animal or insect life on an epidemic or pandemic level.It can also be simply, a sudden growth in the population of a certain kind of plants or animal e.g. a locust plague.
- EPIDEMIC LEVEL:– It indicates a disaster that affects many people in a given area or community.
- PANDEMIC LEVEL:– It indicates a disaster that affects a much larger region, sometimes an entire continent or even the whole planet. For example, the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The prefix pan- across the entire universe or mankind.
The stages :–
Stage 1: Infection is imported, that is an infected person comes from abroad.
Stage 2: Local transmission, when this known infected person(s) transmits the disease to those he or she interacts with (family, friends and the like).
Stage 3: Community transmission, wherein it’s difficult to pinpoint the source of infection and a person tests positive without any travel history or any contact history with a positive case.
Stage 4: When the disease is declared an epidemic, where it has spread to the entire country. India currently is at Stage 2 of the outbreak.Indication of Stage 3have begun.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the 2019–20 Coronavirus outbreak a pandemic and a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS DISEASE?
- The name COVID-19 was derived from the year it was first detected (2019) and using letters from CO-rona-VI-rus D-isease it was termed as COVID-19.
Disease :–
- Coronavirus disease (COVID-19
Virus:–
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
(SARS-CoV-2)
WHO announced “COVID-19” as the name of this new disease on 11 February 2020, following guidelines previously developed with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The word corona means crown.
The name “coronavirus” is derived from Latin corona, meaning “crown” or “wreath”, itself a borrowing from Greek κορώνη korṓnē, “garland, wreath”. The name refers to the characteristic appearance of virions (the infective form of the virus) by electron microscopy,which have a fringe of large, bulbous surface projections creating an image reminiscent of a crown or of a solar corona.
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).COVID-19) is a new strain that was discovered in 2019 and has not been previously identified in humans.
Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.
Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.
SYMPTOMS:
Respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.
Time from exposure to onset of symptoms is generally between 2 and 14 days, with an average of 5 days.This is the reason a quarantine period of 14 days has been applied.
There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19.
Management involves treatment of symptoms, supportive care,isolation and experimental measures.
Basic protective measures against the new coronavirus:-
Most people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for others. Take care of your health and protect others by following these simple hygiene habits:-
1) Wash your hands frequently
2) Maintain social distancing
3) Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
4) Practice respiratory hygiene
5) If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early
HANDWASHING STEPS:
IMPORTANT:- Do not waste water while washing your hands.
World Health Organisation (WHO) :: Myth-busters:-
I would like to elaborate two points from the Prime Minister’s speech:–
a) The call to express gratitude to doctors, nurses, paramedics, municipal staff, armed forces, airport staff etc. who are working round the clock to keep us safe is praiseworthy.
In this world where values are deteriorating day by day it is such a wonderful way to teach compassion and gratitude to the children and relearn it ourselves. Though I wish children could encounter good examples everywhere and everyday.
b) Janta curfew,a self imposed curfew and now the lock-down of the entire nation to encourage social distancing MIGHT help us to stay away from Stage 3 (Community Transmission) DISASTER.
Here we need to understand that viruses are exceptions. They display living characteristics only when they take over mechanisms of some other living organism(host). The hosts right now are humans so if less or no movement of the host occurs it means that the viruses will not be able to multiply.
Viruses like the one spreading the Corona disease multiply exponentially. So to flatten the curve “SOCIAL DISTANCING” by avoiding public places and generally limiting our movements is a must.
Also it is in the coming weeks and months that we will get to know whether we have escaped Stage 3 disaster or not. BEWARE!!!
So,right now prevention is better than cure.
# Let us be responsible citizens by disclosing our travel details,following the self quarantine or isolation period properly. Cases of people disappearing or not following these procedures are a blot on mankind.
# Let us be responsible citizens because a disease does not discriminate when it spreads.
# Let us not be threats to the lives of others.
So,this is the right time to fulfill our responsibilities towards humanity as a whole.
# Spend time with your family without gadgets!! Recall and relive those ludo, tambola and antakshari sessions.
# Let go of the weight on your shoulders. Celebrate life and pay gratitude that you are hale and hearty and have all the bounties that life can provide.
“Be the change that you want to see in this world”.
Author’s Note:- Please feel free to inform me of any misinformation or any violation.My email id pashmeenachowdhary@gmail.com
Information and photographs for this blog post have been sourced from:-
- https://www.who.int/
- https://www.wikipedia.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/
- https://www.speakingtree.in/
- And through Google search engine results
Blogging with a purpose #CauseAChatter #blogchatter
Soulful musings.... 