Coronavirus: How to live in an epidemic world

Chinese officials have told the World Health Organization for the first time that people in Wuhan have been sick with an unknown virus for more than 300 days. Scientists quickly learned what a virus (coronavirus) is and what it did (made people sick with a disease called COVID-19), and it spread like wildfire around the world. 1 million people worldwide die, hundreds of thousands fall ill every day, and the United States is allocated the world’s most devastating epidemic.

When we published the first guide to coronavirus, researchers weren’t sure how the virus was spread, when people were infected, or if you could catch it twice. There is still some uncertainty about some of these questions, but scientists have made some significant progress toward answers.

Doctors now have a better understanding of what therapies work (and which do not) and what is better in caring for patients. Public health organizations analyzed the guidelines as data came in and were analyzed as new information became available. Both treatments and guidelines may change even more as the epidemic continues, although not as quickly as in March and April. Edge They are following all the updates, and we will continue to do so for months to come.

For now, here is a Covid-19 cheat sheet, breaking down public health recommendations and knowledge that you may need to navigate an ongoing epidemic.

This page may be updated with new information by changing recommendations.

How can I protect myself from COVID-19?

The corovirus that causes Covid-19, SARS-Cov-2, is highly contagious and if you come in contact with an infected person, you run the risk of catching it. The best way to protect yourself is to stay away from people who have Covid-19. But some infected people don’t have symptoms – without testing, you can’t say for sure that someone doesn’t have the virus. Anyone infected can release small particles of the virus from their mouth or nose when they cough, talk or breathe. Staying away from others, even if they don’t feel sick, can help keep you safe.

The initial recommendations were to stay around six feet longer than the one you don’t live with. In some situations, it still makes sense. However, that yardstick does not work in all situations. Sometimes, particles filled with the virus can travel even further than that. They extend into the air, especially indoors and in places with poor ventilation. That is why you should avoid living in crowded indoor spaces. Even if you are six feet away from someone inside, it can exhale clouds of virus that can collect in the air and reach you.

You should wash your hands regularly and clean surfaces such as doorconbs and countertops, although the virus does not seem to spread that easily.

Does a cloth mask really do anything?

Face masks do two things: keep you from accidentally spreading coronavirus to others and reduce your risk of catching COVID-19. If you have an infection and don’t know it, wearing a mask can block some of the viral particles from exhaling with each breath – which means reducing access to the eyes, nose and mouth of those around you.

Olly Scarf by Getty Images / Photo by AFP

Some research shows that they can also prevent you from getting sick. Gold standard masks for health care workers, N95 masks, filters up to 95 percent of virus-carrying inclusions and particles. They help protect doctors and nurses who are in close contact with Covid-19 patients. But there is some evidence that even a simple cloth mask can filter the air you breathe, reducing the amount of virus. Some research shows that if you get a small amount of the virus, you won’t get so sick even if you contract Kovid-19. Samples from epidemiologists also show that thousands of deaths can be prevented if everyone wears a mask all the time.

What are the features of Covid-19?

Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, body aches, headache and taste or smell. They are similar to flu symptoms – which makes it difficult to tell both without testing.

When do I get tested?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says anyone who has any symptoms of Covid-19 or has spent time with someone who is sick should be tested for the virus. You may want to test even if you spend time in a high-risk environment. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, for example, recommends that anyone attending a large indoor gathering should be tested. If you live in an area with a lot of COVID-19s or if you have recently traveled somewhere with a wide transmission, you may also want to test more regularly.

What does the test tell me?

One test tells you that if you had coronavirus in your body at a certain moment the swab touched the inside of your nose or the back of your throat. That’s important information, especially if you’re sick. A negative test result is not a free pass to do anything you want – especially if you came across someone who tested positive or was in a crowded area. It can take up to two weeks for the infection to appear, and you may be tested negative one day and positive the next.

How long have I been infected?

The amount of virus floating around in the body of a person with COVID-19 jumps for a day or two before it starts to get sick and then gradually decreases. Your viral level is not a specific marker for how infected you are, but it is used as a proxy. Some research shows that most people transmit the virus at some point in 48 hours, within 10 days before or after the onset of symptoms. The CDC recommends that people stay isolated for at least 10 days after the onset of symptoms and 24 hours without a fever.

How sick would I be if I caught him?

It depends on how old you are and if you have another health problem. As you get older, your risk of a serious case of COVID-19 increases – partly because your immune system is weakened. People who have conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure are also at higher risk of developing complications from the disease.

Young and healthy people, however, can get very sick. Just because something is rare does not mean it never happens, and the disease can be dangerous for everyone. Some people who catch the disease have symptoms for months. These patients, called “long-hailers”, have been ill for a long time. It is still unclear why some people experience those long-term effects.

What will be my treatment if I get sick?

It depends on how sick you are. If you are sick but not sick enough to come to the hospital, doctors there can do a lot. You can take over-the-counter medications, drink fluids, and you should monitor your symptoms for signs of worsening.

Doctors have been in a much better position to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients since the disease emerged. Studies have found that drugs such as steroid dexamethasone improve the survival rate of patients with severe symptoms. They do not put on the ventilator as often as they were in the epidemic. Instead, they are flipped over on their stomachs, which helps them take in more oxygen.

Depending on how the clinical trials go, we may have a new category of treatment – synthetic antibodies – at some point in the future. Those drugs work by blocking the virus, and are tested in patients not in their hospital. If they work, however, they will be available in very limited quantities, and most people will not be able to get them.

If I get sick and then get better, am I immune?

Most experts believe that most people who receive and recover COVID-19 are protected against the virus, at least for a short period of time, although it is not clear how long it will last. However, that is not the case for everyone. There have been many reports of people getting sick, recovering, and then catching the virus again a few months later. Those people are probably the exception rather than the rule – but they show that people who get sick shouldn’t think they can just go about their normal lives and not worry about an epidemic.

Can I get Flu and Covid-19 at the same time?

You could theoretically be hit with both COVID-19 and the flu – this is one reason why taking flu shots is so important. Not much research has been done on what happens when people get both diseases, but a small study in the United Kingdom found that it significantly increases the risk of death.

When will the vaccine be ready?

By November or December, we should have preliminary data from the clinical trials of a few vaccine candidates. If tests show that the vaccines either prevent people from catching COVID-19 or soften the disease, if they do catch it, the Food and Drug Administration may authorize it for emergency use. If so, the company may begin distributing the vaccine. There will be very limited doses, however, and the first shot will go at the highest risk for people – in most places, possibly health care workers, first responders and the elderly.

So the vaccine may be “ready” by the end of 2020 or early 2021, but that doesn’t mean you can get one. Presumably more than one vaccine will be authorized in the next year or so, and distribution will be a major challenge.

When will this happen?

No one knows. Experts know, however, that it will not last forever. Epidemic viruses stop becoming epidemics and we transition to a common disease on a regular basis. As we learn more about COVID-19 and develop better tools for its prevention and treatment, the risk of coronavirus will decrease. It won’t happen for months – U.S. And cases around the world are still circulating – but at some point, the virus will no longer be so frightening. Until then, it’s a real threat to everyone. Taking this seriously is the best way to help the end come faster.