Coronavirus (COVID-19) .. How and Why

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Coronavirus (COVID-19)..

How and Why

  Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. The virus’s proliferation has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, meaning it is spreading rapidly in different parts of the world. More than 160 countries have confirmed cases so far. 

Symptoms:

Symptoms of COVID-19 can include: 

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath 

The symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Reported illnesses have ranged from people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill and dying. 

How COVID-19  Spreads

According CDC COVID -19 Spreads

1.     Person-to-person spread

The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

2.     Spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects

It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

How long can the coronavirus stay airborne?

A recent study found that the COVID-19 coronavirus can survive up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard, and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel. The researchers also found that this virus can hang out as droplets in the air for up to three hours before they fall. But most often they will fall more quickly.  There's a lot we still don't know, such as how different conditions, such as exposure to sunlight, heat, or cold, can affect these survival times.  As we learn more, continue to follow the CDC's recommendations for cleaning frequently touched surfaces and objects every day.

Can I catch the coronavirus by eating food handled or prepared by others?

So we currently cannot rule out the possibility of the infection being transmitted through food by an infected person who has not thoroughly washed their hands. In the case of hot food, the virus would likely be killed by cooking. This may not be the case with uncooked foods like salads or sandwiches.

Prevention:

What can I do to protect myself and others from COVID-19?

ü  Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

ü  If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.

ü  Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

ü  Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.

ü  Wear a facemask if you are sick

ü  Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community  (about 6 feet)

ü  Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.

ü  Avoid sharing dishes, glasses, bedding and other household items if you're sick.

ü  Stay home from work, school and public areas if you're sick, unless you're going to get medical care. Avoid taking public transportation if you're sick

ü  avoiding having visitors to your home

ü  monitor yourself for 14 days for symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever, cough and difficulty breathing avoid crowded places and increase your personal space from others whenever possible

 Can a person who has had coronavirus get infected again? 

According harvard.edu:

While we don't know the answer yet, most people would likely develop at least short-term immunity to the specific coronavirus that causes COVID-19. However, you would still be susceptible to a different coronavirus infection. Or, this particular virus could mutate, just like the influenza virus does each year. Often these mutations change the virus enough to make you susceptible, because your immune system thinks it is an infection that it has never seen before.

Boosting your immune system to fight the coronavirus: what you need to know

-         Proper handwashing: the coronavirus is killed by proper handwashing for 20 seconds with soap or using hand sanitizer that is greater than 60% alcohol.

-         Don’t smoke

-         Get adequate sleep

-         The right amount of exercise

-         Stress management: While acute stressors may temporarily enhance immune functions, chronic stressors likely diminish immune function.

-         Vitamin C supplement is beneficial for COVID-19

-         Vitamin D boosting immunity

-         Getting plenty of fruits, vegetables, and seeds is a common recommendation

-         Maintain a healthy weight.

-         Getting sunshine and fresh air where possible

How to practice social distancing?

- Stay home

- Avoid all crowded places or events

- Stay 3 to 6 feet away from people outside of your own family

- wash your hands often, especially before you eat and as soon as you get home from being outside

- cautious and avoiding physical contact with older adults for at least the next few weeks.

- recommend staying connected with phone calls, video chats, and social media.

How do I know if I have COVID-19 or the regular flu?

  COVID-19 often causes symptoms similar to those a person with a bad cold or the flu would experience. And like the flu, the symptoms can progress and become life-threatening. Your doctor is more likely to suspect coronavirus if:  you have respiratory symptoms and  you recently traveled to countries with ongoing community spread of the COVID-19 virus, or you have been exposed to someone suspected of having COVID-19, or there has been community spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 in your area.

Seee table for differences:

Diagnosis

Your doctor may determine whether to conduct tests for COVID-19 based on your signs and symptoms. To test for COVID-19, your doctor may take samples, including a sample of saliva (sputum), a nasal swab and a throat swab, to send to a lab for testing

What treatments are available to treat coronavirus?

Currently, no antiviral medication is recommended to treat COVID-19.

Treatment is directed at relieving symptoms and may include:

 Pain relievers (acetaminophen)

Cough syrup or medication

 Rest Fluid intake

 If your doctor thinks you can be treated at home, he or she may give you special instructions, such as to isolate yourself as much as possible from family and pets while you're sick and to stay home for a period of time. If you're very ill, you may need to be treated in the hospital.

 

 Read More about

- HAND WASHING ... HOW & WHY ?

- N95 Respirators and Surgical Masks (Face Masks)

- Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: When and how to use masks

- What is H1N1 "Swine" flu?

References:

-         https://www.dietdoctor.com/coronavirus

-         https://www.healthline.com/health-news/social-distancing-what-to-know#How-to-practice-social-distancing

-         https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus-resource-center

-         https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/coronavirus-vs-flu#severity-and-mortality

-         https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20479976

-         https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks.html?topic=ex-col-faq#p

-         https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks

-         https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-and-surgical-masks-face-masks

-         https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

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Asthma triggers

Asthma triggers                                                                  Home


Asthma is a chronic in ammatory disorder, characterized by reversible airway obstruction and hyperresponsiveness.
Severe asthma can be defined as follows:  Uncontrolled asthma which can result in risk of frequent severe exacerbations (or death) and/or  adverse reactions to medications and/or chronic morbidity (including impaired lung function or  reduced lung growth in children).

An asthma trigger is anything that causes asthma symptoms or makes asthma symptoms worse

Common asthma triggers are:

● Cigarette smoke

● Stress

● Getting sick with a cold, the flu, or a lung, ear, or sinus infection

● Strong cleaning products, such as bleach

● Strong perfumes or scents

● Air pollution

● Certain medicines, such as aspirin and other medicines for pain or fever

● Exercise

● Very cold and dry air

People can have other triggers, too. These include things in the environment that they are allergic to. These are called "allergic triggers." Examples of allergic triggers are:

● Dust mites – These are tiny bugs that are too small for you to see. They live in beds, couches, carpets, and other places in your home.

● Mold – Mold can grow in basements, showers, and other damp and wet places.

● Dogs and cats – People can be allergic to animal saliva, urine, or dander (flakes of dead skin).

● Pollen from trees, grass, and weeds

● Cockroach droppings


● Mice

10 Steps To Making Your Home Asthma Friendly  

1. Take it outside. One of the most common asthma triggers in the home is secondhand smoke. Until you can quit, smoke outside, not in your home or car.

  2. Good night, little mite! Dust mites are also triggers for asthma. For mite population control, cover mattresses and pillows with dust-proof (allergen impermeable) zippered covers. Wash sheets and blankets once a week in hot water.

  3. Play it Safe. Ozone and particle pollution can cause asthma attacks.  

4. A little goes a long way. Reduce everyday dust build-up, by regularly dusting with a damp cloth and vacuuming carpet and fabric-covered furniture. 

 5. Stake your claim. Household pets can trigger asthma with skin flakes, urine,  and saliva. Keep pets outdoors, if possible.  

6. Uninvite unwelcome guests. Cockroaches can trigger asthma. Don’t invite  them into your home by leaving food or garbage out. Always clean up  messes and spills and store food in airtight containers.  

7. Think before you spray. Instead of pesticide sprays, control pests by using  baits or traps. If sprays are necessary, always circulate fresh air into the  room being treated and keep asthma sufferers out of that room for several  hours after any spraying.  

8. Break the mold. Mold is another asthma trigger. The key to controlling  mold is controlling moisture. Wash and dry hard surfaces to prevent and  remove mold. Replace moldy ceiling tiles and carpet.

  9. Air it out. Reducing the moisture will control asthma triggers like mold,  cockroaches, and dust mites. Use exhaust fans or open windows when cooking and showering. Fix leaky plumbing or other unwanted sources of water.  


10. Plan before the attack. Work with your doctor or health care provider to  develop a written asthma management plan that includes information on  your triggers and how to manage them

References:

- Bernstein, J. A., Boulet, L., & Wechsler, M. E. (2018). Asthma,           COPD, and overlap: A case-based overview of similarities and       differences. Boca Raton: CRC Press.

- Wohlenhaus, K. (2010). Asthma information for teens: Health tips about managing asthma and related concerns including facts about asthma causes, triggers and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics.

- Lee, Y. C., Kim, S. R., & Cho, S. H. (2018). Severe Asthma Toward Personalized Patient Management. Singapore: Springer Singapore.

- (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/avoiding-asthma-triggers-the-basics?search=asthma triggers&source=search_result&selectedTitle=2~97&usage_type=default&display_rank=2

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What Is Scabies?

What Is Scabies?                                                           Home

Scabies is a skin condition caused by an infestation of the human itch mite called sarcoptes scabiei. These microscopic mites burrow into the skin and cause symptoms of itching and rash.

Most people with scabies only carry 10 to 15 mites at any given time, and each mite is less than half a millimeter long.

Transmission

through direct and prolonged skin-to-skin contact, as may occur among family members or sexual partners, Transmission through fomites (eg, clothing, bedclothes, or other objects) used by a person with classic scabies is uncommon; however, fomite transmission is more likely to occur in the setting of crusted scabies due to a much higher parasite burden

Scabies Symptoms

• Intense itching, especially at night

• A pimple-like rash

• Scales or blisters

• Sores caused by scratching

Another hallmark of scabies is the appearance of track-like burrows in the skin. 

 Itching and rash may affect much of the body or be limited to common sites such as:

• Between the fingers

• Wrist

• Elbow

• Armpit

• Penis

• Nipple

• Waist

• Buttocks

• Shoulder blades

a person gets scabies they usually have no symptoms during the first 2 to 6 weeks they are infested

Treatment

Acroding CDC:

In addition to the infested person, treatment also is recommended for household members and sexual contacts, particularly those who have had prolonged direct skin-to-skin contact with the infested person. Both sexual and close personal contacts who have had direct prolonged skin-to-skin contact with an infested person within the preceding month should be examined and treated. All persons should be treated at the same time to prevent reinfestation. Scabies may sometimes be sexually-acquired in adults, but is rarely sexually-acquired in children.

Bedding, clothing, and towels used by infested persons or their household, sexual, and close contacts (as defined above) anytime during the three days before treatment should be decontaminated by washing in hot water and drying in a hot dryer, by dry-cleaning, or by sealing in a plastic bag for at least 72 hours. Scabies mites generally do not survive more than 2 to 3 days away from human skin.

According Health Line:

According to the American Academy of Dermatologists (AAD), some common medicines used to treat scabies include:

• 5 percent permethrin cream

• 25 percent benzyl benzoate lotion

• 10 percent sulfur ointment

• 10 percent crotamiton cream

• 1 percent lindane lotion

Your doctor may also prescribe additional medications to help relieve some of the bothersome symptoms associated with scabies. These medications include:

• antihistamines, such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine) or pramoxine lotion to help control the itching

• antibiotics to kill any infections that develop as a result of constantly scratching your skin

• steroid creams to relieve swelling and itching

Complications of scabies

Scratching the rash can cause skin infections like impetigo.

Scabies can make conditions like eczema or psoriasis worse

How Soon Will Scabies Go Away?

According webmed: 

Scabies medications can kill the mites and eggs quickly, and patients can usually return to school or work 24 hours after starting treatment. However, the itch may persist for a few weeks. This is the result of an ongoing allergic reaction in the skin. If the itching continues for more than four weeks or a new rash appears, see your doctor. It may be necessary to reapply scabies medication.

References:

- https://www.slideshare.net/aashupatel98478/scabies-54261586

- https://www.healthline.com/health/scabies#treatment

- https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/ss/slideshow-scabies-overview

- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/scabies/

- https://www.uptodate.com/contents/scabies-epidemiology-clinical-features-and-diagnosis?search=scabies&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~84&usage_type=default&display_rank=1

- https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/scabies/treatment.html

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Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency                                                           Home

    Vitamin B12 is also called cobalamin, Vitamin B12 is important for the way the body works, and people who don't have enough of it may feel tired or have a lack of energy.

Once diagnosed, vitamin B12 deficiency can usually be treated successfully with B12 injections and sometimes with B12 tablets.

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency:

• -         Depression or mood impairment
• -         Irritability
• -         Pale skin
• -         Numbness or tingling
• -         Constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or gas
• -         Heart palpitations
• -         Disturbed vision
• -         Dementia
• -         Sore, red tongue
• -         Problems walking
• -         A lack of energy or lethargy
• -         Extrapyramidal signs (eg, dystonia, dysarthria, rigidity

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