The outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) has hit the globe with a bang, forcing big multinationals, especially in Wuhan, China, to close down, and now countries into total lockdown. The first case of COVID-19 was reported in Wuhan, one of the industrial provinces of China, and spread to other countries, including the US, UK, Italy, Spain, and South Korea.
World Health Organization (WHO) has already declared COVID-19 a pandemic. As the deadly virus continues ravaging both developed and developing nations, poor and rich, killing thousands, many people are shocked to the core. In this post, we are going to answer the key questions that people keep asking, including the following: What is coronavirus? How is coronavirus transmitted? How can I avoid it?
What Is Coronavirus?
It is a virus that belongs to a family of viruses that are known as coronaviruses that mainly cause diseases in animals. Although they rarely attack humans, they sometimes jump and cause flu-like symptoms. They are also fatal, especially to people with compromised immune systems.
Notably, COVID-19 is not the first coronavirus to jump from animals to humans. Other coronaviruses that jumped from animals include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) that broke out in 2012 and 2003, respectively.
The Main Coronavirus Symptoms
Today, the infections from coronavirus have climbed to more than 228,300 cases, while deaths have reached 9,300, with most of them being reported in China. As more countries, including the US, Italy, China, Russia, South Africa, France, and other countries report cases of COVID-19, efforts to contain it are in top gear. So what are the main symptoms?
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the symptoms of the disease range from mild to severe, and they take 2-14 days to develop after the first exposure. The main symptoms include:
- Fever. CDC considers a person to have fever when the temperatures hit or go beyond 100.4 °F [38 °C].
- Shortness of breath.
- Dry cough.
For people who have weakened immune symptoms, there is a danger of developing more serious symptoms such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Notably, adults, especially over the age of 70 years, are considered to be at a greater risk of COVID-19. However, it is important to note that the virus can attack anyone. So, you better take every precaution!
How is Coronavirus Diagnosed
If you feel you have the above three primary symptoms of COVID-19, you should call a doctor immediately and share your concerns. The medical officer will run more tests to gather information about your travel, people you contacted, and guide on the next steps to take.
To diagnose coronavirus, the doctor will run a number of tests so that other infections that come with similar symptoms are ruled out. In some instances, your doctor may suggest that you self-isolate to prevent the danger of spreading the infection.
How to Treat Coronavirus
As of now, there is NO cure for coronavirus. While scientists all over the globe have been working on an overdrive to get a vaccine, which has given good progress, it will take time before it can be unveiled.
Notably, the COVID-19 symptoms, just like other flu, will go away on their own in 14 days. However, you should contact your doctor, who might recommend some pain and fever medication. Therefore, as with other types of flue, you should ensure to do the following:
- Take plenty of fluids, such as clean water.
- Take plenty of rest to give your body time to recover
- Seek help from your doctor. This is very important, especially if you need emergency medical attention.
How to Avoid Coronavirus
Coronavirus: how is it spread. To avoid coronavirus, you need to first understand how it spreads. The main route of coronavirus spread is through contact with animals. But it is still unclear about the specific animal/s that causes COVID-19.
Some reports talk about bats while others say it is pangolin.
After getting to human beings, COVID-19 is spread through contact with body fluids, such as cough droplets. Further, it can be caused by touching something that an infected person had also touched and then touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.
So, how do you avoid coronavirus? The best way to avoid getting coronavirus, is avoiding getting into contact with body fluids from those who are affected. The main methods of doing this include:
- Wash hands often for about 20 seconds using soap, especially after visiting the washroom or contacting people and surfaces that you think could have the virus.
- Desinfect hands with hand sanitizers that have at least 60% alcohol. Further, try to avoid touching the eyes, mouth, and nose without washing hands.
- Avoid unnecessary travel to places where COVID-19 has been reported. This will help you to stay away from the virus at all cost.
- Don’t touch your face before washing your hands or using sanitizer
- Wear mask on your face to prevent inhaling droplets that contain coronavirus.
How Coronavirus Has Affected Education
When coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan, China, many people could not imagine what was in store for their systems. But with its fast and unprecedented spread across the globe, most sectors in different economies have been hit hard. One of them is education. Here are the main ways that COVID-19 is affecting education.
Early Closing of Schools
To prevent mass spread of coronavirus, one of the first line of action is implementing lockdown. For example, France government has put the country under total lockdown, which means only essential movement is allowed. This has meant early closure of schools because teachers and students cannot move for fear of getting infected.
Loss of Teachers and Students
As the effects of COVID-19 continue being felt, it is sparing no one, including professors and students. Most students are affected psychologically as they come to terms with the loss of their teachers and colleagues. In most cases, the voids created by the losses could take years before the affected can effectively cope.
Shift to Open Learning Models
In every school, administrators and teachers have been wondering; “How do we teach students so that they do not lose much?” To fill the gap, most professors are adopting open learning that allows students to learn from home. All that a student needs is a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone with the internet connection.
Notably, open learning is not new. It has been widely applied where students interact with their teachers through open learning resources such as websites, digital textbooks, interactive mini lessons, social media, and online video conferencing. And you know what? The online learning comes with a number of benefits, including the following:
- Students learn to be more independent.
- It provides students with more materials for learning.
- Students can learn any time of the day or night.
- Unlike in school, students are able to learn on the environment they are used to, home.
- Parents can be involved more in the students learning.
When to Seek Writing Help
Now that coronavirus has become a serious threat almost to all sectors, it is time to make the big adjustment. Even as you learn how to diagnose, avoid getting infected, and preventing the spread of the coronavirus, it is also important to be prepared to handle assignments given by your open learning teacher.
But we know one thing: it can be a challenge. For example, the home setting can be challenging because there are no resources, such as school libraries. In other cases, the assignment might be complex, you might have other engagements, or the deadline could be tight.
No matter the challenges that you are facing with education in this era of coronavirus pandemic, do not let assignments stress you; seek writing help from expert writers. The assistance is offered by professionals with a lot of experience in academic writing. No matter the nature of your assignments, from physics questions to literature homework, the experts are here to help. To get the best grades, make sure to have experts by your side.
