COVID-19: The Behavioral and symptomatological contrasts with other COVIDs
COVID-19: The Behavioral and symptomatological contrasts with other COVIDs
Introduction
In the facebook, the ‘corona’, in some cases, was a bit, the matter of playing truant by some Facebook friends (FBF), just to serve some joyful moments in the form of humor. Somebody gave a post in the Facebook putting the picture of a police officer pasting her name as ‘Corona’ on her ‘chest badge’. Well, that actually could be her name, although I thought it was as a photoshopped item.
So, I felt interests to learn about corona, if there was any other corona, why the name corona, what were the symptoms when corona acts as a disease on human being. In the beginning, I should say you that the objective of this write up was not to teach the readers about ‘corona’. But I myself wondered where the name ‘corona’ came from?
From the dictionary, I came to know that the ‘corona was the gaseous envelope of the sun’ which normally becomes visible only during a total solar eclipse. While, in medical science, anatomically, the ‘corona’ is a part of the body resembling or likened to a crown.
Structures and shapes of corona
I then have learnt that this word ‘corona’ is being used worldwide, as ‘names’ of the many commercial products, organizations, music bands, persons, game, film, stadium, places, companies, in mathematics and many other basic sciences as well.
Previously I thought that this word was related to the heart disease as I had experience in the treatments for Coronary artery disease (CAD) of mine.
Corona (CO) virus (VI) disease (D) 2019 was first identified in Wuhan of China at the end of 2019 which is now well circulated as COVID-19 worldwide. It is reported that the corona is a virus, like the MARS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) or SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS corona virus or CoV). Popularly it is called Covid-19 or Novel Corona virus (nCoV), but the well circulated term to the common people is ‘Corona’. The word ‘novel’ means ‘new strain’ of the corona virus.
Symptoms of corona infection
The symptoms of corona infection in the ‘corona positive patients’ are like those of common influenza and it was thought that it might be cured by using the drugs which are normally used to recover from the flues. This COVID-19 infects through mouth, nose or eyes and attack lungs filling it with water leaving oxygen disrupting the respiratory system. It causes respiratory problems and so the patients need ventilation to ease his or her breathing.
The COVID-19 is a round shaped virus having single stranded RNA. It is surrounded by double layer membrane made of lipid. The peripheral layer has spike-like proteinaceous structure. The size of the virus is very tiny, although its size is bigger than some other corona viruses as were invented before, having a diameter of 120 nanometer, something like one millionth of a ball point pen’s tip. So, it actually cannot be prevented by wearing normal masks although we are putting those on. The scientists say that only N-95 respiratory mask is the most appropriate to prevent this corona virus.
Doctors say that most of the infected patients recovers after infection, if treated with care. But it may become dangerous if it causes pneumonia. Medicines such as paracetamol, histamine etc. which are used in the cases of flues are generally prescribed by the doctors.
It is advised by the doctors to the common people to avoid corona adopting some measures while leading a healthy family life such as; having normal rest and sleep, keeping body warm, drinking plenty of liquids and living in a ventilated room. In the case of throat sore and cough symptoms, the suggestion is taking a hot shower to have comport. In the serious case, the patients are advised to consult a doctor.
Unrests created by corona
But, the reality is that the corona has created unrest, agony and panic among us, although it is reported that only two to four percent of the infected people are facing death while others recover. There are reports that among the victims, the old-aged people above sixty are in the most vulnerable list if they usually suffer from any of the serious diseases such as diabetics, heart and kidney. But lately, there are also reports that it also took lives of some younger ones. Finally, it is concluded that the immunity of the infected people is the main factor that affect surviving ability of the infected patients. However, there are contradictory results, for example, in Bangladesh, a patient aged over eighty survived, but a child died. Such examples are also available in some other countries as well.
It was earlier reported that this virus spreads most in places of cool weather and also happens in the areas of low humidity. Some reports are also there that the bright sunshine is not favorable for corona multiplication. Reports are also existed saying that high humidity is not at the choice list of corona although such climate is liked by other flue-causing viruses. Coupled with humid climate, the prevailing mild temperature may also accelerate its propagation. It was then concluded that in a community, its expansion depended on the prevailing climatic condition, peoples’ food habit, nature of living, cleanliness, compliance of the people with health regulations, wearing mask and keeping a safe distance.
From the doctors, some suggestions are given. Suggestions were also made from some other so called experienced persons which are usually treated as rumors. Among the doctor’s suggestions, hand washing at a regular interval; not touching mouth, nose and eyes with hand; cleaning utensils and other used materials with soap or detergents; wiping hands or touchable places with alcohol, beaching or hydrogen peroxide were the prime ones. These all are to be done at home. But when to go outside for any unavoidable reasons, citizens are advised to using mask, gloves, using tissue paper while coughing.
To prevent its spread, the measures those have been advised were keeping isolated from the infected people, keeping stress free, quarantining the infected ones or community using social distance, stay at home, keeping the throats warm through drinking hot-lemonated or vinegar-added water. The most important one which our doctors and government gave emphasis on was the assurance of ‘social distance’ keeping oneself away at least one meter.
Celebraties attitudes
When the ‘corona’ was on its reign worldwide in full swing (still it is), the government of the corona-victim countries took necessary managements to fight it with. Social and mass media have been circulating updated status and suggesting its readers/viewers about how to cope it with. These media have been doing it inviting and consulting to the scholars, physicians and researchers related to it. The politicians are having roles to protect their people. The social activists are busy to prevent its spread and serving the society and corona suspects. Mass media and government servants have been working to limit corona’s spread.
A government officer named 'Khaleda' has been awarded the title 'Janatar Ma' meaning 'People's Mother' by the people as the recognition of her service which she extended to the people where she works in during these critical days of corona.
People have been already familiar with some terminologies such as quarantine, isolation, stay at home, hand washing, hand rinsing, sanitizer, social distance, mask, gloves, PPE, corona testing kits, ventilators, N-95 respiratory mask, PCR machine (polymerase chain reaction) (RT-PCR) etc. Those were not known to them before.
Physicians advice
Doctors advised to impose quarantine to any suspect/victim either at his/her own place (home quarantine), or in institutions (Institutional quarantine) under the disposal of the government. In any location where such suspects were traced, the local administration declared that house or locality under ‘quarantined’ or ‘locked downed’. The terminologies such as locked down, quarantine, social distance, pandemic, isolation etc. have been familiar to the common people although these terminologies were seldom heard in the past.
In some places, the suspect persons spontaneously went on ‘self-quarantine’ hanging out a red flag in front of his house with a notice advising people not to enter that home. In West Bengal of India, some persons underwent self-quarantine on the branches of a tree (quarantine on tree) and that news has also been viral in the social media.
Isolation kisses during corona
But one thing I felt that, most of the sick persons were aware of being quarantined and after having been suffering from doubtful flue or flue-like symptoms or like that, they communicated or tried to have contact on hotline mobile numbers to the IEDCR (Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research) of Bangladesh so that they could reach IEDCR’s help for advice.
