What is Covid-19?
Covid-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars). Covid-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus, and the disease it causes, were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
How does it spread?
The term “social distancing” means to keep your distance from others. This includes avoiding public spaces such as malls and social events as well as recreational areas where others usually gather.
People can catch this new coronavirus from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which are spread when a person with Covid-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch Covid-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch Covid-19 if they breathe in droplets from an infected person who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay away from a person who is sick.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms of Covid-19 are fever, tiredness, and a dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhoea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but do not develop any symptoms and do not feel unwell. Most people (about 80 per cent) recover from the disease without needing special treatment and can recover at home. Around one out of every six people who get Covid-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems such as high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. About two per cent of people with the disease have died.
How is Covid-19 treated?
Treatment is supportive (providing oxygen for patients with shortness of breath or treating a fever, for example). To date, there is no specific antiviral treatment available. Antibiotics do not treat viral infections. However, antibiotics may be required if a bacterial secondary infection develops.
How can you prevent infection?
Practise social distancing
The term “social distancing” means to keep your distance from others. This includes avoiding public spaces such as malls and social events as well as recreational areas where others usually gather. One needs to avoid handshakes, hugs and other forms of direct contact as well as keeping a distance of at least two metres from others. In the battle against the highly infectious Covid-19 virus, social distancing is extremely important to help curb the spread of this disease across the country. Social distancing is essential in flattening the curve. A flattened curve is indicated by the number of infected people dropping.
Testing and screening
10 000 community health care workers, with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) are currently deployed across the country for door-to-door household screening and to refer symptomatic people to clinics for testing. Screening is a way for health workers to find out if you may have Covid-19 or not. The health worker will ask you questions and scan your forehead to take your temperature. You must be honest when you answer the questions to make sure you get the right help. Testing refers to taking a sample from the nose or throat with a cotton swab and testing it in a laboratory.
What is the difference between quarantine and isolation?
Quarantine
Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to Covid-19 away from others. Someone in self-quarantine stays separated from others, and they limit movement outside of their home or current place of residence. A person may have been exposed to the virus without knowing it (for example, when travelling or out in the community), or they could have the virus without having symptoms. Quarantine helps limit the further spread of Covid-19.
Isolation
Isolation is used to separate sick people from healthy people. People who are in isolation should stay home. In the home, anyone sick should separate themselves from others by staying in a specific “sick” bedroom or space and using a different bathroom (if possible).
Quarantine and isolation practices
While most South Africans will be quarantined in their homes, others can be placed in community-based facilities for their quarantine period. This practice would extend to those who are believed to have been in contact with a Covid-19 infected person and can be extended to a wider community, depending how many people were in contact with the infected person.
The quarantine and self-isolation period is 14 days from the time a person was possibly exposed to the virus. South Africans can curb the spread by separating people who may have had contact with infected people from the rest of the community. While in quarantine, people will be closely monitored for any signs of Covid-19 symptoms.
For South Africans who have tested positive for Covid-19 or are living with someone who has a confirmed case of the virus, quarantine and/or isolation are absolutely necessary.
Useful contacts:
Step 1: Save the number to your contacts on your cellphone
Step 2: Send the word “Hi’ to connect and start chatting.
Download the App: The Mpilo App is linked to the Gauteng Department of Health digital platforms and ensures that users have access to credible and verified information on Covid-19
0r visit the following websites to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 news:
