Coronavirus: COvid-19
What is a coronavirus? What makes it so dangerous? How can you protect your family? What to do if you test positive?
A coronavirus is part of a family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases, for example, pneumonia. Seven of them are known to infect humans. In the past few years, three have jumped from animals to humans. Therefore, they are zoonotic – it means they can be transmitted between humans and animals, for example, bird flu &, swine flu. MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus ) which caused a flu outbreak in the Middle East was transmitted from dromedary camels to humans and was first identified in 2012.
COVID-19 is caused by a new strain of the coronavirus that appeared in December 2019 and was first identified in China patients. Scientists are unsure where it came from.
- COvid-19 Tracker: South Africa
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South Africa
Confirmed1,564,355+1,424 (24h)Deaths53,663+92 (24h)Recovered1,488,57295.16%Active22,1201.41%
- COvid-19 Tracker: Worldwide
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Country Cases 24h Deaths 24h % Recovered % Active USA 32,305,912 81,773 579,942 887 1.8% 24,836,187 76.9% 6,889,783 India 14,521,683 233,943 175,673 1,338 1.2% 12,666,889 87.2% 1,679,121 Brazil 13,834,342 76,249 369,024 3,070 2.7% 12,298,863 88.9% 1,166,455 France 5,224,321 36,442 100,404 313 1.9% 4,046,518 77.5% 1,077,399 Russia 4,684,148 8,995 104,795 397 2.2% 4,310,557 92% 268,796 UK 4,383,572 2,596 127,225 34 2.9% 4,139,553 94.4% 116,794 Turkey 4,150,039 63,082 35,320 289 0.9% 3,591,550 86.5% 523,169 Italy 3,842,079 15,943 116,366 429 3% 3,218,975 83.8% 506,738 Spain 3,407,283 10,598 76,981 99 2.3% 3,129,234 91.8% 201,068 Germany 3,116,950 21,934 80,387 246 2.6% 2,752,000 88.3% 284,563 Poland 2,660,088 17,847 61,208 595 2.3% 2,255,232 84.8% 343,648 Argentina 2,658,628 29,472 59,084 159 2.2% 2,324,107 87.4% 275,437 Colombia 2,619,422 16,703 67,564 365 2.6% 2,442,453 93.2% 109,405 Mexico 2,295,435 4,189 211,213 401 9.2% 1,820,959 79.3% 263,263 Iran 2,194,133 25,261 66,008 328 3% 1,761,497 80.3% 366,628 Ukraine 1,921,244 17,479 39,096 438 2% 1,465,820 76.3% 416,328 Peru 1,689,051 7,988 56,454 305 3.3% 1,610,563 95.4% 22,034 Czechia 1,597,103 3,238 28,317 38 1.8% 1,485,924 93% 82,862 Indonesia 1,594,722 5,363 43,196 123 2.7% 1,444,229 90.6% 107,297 South Africa 1,564,355 1,424 53,663 92 3.4% 1,488,572 95.2% 22,120 Netherlands 1,387,043 8,898 16,873 12 1.2% 1,156,626 83.4% 213,544 Chile 1,109,311 7,613 24,923 157 2.2% 1,037,539 93.5% 46,849 Canada 1,106,062 9,346 23,541 41 2.1% 997,202 90.2% 85,319 Romania 1,023,565 3,264 25,937 137 2.5% 930,942 91% 66,686 Iraq 964,435 7,561 14,915 30 1.5% 843,851 87.5% 105,669 Belgium 939,309 3,993 23,636 33 2.5% 789,423 84% 126,250 Philippines 914,971 10,726 15,738 145 1.7% 705,757 77.1% 193,476 Sweden 900,138 0 13,788 36 1.5% 724,684 80.5% 161,666 Israel 836,740 34 6,315 1 0.8% 827,745 98.9% 2,680 Portugal 829,911 553 16,937 4 2% 787,607 94.9% 25,367 Pakistan 745,182 5,364 15,982 110 2.1% 650,775 87.3% 78,425 Hungary 742,198 5,216 24,762 241 3.3% 445,920 60.1% 271,516 Bangladesh 711,779 4,417 10,182 101 1.4% 602,908 84.7% 98,689 Jordan 681,870 2,732 8,117 60 1.2% 625,912 91.8% 47,841 Serbia 657,716 2,846 5,920 39 0.9% 579,625 88.1% 72,171 Switzerland 632,399 2,205 10,503 5 1.7% 566,679 89.6% 55,217 Austria 589,299 2,416 9,843 30 1.7% 550,470 93.4% 28,986 Japan 520,745 4,576 9,538 39 1.8% 475,574 91.3% 35,633 Lebanon 506,808 2,008 6,854 45 1.4% 420,223 82.9% 79,731 Morocco 504,847 587 8,934 7 1.8% 490,921 97.2% 4,992 UAE 493,266 1,843 1,547 2 0.3% 476,518 96.6% 15,201 Saudi Arabia 403,106 964 6,801 10 1.7% 387,020 96% 9,285 Bulgaria 384,887 2,126 15,100 121 3.9% 304,033 79% 65,754 Slovakia 374,586 636 10,970 93 2.9% 255,300 68.2% 108,316 Malaysia 370,528 2,551 1,365 2 0.4% 350,563 94.6% 18,600 Panama 360,249 419 6,185 2 1.7% 350,134 97.2% 3,930 Ecuador 355,964 533 17,528 39 4.9% 298,604 83.9% 39,832 Belarus 341,539 1,516 2,403 10 0.7% 331,972 97.2% 7,164 Greece 311,033 3,027 9,330 91 3% 266,175 85.6% 35,528 Croatia 303,598 2,698 6,486 44 2.1% 281,059 92.6% 16,053 Azerbaijan 296,374 2,163 4,077 32 1.4% 260,193 87.8% 32,104 Georgia 293,321 1,077 3,916 8 1.3% 279,831 95.4% 9,574 Bolivia 286,114 823 12,603 84 4.4% 235,495 82.3% 38,016 Nepal 282,890 836 3,070 4 1.1% 274,812 97.1% 5,008 Tunisia 281,777 2,401 9,639 86 3.4% 232,643 82.6% 39,495 Kazakhstan 281,351 2,656 3,333 27 1.2% 241,625 85.9% 36,393 Palestine 278,135 1,728 2,955 18 1.1% 243,522 87.6% 31,658 Dominican Republic 260,133 494 3,410 5 1.3% 218,010 83.8% 38,713 Kuwait 254,472 1,406 1,436 8 0.6% 237,667 93.4% 15,369 Moldova 244,866 689 5,521 28 2.3% 228,766 93.4% 10,579 Paraguay 244,528 0 5,110 0 2.1% 200,259 81.9% 39,159 Ireland 242,819 417 4,831 11 2% 223,395 92% 14,593 Denmark 241,007 677 2,452 3 1% 230,084 95.5% 8,471 Ethiopia 238,527 1,973 3,300 15 1.4% 177,629 74.5% 57,598 Lithuania 231,601 1,088 3,739 7 1.6% 209,538 90.5% 18,324 Slovenia 230,826 860 4,147 5 1.8% 213,980 92.7% 12,699 Costa Rica 228,577 1,044 3,071 6 1.3% 196,974 86.2% 28,532 Egypt 214,639 841 12,653 42 5.9% 162,170 75.6% 39,816 Guatemala 210,667 1,973 7,160 40 3.4% 189,536 90% 13,971 Armenia 207,103 961 3,835 18 1.9% 186,200 89.9% 17,068 Honduras 198,975 761 4,929 24 2.5% 76,214 38.3% 117,832 Qatar 194,930 978 367 10 0.2% 172,598 88.5% 21,965 Bosnia 188,994 1,279 7,788 86 4.1% 145,863 77.2% 35,343 Venezuela 180,609 1,244 1,870 17 1% 162,936 90.2% 15,803 Oman 176,668 0 1,821 0 1% 156,845 88.8% 18,002 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 171,131 573 2,882 9 1.7% 156,344 91.4% 11,905 Nigeria 164,147 67 2,061 0 1.3% 154,304 94% 7,782 Bahrain 162,089 1,155 581 7 0.4% 150,179 92.7% 11,329 Uruguay 159,569 3,070 1,788 62 1.1% 126,119 79% 31,662 Kenya 150,260 1,041 2,443 19 1.6% 99,580 66.3% 48,237 Macedonia 145,909 908 4,388 31 3% 121,439 83.2% 20,082 Myanmar 142,617 7 3,206 0 2.2% 131,884 92.5% 7,527 Albania 129,307 179 2,337 2 1.8% 100,600 77.8% 26,370 Algeria 119,323 181 3,148 4 2.6% 83,169 69.7% 33,006 Estonia 116,678 478 1,070 6 0.9% 100,176 85.9% 15,432 S. Korea 112,789 672 1,790 2 1.6% 103,062 91.4% 7,937 Latvia 110,343 612 2,042 12 1.9% 101,088 91.6% 7,213 Norway 106,727 825 708 1 0.7% 88,952 83.3% 17,067 Sri Lanka 96,186 237 615 7 0.6% 92,611 96.3% 2,960 Montenegro 95,205 163 1,421 9 1.5% 90,295 94.8% 3,489 Ghana 91,545 0 766 0 0.8% 89,400 97.7% 1,379 Cuba 91,448 1,040 500 9 0.5% 86,142 94.2% 4,806 Kyrgyzstan 91,374 230 1,544 4 1.7% 86,621 94.8% 3,209 Zambia 90,750 218 1,233 3 1.4% 88,414 97.4% 1,103 China 90,468 11 4,636 0 5.1% 85,533 94.5% 299 Uzbekistan 86,022 292 635 1 0.7% 83,649 97.2% 1,738 Finland 83,633 380 887 2 1.1% 46,000 55% 36,746 Mozambique 69,067 65 797 3 1.2% 61,188 88.6% 7,082 El Salvador 67,249 150 2,068 8 3.1% 63,560 94.5% 1,621 Luxembourg 64,746 197 785 0 1.2% 60,627 93.6% 3,334 Cameroon 61,731 0 919 0 1.5% 56,926 92.2% 3,886 Singapore 60,769 34 30 0 0% 60,446 99.5% 293 Afghanistan 57,721 109 2,539 4 4.4% 52,105 90.3% 3,077 Cyprus 54,621 677 284 1 0.5% 39,061 71.5% 15,276 Namibia 46,330 145 599 3 1.3% 44,392 95.8% 1,339 Côte d'Ivoire 45,474 30 274 1 0.6% 44,993 98.9% 207 Botswana 44,075 0 671 0 1.5% 39,493 89.6% 3,911 Jamaica 43,473 233 713 16 1.6% 19,472 44.8% 23,288 Uganda 41,310 47 338 0 0.8% 40,898 99% 74 Senegal 39,664 58 1,087 2 2.7% 38,410 96.8% 167 Thailand 39,038 1,585 97 0 0.2% 28,480 73% 10,461 Zimbabwe 37,534 112 1,551 1 4.1% 34,981 93.2% 1,002 Malawi 33,919 17 1,136 2 3.3% 31,717 93.5% 1,066 Sudan 31,790 0 2,208 0 6.9% 25,539 80.3% 4,043 Madagascar 31,039 832 531 4 1.7% 25,193 81.2% 5,315 Malta 29,860 27 405 2 1.4% 28,872 96.7% 583 Australia 29,483 14 910 0 3.1% 26,385 89.5% 2,188 DRC 28,859 90 745 0 2.6% 25,841 89.5% 2,273 Maldives 26,021 82 68 1 0.3% 23,360 89.8% 2,593 Angola 24,122 171 560 3 2.3% 22,203 92% 1,359 Rwanda 23,812 68 322 1 1.4% 22,015 92.5% 1,475 Gabon 21,566 0 132 0 0.6% 18,219 84.5% 3,215 Guinea 21,392 93 138 2 0.6% 18,856 88.1% 2,398 Syrian Arab Republic 20,856 143 1,423 9 6.8% 14,594 70% 4,839 Cabo Verde 19,975 195 189 1 0.9% 17,870 89.5% 1,916 Mayotte 19,757 0 168 0 0.9% 2,964 15% 16,625 Mongolia 19,672 1,107 37 6 0.2% 11,044 56.1% 8,591 French Polynesia 18,688 0 141 0 0.8% 4,842 25.9% 13,705 Réunion 18,425 0 135 0 0.7% 16,794 91.1% 1,496 Swaziland 18,414 2 670 0 3.6% 17,682 96% 62 Mauritania 18,103 31 452 0 2.5% 17,466 96.5% 185 French Guiana 18,081 116 95 0 0.5% 9,995 55.3% 7,991 Tajikistan 13,308 0 90 0 0.7% 13,218 99.3% 0 Burkina Faso 13,083 19 154 0 1.2% 12,742 97.4% 187 Haiti 12,885 9 251 0 1.9% 11,723 91% 911 Somalia 12,837 0 656 0 5.1% 5,346 41.6% 6,835 Mali 12,835 129 426 5 3.3% 7,309 56.9% 5,100 Guadeloupe 12,717 0 176 0 1.4% 2,242 17.6% 10,299 Andorra 12,712 71 123 2 1% 12,105 95.2% 484 Belize 12,538 9 318 0 2.5% 12,143 96.8% 77 Togo 12,391 90 119 2 1% 9,970 80.5% 2,302 Curaçao 11,769 95 85 5 0.7% 8,247 70.1% 3,437 Guyana 11,642 115 267 4 2.3% 10,061 86.4% 1,314 Hong Kong 11,636 17 209 0 1.8% 11,253 96.7% 174 Lesotho 10,709 0 315 0 2.9% 5,028 47% 5,366 South Sudan 10,432 16 114 0 1.1% 10,148 97.3% 170 Djibouti 10,385 110 110 0 1.1% 8,880 85.5% 1,395 Aruba 10,264 45 92 0 0.9% 9,660 94.1% 512 Congo 10,084 0 139 0 1.4% 8,208 81.4% 1,737 Martinique 9,890 0 64 0 0.6% 98 1% 9,728 Bahamas 9,634 41 194 1 2% 8,984 93.3% 456 Suriname 9,496 38 187 2 2% 8,779 92.4% 530 Papua New Guinea 9,343 155 82 0 0.9% 846 9.1% 8,415 Trinidad and Tobago 8,678 0 150 0 1.7% 7,843 90.4% 685 Benin 7,611 0 95 0 1.2% 6,728 88.4% 788 Equatorial Guinea 7,259 0 106 0 1.5% 6,885 94.8% 268 Nicaragua 6,778 0 180 0 2.7% 4,225 62.3% 2,373 Iceland 6,286 7 29 0 0.5% 6,184 98.4% 73 Central African Republic 5,728 46 75 0 1.3% 5,112 89.2% 541 Gambia 5,720 26 170 0 3% 5,190 90.7% 360 Yemen 5,715 58 1,108 11 19.4% 2,204 38.6% 2,403 Cambodia 5,480 262 38 2 0.7% 2,393 43.7% 3,049 Niger 5,116 3 190 0 3.7% 4,771 93.3% 155 San Marino 5,016 4 87 1 1.7% 4,682 93.3% 247 Seychelles 4,834 69 25 0 0.5% 4,351 90% 458 Chad 4,686 13 168 0 3.6% 4,329 92.4% 189 Saint Lucia 4,398 43 65 1 1.5% 4,235 96.3% 98 Gibraltar 4,291 1 94 0 2.2% 4,181 97.4% 16 Channel Islands 4,053 0 86 0 2.1% 3,956 97.6% 11 Sierra Leone 4,016 0 79 0 2% 2,833 70.5% 1,104 Comoros 3,815 6 146 0 3.8% 3,589 94.1% 80 Barbados 3,765 12 44 0 1.2% 3,648 96.9% 73 Guinea-Bissau 3,710 4 66 0 1.8% 3,117 84% 527 Eritrea 3,491 5 10 0 0.3% 3,288 94.2% 193 Burundi 3,477 53 6 0 0.2% 773 22.2% 2,698 Liechtenstein 2,790 10 56 0 2% 2,665 95.5% 69 Vietnam 2,772 14 35 0 1.3% 2,445 88.2% 292 New Zealand 2,591 0 26 0 1% 2,464 95.1% 101 Monaco 2,391 4 31 0 1.3% 2,276 95.2% 84 Turks and Caicos Islands 2,369 2 17 0 0.7% 2,290 96.7% 62 Sao Tome and Principe 2,272 1 35 0 1.5% 2,204 97% 33 Sint Maarten 2,202 3 27 0 1.2% 2,139 97.1% 36 Bermuda 2,060 37 17 0 0.8% 1,195 58% 848 Liberia 2,042 0 85 0 4.2% 1,899 93% 58 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,819 1 10 0 0.5% 1,677 92.2% 132 Saint Martin 1,702 0 12 0 0.7% 1,399 82.2% 291 Isle of Man 1,575 0 29 0 1.8% 1,534 97.4% 12 Caribbean Netherlands 1,541 12 15 1 1% 1,435 93.1% 91 Antigua and Barbuda 1,213 4 31 0 2.6% 949 78.2% 233 Mauritius 1,202 0 15 0 1.2% 865 72% 322 Timor-Leste 1,193 55 2 0 0.2% 624 52.3% 567 Taiwan 1,070 2 11 0 1% 1,032 96.4% 27 Bhutan 941 7 1 0 0.1% 876 93.1% 64 St. Barth 934 0 1 0 0.1% 462 49.5% 471 Diamond Princess 712 0 13 0 1.8% 699 98.2% 0 Faroe Islands 662 0 1 0 0.2% 660 99.7% 1 Cayman Islands 525 2 2 0 0.4% 499 95% 24 Tanzania 509 0 21 0 4.1% 183 36% 305 Wallis and Futuna 438 1 5 0 1.1% 44 10% 389 Brunei 221 0 3 0 1.4% 206 93.2% 12 British Virgin Islands 187 0 1 0 0.5% 182 97.3% 4 Dominica 165 0 0 0 0% 159 96.4% 6 Grenada 155 0 1 0 0.6% 152 98.1% 2 New Caledonia 121 0 0 0 0% 58 47.9% 63 Fiji 68 0 2 0 2.9% 64 94.1% 2 Falkland Islands (Malvinas) 62 0 0 0 0% 55 88.7% 7 Lao People's Democratic Republic 54 1 0 0 0% 49 90.7% 5 Macao 49 0 0 0 0% 48 98% 1 Saint Kitts and Nevis 44 0 0 0 0% 44 100% 0 Greenland 31 0 0 0 0% 31 100% 0 Holy See (Vatican City State) 27 0 0 0 0% 15 55.6% 12 Anguilla 25 0 0 0 0% 22 88% 3 Saint Pierre Miquelon 24 0 0 0 0% 24 100% 0 Montserrat 20 0 1 0 5% 19 95% 0 Solomon Islands 20 0 0 0 0% 18 90% 2 Western Sahara 10 0 1 0 10% 8 80% 1 MS Zaandam 9 0 2 0 22.2% 7 77.8% 0 Marshall Islands 4 0 0 0 0% 4 100% 0 Samoa 3 0 0 0 0% 2 66.7% 1 Vanuatu 3 0 0 0 0% 1 33.3% 2 Micronesia 1 0 0 0 0% 1 100% 0
How does it spread?
In short:
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Touching public surfaces (counters, doors, elevator buttons, handles, communal pens, public transport, etc.)
- Person-to-person contact (shaking hands, close contact, talking, etc.)
It’s likely to be transmitted in droplets from coughing or sneezes from infected persons. An infected person can also share the virus by talking and breathing since it also produces tiny droplets in the air. Some say microscopic droplets from a sneeze can hang in the air for 3 hours infecting people. Most respiratory droplets fall to the ground within a few feet of the infected person.
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health, Princeton, and the University of California, Los Angeles exposed various materials to the lab’s virus. They found that it remained virulent on surfaces for a lengthy period: from up to 24 hours on cardboard to up to two or three days on plastic and stainless steel.
A study in Germany has found that people can transmit the virus when they don’t even know they have it yet or have only a few symptoms.
A small study out of China suggests that the new coronavirus can persist in the body for at least two weeks after symptoms of the disease clear up.
What makes the coronavirus so dangerous?
How does it precisely affect the lungs? What kind of damage does it cause?
LUNGS – it is here where the disease begins and ends for most people. Coronaviruses cause respiratory infections.
Stage one:
The coronavirus targets human lungs cells and invades them quickly when the virus enters the body through the mouth or nose (or even mucous membrane of the eyes).
There are 2 types of human lung cells – one cell type produces mucus to protect lung tissue, and the other are hair-like buttons called cilia, that removes pollen, viruses or objects from the lungs in a wave-like motion.
If the cilia aren’t working, the lungs’ routine cleaning can occur, and the person’s lungs fill up with debris and fluids. This causes difficulty with breathing and shortness of breath.
Stage two:
When your body senses an invader like the coronavirus, your immune system responds by sending an army of immune cells to the infected area. The immune cells work to clear the area and repair the lung tissue.
In normal lungs, your immune system’s reaction is highly regulated and confined to the affected area, killing only invaders. However, with corona, the immune system can go haywire and start killing anything in their way – healthy cells. The immune response can cause more bad than good because more debris and fluids are clogging up the lungs. The person presents with pneumonia in both lungs. Pneumonia is lung inflammation caused by a bacterial or viral infection, in which the air sacs fill with pus and may become solid.
Stage three:
More lung damage now causes respiratory failure. Some patients die, and some end up with permanent lung damage. Lesions are caused by the coronavirus that gives the lungs a honeycomb appearance. Chest scans can reveal COVID-19’s distinctive pattern of pneumonia.
It causes the immune system to dump cytokines into the lungs without any regulation. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist and associate research scientist at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, describes it as attacking an invader with a missile launcher instead of just a gun. It weakens blood vessels in the lungs and causes fluid to seep through to the air sacs. You basically drown because of the fluid in your lungs – normal respiration cannot take place with lungs full of fluids.
The immune response implications extend outside the lungs with elevated liver enzymes, a lower white blood cell and platelet count, and low blood pressure. The reaction spills over to the rest of your body because multiple organs now are affected by the cytokine response—combined with a diminished capacity to pump oxygen to the rest of the body—it can result in multi-organ failure and death.
Source:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/02/here-is-what-coronavirus-does-to-the-body/
What are the symptoms of coronavirus infection?
The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure:
Initially, a sore throat that lasts three to four days
FEVER – COUGH – DIFFICULTY BREATHING – SHORTNESS OF BREATH
- Pneumonia in both lungs
Please note: THE NORMAL Flu vaccine will not protect you against corona
The flu vaccine helps you not get seasonal flu, which might weaken your lungs and put you at greater risk if you should contract a coronavirus.
Is there a vaccine available?
Vaccines are available since 2021. There are, however, too few to vaccinate everyone. Currently, it is given to frontline medical staff and people who are most at risk. It might be another year before it will be available to all.
How can best protect my family and me against it?
- HONOR THE LOCKDOWN – ADHERE TO THE ALL THE RULES
- WASH YOUR HANDS/ WASH YOUR HANDS/ WASH YOUR HANDS/ WASH YOUR HANDS!
ONE: Hand cleaning is of utmost importance all day long: when you have done shopping; been to a bathroom; when you enter your home; when you prepare food; before you eat or drink; when you start or leave your workplace; when you use an ATM or credit card machine.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser if you can’t get to a sink. You do not need fancy disinfectants to wash your hands – good old-fashioned soap and water do the trick.
NOTE: A hand sanitiser must contain at least 60 -70 % alcohol. If you run out of alcohol hand sanitisers, look for other products with high alcohol content, for example, mouth wash (94%), Stroh rum (60% to 80%). METHYLATED SPIRITS also kills many germs and is a useful sanitiser for toilet seats and other fittings.
TWO: If you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue and throw it away afterwards. We don’t know how long the coronavirus survives on clothes or your hands – refrain from coughing in the elbow of your shirt or into your hands without a tissue.
THREE: Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth if your hands aren’t clean. It isn’t easy because we touch our faces 100’s of times per day. If it will help you not to touch your face, wear a mask. It can be a washable home-made mask made of cotton. It will not protect you against the coronavirus in the air – only N95 masks can do that. If you are already sick with coughing and sneezing – also wear a mask so that you limit the spread of your germs to other people.
FOUR: Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick. If you know someone is sick – keep your distance from them.
FIVE: Clean surfaces you often touch: Your smartphone is like a third hand. Wipe it down. Door handles, taps, TV remotes, telephones, laptops, kettles, fridge & cupboard door handles, steering wheel & gear stick, and the door handle of your car. If there are many corona cases in your area – think of what could become infected and needs a wipe with an alcohol, JIK or Biocide solution daily. Wipe right: Use ammonia or alcohol-based products. Skip the baby wipes.
Ultraviolet light can be a potent disinfectant, and we get a lot of UVA light from the sun. Direct sunlight can help rapidly diminish the infectivity of viruses on surfaces.
SIX: Stay home from work, school and public areas if you’re sick. Period.
If you are still healthy:
- Avoid crowds anywhere.
- Don’t visit malls or shops during peak hours.
- If you have to go to the shops, send only one person only – now is not the time for family shopping excursions.
- Disinfect your hands when you enter and leave the store.
- Touch as few things as possible.
- If you stand in a queue to pay – make sure there is 1.5 -2 m between you and the next person. Respect the request for social distancing.
SEVEN: Stock up on home supplies, medicine and resources (at least a 30-day supply) should a mass quarantine be enforced. Limit your trips to shopping malls.
Consider keeping a two-week to a 30-day supply of nonperishable food at home. These items can also come in handy in other types of emergencies, such as power outages or weather storms.
- Canned meats, tuna, sardines
- Canned fruits, vegetables, and soups
- Frozen fruits, vegetables, and meat
- Protein or fruit bars
- Mielie-meal, dry cereal, oatmeal, or granola
- Peanut butter or nuts
- Pasta, bread, rice, and other grains
- Canned beans
- Chicken broth, canned tomatoes, jarred pasta sauce
- Oil for cooking, margarine, butter
- Flour, sugar
- Rusks, crackers
- Coffee, tea, shelf-stable milk, canned juices
- Bottled water
- Canned or jarred baby food and formula
- Pet food
- Household supplies like laundry detergent, dish soap, household cleaners, disinfectants
- Toilet paper, nappies, feminine products, tissues
EIGHT: Boost your immune system. It is a good idea to drink a Vitamin C (sustained-release) product every day of your life. Echinaforce® is a clinically proven, herbal product that helps prevent and treat colds, flu, and upper respiratory tract infections. It also helps prevent the complications of colds and flu. Other products that enhance a strong immune system are colloidal silver, colostrum, probiotics.
Reduce or eliminate your intake of sugar. Sugar paralyze your immune system for hours after the information. A robust immune system can help you to have mild flu, instead of becoming critically ill.
If you have a pre-existing lung condition (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, lung cancer) or are on immuno-suppressants, now is a great time to talk to your doctor or specialist about what they would like you to do if you get sick.
NINE: If you begin to have a high fever, shortness of breath or any other more serious symptom, the best thing to do is to call 0800 029 999 in South Africa to let them know and inquire about next steps.
Coronavirus starts deep in the lungs, and the most common signs are fever and dry cough, followed by fatigue and shortness of breath.
If you have any of these symptoms, please make every effort to remain at home.
Don’t go to the office; don’t drive the kids to school; don’t go to the store; don’t ride public transportation. If children exhibit any illness, they too should remain home from school.
Advice for how to handle it if you actually test positive:
You basically want to prepare as though you know you’re going to get a nasty respiratory bug, like bronchitis or pneumonia. You have the foresight to know it might come your way!
You DO NOT NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL unless you are having trouble breathing or your fever is very high (over 39°C) and is not brought down by taking paracetamol. 90% of healthy adult cases thus far have been managed at home with essential rest/hydration/over-the-counter medications. For symptom management and a fever over 38°c, take Paracetamol, not Ibuprofen.
NOTE: Antibiotics work only on bacteria. They do not work against viruses. The coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, is a virus and, therefore, antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment.
Kleenex, hand paper towels, antiseptic liquids or soaps and disinfectants that contain alcohol
Paracetamol for pain. NOTE: you cannot use a product containing anti-inflammatory substances, for example, Ibuprofen. The World Health Organization (WHO) advises against using anti-inflammatory medication after people who took it became severely ill from the coronavirus.
Mucus thinning cough medicine of choice (check the label and make sure you’re not doubling up on Paracetamol)
Prescription medicine: one month supply in case getting to a pharmacy for a refill becomes difficult. Remember to stock up on batteries for hearing aids as well.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications to stop vomiting (anti-emetics) & Anti-diarrheal medication – many corona patients present with vomiting and diarrhoea
Thermometer
Electrolytes (Packets that you can mix with water) to rehydrate
Garbage bags
Prescription inhaler if you have a history of asthma. Ensure the one you have isn’t expired and refill it/get a new one if necessary.
Prepared meals: make a big batch of your favourite soup to freeze and have on hand. Chicken soup was seen as Jewish penicillin during the Second World War. If you are really sick, soup is easy to heat up quickly and serve, making a nutritious meal. It also helps to replace the loss of fluids which may occur with excessive sweating, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Fluids that are clear – Stock up on whatever your favourite clear fluids are to drink – though tap water is fine you may appreciate some variety! Note – not sugary drinks (Coke etc.). Hydrate (drink!) hydrate, hydrate!
Rest lots. You should not be leaving your house! Even if you are feeling better, you may well still be infectious for fourteen days. Older people and those with existing health conditions should be avoided!
Additional supplies delivered: Ask friends and family to leave supplies outside to avoid contact.
If you are worried or in distress or feel your symptoms are getting worse, call 0800 029 999, and they will advise if you need to go to the hospital. The hospital beds will be used for people who actively need oxygen/breathing treatments/IV fluids.
One significant relief to your parents is that kids do VERY well with coronavirus— they usually bounce back in a few days (but they will still be infectious), use pediatric dosing.
Be calm and prepare rationally, and everything will be fine.
HELPLINE:
You are welcome to chat with an online counsellor for more advice: LIVE CHAT
NATIONAL HELPLINE SOUTH AFRICA:
0800 029 999
MORE HELP
https://www.mobieg.co.za/personal/dealing-with-debt/