According to Unicef, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has been assessed by the WHO (World Health Organization) and classified as a pandemic. By now, everyone is surely aware that countries around the world are currently battling COVID-19 outbreaks. Indeed, you may be wondering what measures can be taken to prevent further spread of this frightening disease. Unicef has highlighted a few ways that countries like the UK can curb the further spread of coronavirus.
In this post, we will take a quick look at what coronavirus is and how the UK can prevent the further spread of this dreadful pandemic.
MORE ABOUT COVID-19
According to drugs.com, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is liable for the disease known as COVID-19. The first case of this pandemic was diagnosed in December 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Its initial name before the intervention of WHO in February 2020 was 2019-nCoV (2019 Novel Coronavirus).
Several viruses ranging, from the ones responsible for the common cold to the SARS-CoV-2 virus belong to a family of viruses called coronaviruses. The SARS-CoV-2019 virus infects the respiratory tract, causing the symptoms of COVID-19. This infection can either be mild or severe. Underlying respiratory issues like ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) and pneumonia increase the severity of any infection.
SYMPTOMS OF CORONAVIRUS
According to The Telegraph, the UK recorded its first case of COVID-19 in late January 2020 in York. Since then, the country has seen the number rise to over 290,000 people. Since the first death caused by this virus on the 5th of March, 2020, the UK has recorded more than 11,000 deaths.
The primary symptoms of coronavirus are fever, dry cough, and eventually, it may be difficult to breathe. People infected with COVID-19 are likely to show any of these symptoms from as early as 2 days to as late as 14 days after infection. However, recent reports suggest that these symptoms may take longer than that to appear.
HOW COVID-19 IS TRANSMITTED
COVID-19 is known to be transmitted from one individual to another in the following ways:
- When respiratory droplets come out when we either drip, cough or sneeze touches a person.
- When a person is in a contained environment with an infected person that sneezes or coughs. This transmission is often referred to as “aerosol transmission”.
- Transmission by contact. This happens when a person touches a surface that is contaminated with the virus and then touching their face (mucus membranes). Your mucus membranes are your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- A person may contract the virus directly by kissing or shaking hands with an infected person.
HOW THE UK CAN NATURALLY PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19
Since there is no known vaccine for COVID-19 yet, the best way to prevent further spread is embarking on the preventive measures listed below:
- AVOID EXPOSURE TO THE VIRUS: The safest way to stay clear of COVID-19 is to avoid any form of exposure to the virus. This includes staying indoors and ensuring that those who are infected are isolated in a place where they can receive adequate medical care. With the high rate of spread of the infection in the UK, the government needs additional isolation centres. Hence, the need to employ temporary modular buildings. Recent reports from The Guardian indicate that 10 per cent of the COVID-19 deaths that have been recorded in the UK were outside a medical facility. This emphasizes the need for the UK government to invest in temporary modular facilities that will allow COVID-19 patients to receive the medical help they deserve and curb any further spread. Companies like Smart-space are willing to partner with the government to help dispatch temporary facilities in the bid of preventing the further spread of COVID-19.
- EDUCATING PEOPLE TO WASH AND SANITIZE THEIR HANDS REGULARLY: Although washing your hands is an individual responsibility, the UK government was investing in educating the country about the need to wash their hands regularly. Furthermore, the government needs to educate its people on how to wash their hands to ensure that the virus is completely killed. This involves either using a 60 per cent (or above) alcohol-based sanitizer or washing your hands with soap and water. When using the latter approach, you should wash your hands with a good lather for at least 20 seconds before rinsing it off.
- EDUCATING PEOPLE ON THE NEED FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING: People must learn to avoid close contact with others. This involves introducing further lockdown orders to ban public gatherings until the virus is contained.
- ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO AVOID TOUCHING THEIR MUCOUS MEMBRANES: This involves encouraging people to cultivate the habit of not touching their eyes, nose, and mouths as a person can only be infected when the virus gains access to these membranes.
The government will have to invest more in educating its people on the need to corporate with these prevention methods.
Author’s Bio:
Folarin Olalekan is a prolific health and lifestyle researcher and writer. Having spent over two and a half years of his career writing articles across several niches, he has written over 200 health and lifestyle articles. He resides in Nigeria, where he is happily married and he and his wife are blessed with a son.