Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that can make people sick with breathing problems. Their name comes from the spikes that look like crowns on the surface of the virus. People get sick from coronaviruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and the common cold.
The first case of the new coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2, was found in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Since then, it’s spread to every country in the world.
From where do coronaviruses get their power?
Bats, cats, and horses are often found with coronaviruses. The viruses live in the animals, but they don’t get into them. Viruses like these can sometimes spread to other kinds of animals. As the viruses move from one species to another, they may change. When the time is right, the virus can move from animals to people. When it comes to SARS-CoV-19, the first people who got it are thought to have been at a food market that sold live animals, meat, and fish.
How do I get COVID-19?
The COVID-19 virus, SARS-CoV-2, gets into your body through your mouth, nose, or eyes, either straight from drops in the air or by shifting the virus from your hands to your face. After that, it goes to the back of your nose and the mucus membrane at the back of your throat. It joins up with cells there, grows, and then goes into lung tissue. The virus can then move to other parts of the body.
How does the SARS-CoV-2 virus get from one person to another?
Coronavirus is most likely spread by breathing droplets that are released into the air when someone who is sick coughs, sneezes, talks, sings, or breathes close to you. If you breathe in these drops, you could get sick.
• You can also get the coronavirus by touching or shaking hands with someone who has it and then touching your face.
For how long is someone with COVID-19 thought to be contagious?
To show signs of COVID-19, it may take a few days, but you’re still susceptible during this time. Now that 10 days have passed, you are no longer dangerous.
To keep from giving COVID-19 to other people, stay at least 6 feet away from them at all times.
• When you’re with other people, cover your mouth and nose with a cloth mask.
• Wash your hands a lot. If you don’t have soap, use a hand cleaner with at least 60% alcohol.
• Stay away from busy places inside. As much as possible, open the windows to let in fresh air.
• If you are sick with signs that could be COVID-19 or have a positive COVID-19 test, stay home by yourself.
• Clean and germ-kill areas that are touched a lot.
Who is most likely to get COVID-19?
People who, among other things, live in or have recently moved to a place where COVID-19 is still being spread are most likely to get it.
• Have been close to someone who has been diagnosed with or suspected of having the COVID-19 virus. Being within 6 feet of a sick person for 15 minutes or more at least 15 times in 24 hours is considered close touch.
• Are over 60 years old and already have a health problem or a weak immune system.
How long after getting SARS-CoV-2 will it take for me to start showing signs of COVID-19?
The incubation phase is the time between getting sick and having symptoms. It can be anywhere from two to fourteen days. Five days is the average amount of time before you start to feel sick. It’s possible for symptoms to be very mild or very serious. About 80% of people who get COVID-19 only have mild symptoms. However, this may change as new forms come out.
I got COVID-19, but I feel better now. Can I get it again?
People who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 three months after their last positive test are thought to have gotten the virus again. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 again was rare before the omicron variety, but it was possible.
In November 2021, Omicron (B.1.1.529) was first seen in South Africa. It quickly spread to other parts of the world. Omicron was able to get past defense systems because it had many changes. This meant that we had more reinfections than ever before.
Since the COVID-19 virus keeps changing, it is still possible to get infected again. Getting a vaccine, including a repeat shot, is the best way to avoid getting a serious illness.
Signs and Reasons
What signs does COVID-19 show?
How people with COVID-19 feel varies from person to person. In fact, some people who are sick don’t show any signs (are asymptomatic). In general, people who have COVID-19 say they have some of these signs:
• A fever or chills.
• Cough.
• Not being able to breathe or having trouble breathing.
• Being tired.
• Aches in the muscles or body.
• Headaches.
• A new loss of the ability to smell or taste.
• A sore throat.
• A stuffy or runny nose.
• Sitting up or throwing up.
Bad diarrhea.
It is possible to have more signs.
Two to fourteen days after being exposed to the virus, symptoms may start to show up. The signs in kids are similar to those in adults, but they are generally not as bad. People who are older or who already have major health problems are more likely to have a more dangerous COVID-19 complication.
If you notice any of these signs, call 911 right away and get medical help:
• Having trouble breathing.
• Chest pain or pressure that won’t go away.
• More trouble.
• Cannot get out of bed in the morning.
• Red face or lips.
This list doesn’t have all of the possible signs. If you think you might have coronavirus or have any serious signs, you should call your doctor.
How to Diagnose and Test
How is coronavirus found?
A lab test confirms that COVID-19 is present. Your doctor may swab your nose or throat or take a sample of your saliva to send for tests.
When should I get a coronavirus (COVID-19) test?
1. Feeling sick with a fever, cough, or trouble breathing. 2. Need to talk to your doctor.
• Have been close to someone who is known or thought to have COVID-19.
Your doctor or nurse will ask you about your symptoms and let you know if you need to be checked for COVID-19.
How long should I stay away from other people if I test positive for coronavirus?
The CDC says that you should stay away from other people until you’ve met both of the following conditions:
• You’ve been having symptoms for five days now, and they are getting better.
• You haven’t had a fever in 24 hours and haven’t taken any medicines to lower your fever in that time.
When you’re at home, if you can, lock yourself in a different room to avoid interacting with other family members. If you can’t stay in a separate room by yourself, stay 6 feet away from other people and wear a cloth mask. Wash your hands and the hands of your family members often, and clean shared areas and surfaces that are often touched.
After your time of being alone, you don’t need to be tried again. But each case is different, so do what your doctor tells you and get the tests they suggest.
The CDC’s rules don’t apply to you if your immune system is weak or if you have had a serious case of COVID-19. You might need to stay home for up to twenty days after your first signs showed up. You should talk to your doctor or nurse about your situation.
I’ve been around someone with COVID-19. How long do I need to stay away from that person?
If you haven’t been fully vaccinated or if it’s been more than six months since your second dose and you haven’t been boosted, you should stay in lockdown for five days.
For another five days after this, you should always wear a mask that fits well when you’re around other people. If you can, the CDC says to get tested on day five. This quarantine time might be different based on the different strains and the tests that are available.
It is possible to have the coronavirus but not show any symptoms of having it.
It is possible, yes. “False negative” test results happen for a number of reasons. This means that you do have COVID-19 even though the test says you don’t.
Some things that could cause a COVID-19 test result to be fake negative are:
• The test was given to you too early in your illness. The test can’t find the virus because it hasn’t grown in your body enough for it to be picked up.
• The swab didn’t get a good sample. It’s possible that you or the medical staff did not swab deeply enough in your nose to get a good sample. Moving and dealing mistakes might happen less often as well.
The test wasn’t accurate or specific enough to find SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus that causes COVID-19. Sensitivity is how well the test can find even the smallest amount of virus. The test’s specificity means that it can only find the COVID-19 virus and not other viruses that are related. A lot of different private and medical labs have made tests for SARS-CoV-2. All of them have to meet standards, but “false negative” and “false positive” tests are always possible.
If you think you might have COVID-19 even though your test came back clear, you should do what the CDC says. This is called “social distancing.” If you think you are sick, stay home for 10 days. Wear a mask and stay 6 feet away from other people. This is called “physical distance.” If your symptoms get worse, you should call your doctor. You shouldn’t decide for yourself if it’s safe to be with other people. Instead, call your doctor or nurse when your symptoms get better.
How to Manage and Treat
In what ways do people who have COVID-19 get better?
Different treatments for COVID-19 depend on how bad your symptoms are. If you’re not in the hospital or need extra air, you shouldn’t take any particular antiviral or immune drugs.
Depending on how bad your COVID symptoms are, you might need:
• Extra oxygen, which is given through a tube put into your nose.
• An injection of monoclonal antibodies may help some people.
• Antiviral drugs may lower the chance that some COVID-19 people will need to go to the hospital or die.
• Mechanical ventilation, which involves breathing air through a tube that is put down your throat. While you’re on a respirator getting air, you’re given medicines to make you feel better and sleepy.
ECMO stands for extracellular membrane oxygenation. While a machine pushes your blood outside of your body, you are still getting care. This thing takes over the job of your lungs and heart.
Can people who have been protected still get COVID-19?
Even if you’ve been protected, you can still get COVID-19. Vaccines don’t work 100% of the time. In fact, breakout cases are expected, which happen when someone tests positive more than two weeks after getting vaccine. This is especially true as the SARS-CoV-2 virus changes.
The shots lower your risk of getting sick, but they don’t completely remove it. There is a very small chance that a breakthrough infection will make you very sick or kill you.
How can I take care of my problems at home?
If your COVID-19 signs aren’t too bad, you should be able to take care of your health at home. Do these things:
When you have a fever, you should drink a lot of water, rest a lot, and take acetaminophen (Tylenol®).
• Don’t lie on your back if you have a cough; lie on your side or sit up. Mix a teaspoon of honey into hot tea or water (but don’t give honey to kids younger than 1 year old). Rinse your mouth out with salt water. For help with over-the-counter pain relievers like cough suppressants and cough drops or lozenges, talk to your doctor or pharmacy. Get any drugs you need from a friend or family member. You need to stay home.
• Try to calm down if you’re worried about your breathing. Breathe slowly and deeply through your nose. Let the air out slowly through pursed lips, like you’re blowing out a fire.
• Get help right away if you can’t breathe.
You should feel better in a few days to a week if you have a weak case of COVID-19. Call your doctor or nurse if you think your symptoms are getting worse.
Safety First
How can I stay away from COVID-19?
Getting a vaccine is the best way to protect yourself from getting COVID-19. You should also do the same things you do to avoid getting other viruses, like the flu or the common cold.
• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, especially before you eat or prepare food, after going to the bathroom, wiping your nose, or touching someone who has a cold.
• The CDC says to wear a cloth facemask with several layers that fits tightly on your face and covers your mouth, nose, and chin.
• To stop the spread of viruses from your hands, don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• When you sneeze and cough, cover your mouth and nose with a towel or cough into your sleeve. Delete the tissue. After that, wash your hands. Do not sneeze or cough into your hands.
• Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are coughing, cold, or otherwise sick. If you’re sick, stay home.
• Stay away from big groups of people if you get sick easily or your immunity system is weak. Do what your healthcare officials tell you to do, especially when there are cases.
• Clean areas that get a lot of use, like doorknobs and tables, with a disinfectant that kills viruses. • If soap and water aren’t available, use hand sanitizers that have at least 60% alcohol in them.
• Instead of shaking hands, make a friendly sign to greet someone.
– Make sure you get enough sleep, eat well, drink lots of water, and work out if you can. These steps will make your immune system stronger, which will make it easier for you to fight off illness.
Should I cover my face?
If you have any questions about when you should wear a face mask to help stop the spread of COVID-19, let your doctor know. The CDC says that you should wear a face mask when: • If you’re in a place where COVID-19 values are high in the neighborhood, wear a face mask in public.
• If you’re sick but have to be around other people.
• If you are higher risk for getting sick or live with someone who is; • If you are caring for someone who has COVID-19.
A message from the Reprospot
Today is a very different place from when COVID-19 was first found in the United States. We now know a lot more about the virus and how to help people who have it. Also, we’ve made a lot of progress in testing. You, our communities, have also put in a lot of work to change.
It can be hard to stick to the changes we’ve all made to stay safe and healthy. But please be careful. We understand it’s hard, but it’s very important. COVID-19 is not something to be taken easily. Most people only have mild signs, but some get major problems with their lungs, brain, or heart. We don’t know about any other long-term effects yet either.
External link for more study