Coronavirus – Guide & Tools to Survive Through Lockdown

Coronavirus – Guide Tools To Survive Through Lockdown

The recent outbreak of Coronavirus has led to a worldwide concern. It has resulted in a lockdown situation in India. Schools, colleges, multiplexes, social gatherings, and more have been shut to curb the spread of this deadly virus.

All major states and cities are taking precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the infection. Several labs and isolation wards are set up to test and quarantine patients.

  • Chinese authorities found a new outbreak of coronavirus disease in December 2019.
  •  Later, WHO termed it as SARS-CoV-2, and the disease caused by this virus is termed as COVID-19. 
  • The worldwide death toll from this new disease is in thousands and still rising rapidly.

Here we provide complete coverage related to Coronavirus. We have performed thorough research to educate you and help you cope with this disease.

Coronavirus History and Origin

So, what is Coronavirus, and where did it come from?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, causing common cold and more severe diseases like the Severe Acute Respiratory system (SARS-CoV) and Middle East Respiratory System (MERS-CoV).

A new strain emerged from this large family of viruses, which is known as COVID-19. The deadly virus was first discovered in Wuhan, Hubei, China in December 2019. And it was announced as a pandemic by the WHO on 11th March 2020.

The virus is zoonotic, which means that it can be transmitted from animals to humans. It is believed to have originated from horseshoe bats. Reports have claimed its link to the Hunan Seafood Wholesale Market.

Common respiratory symptoms include fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties. A severe case may lead to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory system, kidney failure, and ultimately death.

However, the fatality was mostly seen in the older age group with diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases.

It is important to take precautions to prevent the spread of the infection. Wash your hands often; cover your mouth while coughing and sneezing. Avoid contact with people who are showing symptoms and thoroughly cook meat and eggs.

How to protect yourself against Coronavirus?

The outbreak of Coronavirus has claimed three lives in India. The citizens of India, especially the older members of society, need to take certain precautions to protect themselves. Here we explain a few measures that will help safeguard you against Coronavirus:

Wash and Sanitize your Hands

Ensure that you wash your hands with water and soap or hand wash for at least twenty seconds. This should be done whenever you return home from outside.

Also, wash your hands before eating or drinking anything. If you are at a public place, then use an alcohol-based sanitizer to clean your hands. It should contain 60% to 90% alcohol. Sanitizers with higher than 95% alcohol are not effective.

Avoid Touching your Face, Mouth, Nose, and Eyes

Touching your face, mouth, eyes, and nose with unclean hands can lead to Coronavirus. Wash your hands before touching your face. Also, you can wear a mask.

Distance Yourself from People with Flu-like Symptoms

Since COVID-19 is a respiratory infection spread from droplets and saliva. It is better to avoid close contact with people with flu-like symptoms, including coughing and sneezing. Maintain a distance of 3 feet from any sick person.

The virus also spreads from those who don’t show any symptoms. Hence, avoid shaking hands and limit contact with people till the threat is over.

Disinfect your Home

Coronavirus remains alive on surfaces like floors, doorknobs, faucets, and countertops. Use disinfectant sprays and liquids to kill germs and viruses. This reduces the chances of infection.

Stay at Home

Try not to go out of your house unless it is absolutely necessary. It is important to distance yourself socially. Also, avoid social gatherings of more than 10 members.

This will limit the spread of the virus as it prevents you from coming in contact with an infected person. An older individual with a weak immune system or those with health conditions, like high blood pressure and diabetes, should stay at home.

Cook Meat and Eggs Thoroughly

Coronavirus is also transmitted from animals to humans. Thus, it is essential to cook meat and eggs thoroughly to kill germs and viruses. Check the temperature of the food before you eat to keep yourself safe. Consider the required temperatures of the meat or eggs:

  1. Eggs: 71-degree C.
  2. Ground meat: 71-degree C.
  3. Chicken and turkey: 74-degree C.
  4. Beef and pork: 63-degree C.

Avoid Contact with Live Animals

Limit contact with live animals as they might be infected with the virus. If you are someone who needs to work with animals or care for a pet, then wash your hands frequently using water and soap or hand wash.

Caring for a Sick Family Member

If a member of your family shows symptoms of COVID-19, then he or she needs to get tested. In case, one is tested positive for Coronavirus, he or she must be quarantined at home or a hospital in severe cases.

However, you need to caution yourself while taking care of the sick family member. Older people and those with weak immune systems are more vulnerable to the infection. Hence, follow these steps to keep the virus contained.

Isolation

Keep the infected family member contained in a separate room. He or she should be away from those prone to the infection. Also, the isolated member should avoid the main areas of the house, like the living room and kitchen. They must use a separate bathroom as well.

Wearing a Mask

A sick family member should wear a face mask to prevent the transmission of Coronavirus. Also, the person taking care of the sick member needs to wear a mask. It will create a barrier to stop you from touching your mouth or face.

Keep Your House Clean

It is important to keep your house clean. Use disinfectant sprays and liquids to wipe tiles, floors, countertops, and other surfaces of the bathroom, kitchen, living room, and dining room. Also, clean the toilet seat and sink of the bathroom regularly with toilet disinfectant cleaners.

These products kill germs and bacteria to protect you and your family from diseases.

Wash and Clean Your Hands

Make sure that you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds using liquid hand-wash and soap. You can also use alcohol-based sanitizers to clean your hands. This should be done often to kill germs and viruses.

Follow the Advice of the Doctor

Always follow the advice of the doctor. Keep the patient quarantined until the time suggested by the doctor. Provide him or her with the prescribed medications and diet. If the family member’s health begins to deteriorate, then he or she should be admitted to the hospital.

Tips for Treating Dry Skin Due to Frequent Hand-washing

It is necessary to wash hands frequently for twenty seconds using hand-wash and soap. This kills germs and viruses, preventing the spread of COVID-19. However, hand-wash and soaps will leave your hands drier than ever. Sanitizers are better options as they contain skin softeners to retain moisture.

Dry skin causes irritation and discomfort. Moreover, it increases the chances of bacterial infections.

Hence, you should moisturize your hands and fingertips after washing and drying. Use a suitable lotion or moisturizer. Also, remember the following tips to treat dry skin:

Apply Creams and Ointments

Creams and ointments serve as skin conditioners that soften and moisturize dry skin. The oil and water-based creams retain moisture and prevent hands from drying. Ointments are effective in treating dry skin and irritation.

However, they have a sticky consistency, which may not be preferred by certain users. Ensure that you use a tube rather than a tub so that you don’t dip hands into the contents. It prevents contamination of the cream or lotion.

Avoid Over Washing Hands

Wash your hands often, but ensure that you don’t overdo it. Avoid washing your hands frequently when you have isolated yourself at home. You need to give your skin a break at times.

Wash your hands if you cough or sneeze. Also, ensure cleaning them if you come from outside or if you have been close to a sick person. You can use cold or lukewarm water to wash your hands.

Disinfecting Your Phone

You touch your phones and tablets often, which transfers the germs and virus from your hands to the device. Phones need to be disinfected and sanitized using disinfectants.

However, it does not need disinfection multiple-times a day unless an infected person has touched it, or it has come in contact with mucus and saliva.

Coronavirus is capable of living on metal, glass, and plastic for a few hours or up to nine days. So, you should clean the gadgets and devices you touch regularly, including phones, desks, tablets, headphones, etc.

Avoid using antibacterial sheets to wipe your phone or tablet. Most phones are incapable of handling abrasives, solvents, or moisture, causing damage.

Tips to Remember while Disinfecting Phones, Tablets, Laptops, Remote Controls, and Other Devices

  • Your phone, laptops, mouse, tablet, and other devices should be unplugged before you clean it.
  • Do not spray the disinfectant on your device directly to avoid dripping liquid and moisture.
  • Use a dry and soft cloth to remove fingerprints and debris. Fiber materials like tissue paper may leave scratches.
  • Consult the manufacturer’s website to know the suitable disinfectant cleaner for your device.
  • You can use a screen protector or phone case while wiping it using a disinfecting wipe or with a little rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth.

How to clean headphones?

We also use headphones and earphones often for listening to music. These accessories may come in contact with sick and infected people. You may also touch them with unwashed hands. Hence, it is equally important to and disinfect headphones regularly.

Here are a few tips that will help you clean headphones:

  • Remove the earpads. Now wipe down the exterior of the headphones using a cloth damped with water and soap. Leave it to dry. Also, wipe it with rubbing alcohol or a disinfectant spray.
  • Wipe the exterior of the earpads using a soft cloth and rubbing alcohol or sanitizer. Soak a cotton bud in the disinfectant liquid and clean the nooks of the earpad.
  • Ensure that the earpads are completely dry before attaching them back.

These are a few tips to clean in-ear earphones:

  • Use a dry and soft toothbrush to dislodge dirt or clogged ear wax.
  • Wipe the metal mesh and wires using a soft cloth and disinfectant spray or rubbing alcohol. However, avoid spraying the disinfectant directly as it may cause damage.
  • The silicone earbuds should be removed before you start the cleaning process. You can soak them in a soapy solution for five minutes. Allow them to dry before attaching them back.

Shortage of Sanitizers Due to Coronavirus

The spread of Coronavirus has caused a situation of panic among the people of India. It has caused a shortage of sanitizers in the market. The high demand has led the sellers to sell sanitizers at an inflated price.

However, there is no need to panic. Alcohol-based sanitizers help in preventing the spread of viruses and germs. It is essential to remember that washing your hands with hand-wash and soap for twenty seconds is a more effective way of keeping them clean.

Go through the following points if you are someone who cannot get your hands on a popular sanitizer:

  • Wash your hands frequently for twenty seconds using hand-wash or soap.
  • If you are looking for a sanitizer, then purchase a lesser-known brand of sanitizer that is made of at least 60% alcohol.
  • You can make your own sanitizer at home, but it should contain at least 60% alcohol.
  • Use sanitizers on dry hands. Avoid using them on greasy and dirty hands.
  • Baby wipes will not work as well as sanitizers. They don’t contain alcohol.
  • Ensure that you use the sanitizer well. Cover the entire surface of both your hands with the sanitizer and rub till they are dry.

Keeping the Team-spirit Alive while Working from Home

The outbreak of COVID-19 has disrupted the operations of malls, cinema halls, schools, colleges, and offices to avoid large gatherings.

Companies have asked their employees to work remotely from home to curb the spread of the virus. If teamwork is crucial for the company, then work from home may not be easy.

However, the spirit of teamwork can still be kept alive in these tough situations. We know that technology has enabled us to keep in touch with loved ones from all over the world.

Similarly, you can keep in touch with your team via online chats and video calls. Traditional office interactions are not the only way to strengthen the bond between colleagues.

Try following these tips to keep the spark of teamwork alive.

  • Take a Break from Work

You can easily take a break from work to have a conversation with your colleagues on a WhatsApp or Hangout group. These small breaks also enhance productivity as it prevents remote work from getting monotonous. Share your anxieties, or maybe crack a joke to keep the conversation going.

  • Video Chats

Schedule a time to video call a bunch of your colleagues. Converse about work and know more about them. Face to face chats are much better than texts. You all can talk about your favorite topics to have diverse yet fun-filled facetime.

  • A-Team that Eats Together Stays Together

Your lunch break should be scheduled at a specific time so that you can reach out to your team. You can video call while having lunch together. This is a great way of strengthening the bond while away for office.

Home-Office Supplies

It is essential to equip your home with suitable supplies to convert it into your workspace. These products will help you get your work done efficiently while working from home.

Moreover, the ergonomics of some of these supplies will ensure comfort while working for long hours. Here we have listed some of the essential home-office supplies.

Ways to Help the Community Combat Coronavirus

The number of Coronavirus cases here in India is rising each day. We need to look out for each other to combat this concern. Here we have listed a few ways to help the community combat Coronavirus together as a team.

Stay Social from Far

People are being asked to stay at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Schools and colleges are shut. Moreover, companies have asked employees to work from home. However, you can still be in touch with family, friends, co-workers, and loved ones, even if you are unable to meet them. You can call them or text on various social media platforms to enquire about their health and well-being. Let them know you are thinking about them, even if you are not physically around.

Help Neighbors At-Risk

Older adults and those with conditions such as diabetes, heart, and lung diseases are at a higher risk. You can drop by groceries and prescribed medication or offer any other help as needed by them.

Keep Yourself Updated

It is important to keep track of the spread of the virus. Email and text alerts will educate you more about the infection. Watch the local news channels or browse the internet to check the latest updates on COVID-19. You can share your updates with neighbors via text or call and discuss preventive measures to be adopted to keep the neighborhood safe.

Stock up the Essentials, but Don’t Hoard

Food is an essential requirement. Stock up your home with the necessities, including food, toilet paper, sanitizers, hand-wash, disinfectants, etc. However, ensure that you don’t over-shop because of panic.

This will lead to a shortage, causing more panic among the members of your society. If you already have ample supplies at home, then stop shopping.

Handling Packages during Coronavirus

Online shopping for essential supplies has seen growth due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, the packages you order online are not sterile. Moreover, they have been touched by multiple people before delivery.

Novel Coronavirus can stay alive for hours or a few days on surfaces made of different materials. It is known that the Coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can remain active for up to 24 hours on cardboard surfaces. Thus, it is essential to take the necessary precautions before you bring in the package home.

You should dispose of the cardboard package outside before you bring the product inside. Also, wash your hands immediately with hand-wash or soap to avoid getting infected.

While picking up the package, you may also come in contact with surfaces like doorknobs, elevator buttons, etc. Hence, clean your hands so that you don’t spread the virus by touching your nose, face, and mouth.

The delivery person is asked to take precautions to remain healthy. If a worker is experiencing symptoms, they need to seek medical care immediately. Also, employees with flu-like symptoms are being asked to remain at home. Stores and delivery trucks are being sanitized regularly.

Those who are tested positive for COVID-19 or are quarantined have to be given their salary. Ensure that you maintain good hygiene to avoid getting sick.

Work Out at Home

With Coronavirus soaring in India, people are staying at home to prevent the spread of the virus. So, what about the dedicated fitness enthusiasts? Work out, and fitness training is essential for an athlete.

However, there is no need to worry since you can work out from home. In fact, many filmstars and social media influencers have been promoting the concept of working out at home during this pandemic.

You can convert your home into a personal gym with the help of a few accessories and equipment. This will allow you to achieve your fitness goals without having to leave home.

Consider the following accessories and equipment for your home gym:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How to put on, use, and take off a mask?

  • Ensure that your hands are clean before touching the mask. Clean your hands using an alcohol-based sanitizer or wash your hands with soap or hand wash.
  • Inspect the mask for holes and tears.
  • Find where the metal strip is located to know which is on the top side.
  • The colored side of the mask should face outwards.
  • Place the mask on your face and pinch the metal strip so that it molds to the shape of your nose.
  • Pull down the mask so that it covers your face and nose.
  • Take off the mask by removing the elastic loops from behind your ears. Keep the mask away from your face and clothes so that you don’t come in contact with the contaminated surface.
  • Discard the mask in a closed bin.
  • Ensure that you rub your hands using an alcohol-based sanitizer after discarding the mask. You can also wash them with hand-wash and soap.

2. How often should I be cleaning my phone?

You should regularly disinfect and clean frequently touched surfaces, including phones, keyboards, tablets, headphones, etc. However, you don’t have to worry about cleaning them at all times unless they have come in contact with an infected person or someone showing symptoms. In such cases, you can clean them once a day.

3. Is cold water sufficient to kill COVID-19 while doing laundry?

Washing clothes with detergent as per the manufacturer’s instructions is sufficient. However, you should use warm water for effectively killing germs and viruses. Hence, water and detergent are ideal for killing any virus, which may have contaminated your clothes.

In case you have a sick family member at home, avoid mixing their clothes with yours. Wash or handle their dirty clothes wearing disposable gloves. Also, wash your hands immediately after you are done with the laundry.

4. How long does the virus survive on surfaces?

Research suggests that Coronavirus lives on surfaces for a few hours to even a few days. However, this may vary according to temperature and humidity levels. It is not certain how long the COVID-19 virus survives on the various surfaces, but it is similar to other Coronaviruses.

5. Who is at risk of developing severe illness?

Older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, lung and heart disease are at a higher risk of developing severe illness due to Coronavirus.

6. How long is the incubation period for COVID-19?

The estimated incubation period for COVID-19 ranges between 1 to 14 days or five days on an average.

7. How does Coronavirus spread?

You can catch the infection from a person who has the virus. COVID-19 spreads from one person to another through small droplets when an infected person exhales or coughs. The droplets land on surfaces. Once you touch a contaminated surface, you will get infected unless you wash your hands immediately.

The infection spreads when you touch your face, mouth, or nose with your hand. You should stay 3 feet away from a sick person.

8. Can COVID-19 be caught from a person with no symptoms?

The possibility of catching COVID-19 from a person with no symptoms is very low. However, you can get infected even if the person has mild symptoms like a mild cough.

9. Is there a drug, vaccine, or treatment for COVID-19?

Till now, there is no drug, treatment, or vaccine to treat COVID-19. Those who develop serious conditions need to be hospitalized for proper care. Clinical trials are underway to test possible vaccines and drugs that will be used for the treatment of COVID-19.

You can keep yourself safe with precautionary measures, which have already been discussed. Conclusion Here we have provided a comprehensive guide to the important information related to Coronavirus and COVID-19.

The number of infected people in India is soaring. Hence, it is up to us to follow the guidelines set by the government to combat this deadly virus.

We now conclude this article hoping that you take the necessary preventive measures. Stay safe!

Additional Resources

  1. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
  2. WHO Coverage of Coronavirus
  3. Covid-19 Situation Report in India
  4. Coronavirus – Guidelines & Various Advisory by NCDC
  5. COVID-19
Dr. Sachin Bille
 

Dr. Sachin is a medical content writer at reviews.in and has a keen interest to inform people about useful and effective medical gadgets. Apart from practicing medicine and writing, he loves to watch sci-fi movies & spend time with family.

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