The new Coronavirus is spreading throughout the world. But how infectious is it really? Here is a list of everything you need to know about the virus.
What are the symptoms?
Most people get mild symptoms such as common cold, fever and respiratory symptoms, and recover quickly.
But some people get very sick and get serious respiratory problems, which makes it difficult to breathe.
How does it get infected?
The coronavirus, sars-cov2, infects through close contact with humans.
It is usually called drip infection and is based on the fact that someone who is ill has viruses in their airways and mucous membranes that end up on someone else. It can be contaminated, for example, by sneezing and someone standing close to you, or by getting it on your hands and then getting on your face.
In order to be infected, it is necessary to be close to someone for an extended period of time, for example at a workplace or at home. It is very unlikely to be infected just by passing someone outdoors or standing next to someone for a short while in public transport.
The virus also does not infect via surfaces or objects, and it is more common to become infected indoors than outdoors.
On the one hand, you are closer to each other indoors and share more air, and on the other hand, the virus does not thrive in sunlight.
How long is the incubation time?
According to the World Health Organization, the time between the date of infection and the illness is between one and fourteen days.
The median time is five days, the vast majority of people get sick sometime between day three and seven. There have been reports that the incubation period would be longer, but it has not been possible to verify so we adhere to what the WHO says.
How contagious is it?
The infectivity index of the Coronavirus is between two and three. It is about the same degree of infectiousness as regular flu, Anders Tegnell says. Comparatively, measles has an infectivity index of fourteen, while SARS was between one and two.
How to protect yourself from infection?
The best thing is to wash your hands with soap and water. If you do not have access to it, you can use hand sanitizer.
What to do if you think you are infected?
If you have been in an area where there is a spread of infection and within 14 days after you get home you start feeling feverish and hungry you should stay at home. If you do not get better, you should call the healthcare to get answers on how to get to the healthcare system best. You should not go to an emergency room or medical center.
Is there a greater risk of being infected in a closed ventilation system, such as an airplane?
So far no major contagion has been seen onboard any aircraft. The proximity onboard the plane increases the risk of infection.
There’s a rule of thumb. The greatest risk of infection is two rows of chairs in front and two rows of chairs behind the infectious, as well as the row they sit on. There will be five rows of chairs where the risk is greatest.
However, the ventilation onboard is good and the air filters remove the virus particles. The air filters on modern aircraft are very efficient. They are so-called hepa filters through which the air circulates. Thus, the actual ventilation spreads the virus is not very likely.
How deadly is the virus?
In China, there are more than hundred thousand people who have come to the health care, of whom about two percent died. But many people do not get so sick that they come to the health care, so at a population level, mortality is probably much lower.
What treatment is given to the infected person?
There is no cure for the virus, but the care given treats the symptoms.But most of them recover themselves, possibly they can get a little fever reduction.
Coming up with a vaccine against the virus would take several years.
– Primarily, you test the variants that already exist against different viruses, it seems to have a certain effect.
How long can the epidemic last?
It is very difficult to know. But I think we can expect that for a good while, a number of months. Definitely until the summer and probably also next fall.
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