All you need to know about COVID-19

COVID-19 is a highly contagious infectious disease that the newly identified virus SARS-CoV-2 causes. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the family of viruses known as coronaviruses.

In the majority of people who develop it, COVID-19 causes a mild respiratory illness similar to influenza. In some individuals, however, it can lead to a severe respiratory condition that requires hospitalization.

People can be without symptoms, or asymptomatic, despite having a SARS-CoV-2 infection. This means that they can still spread the virus to others even though they do not feel unwell. This makes COVID-19 potentially dangerous, as it is highly infectious.

At this time, there is no cure for COVID-19. However, people can protect themselves and help prevent the spread of this so-called novel coronavirus by:

• frequently washing their hands
• not touching their face
• avoiding close contact with people who are sick

Keep reading to learn more about COVID-19, including the symptoms, likely incubation period, special considerations for high risk groups, and more.

Symptoms

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses, ranging from the common cold and flu to more severe diseases, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

The symptoms of COVID-19 are usually mild and tend to begin 2–14 days after exposure. Symptoms may vary from person-to-person, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report the most common symptoms as:

• a fever
• a cough, which is usually dry
• shortness of breath

The World Health Organization (WHO) state that other symptoms can include:

• aches and pains
• sore throat
• diarrhea, nausea, or a runny nose in rarer cases

Experts have also reported that some people may experience a loss of taste or smell. However, the CDC and WHO have not officially adopted this as a symptom of the virus. Some people do not develop any symptoms at all.

According to the WHO, around 80% of people recover from the illness without needing special treatment. However, around 1 in every 6people who get COVID-19 become seriously ill and may develop difficulty breathing.

At risk groups

Older people, as well as those with underlying medical concerns, such as chronic lung disease, heart problems, or diabetes, might be at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

The following sections will discuss these groups and their risk of severe illness in more detail.

Older adults

Adults aged 65 years and older are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. In fact, about 8 out of 10 deaths reported in the United States have been in this age group.

Individuals in this age group should call their doctor to discuss their risks or if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.

People with preexisting health conditions

Currently, there is little information about how COVID-19 affects people with certain preexisting health conditions. However, researchers have identified the following as conditions that may increase a person’s risk of serious illness due to COVID-19.

Chronic respiratory conditions

These include:

• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• emphysema
• asthma

Since COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, those with preexisting respiratory conditions may have a higher risk of developing a serious illness.

For example, because asthma can worsen due to other coronavirus strains, those with asthma should follow all protection and prevention precautions.

It is also important that individuals with asthma keep their symptoms under control by taking their prescribed medications.

Hypertension and cardiovascular conditions

Individuals with cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, or both may also be at greater risk of severe illness and death due to COVID-19.

Numerous studies from China have found that many people with COVID-19 in intensive care units (ICU) who also had either heart disease or hypertension have died.

Diabetes

Diabetes is another condition that may put a person at risk of serious illness due to COVID-19. Studies from China have reported that many patients admitted to the ICU with coronavirus had diabetes.

Cancer

People undergoing cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, may also be at greater risk of serious illness due to COVID-19. This risk is because their immune systems may be weaker as a result of their cancer treatment. However, there is only limited evidence for this.

How does it affect pregnancy and babies?

There has not been much research into how COVID-19 affects pregnant women and babies.

The sections below will discuss what researchers do know.

Pregnant women

Pregnant women experience changes in their immune system that may increase their risk of developing severe illness from respiratory viruses such as the flu.

According to the CDC, however, healthcare experts do not currently know if pregnant women have a greater chance of getting sick from COVID-19 than the people in general.

That said, pregnant women should take precautions to protect themselves against COVID-19 and report any possible symptoms to their healthcare provider.

Babies

A recent report suggests that mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy is unlikely for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

As it is currently unknown whether newborn babies with COVID-19 are at increased risk of severe complications, theCDC recommend that infants born to mothers with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 go into isolation.

This precaution is due to a newborn’s high susceptibility to person-to-person spread of the virus.

Incubation period

The COVID-19 incubation period, or the time between catching the virus and starting to show symptoms, is 5 days, on average. However, the range can be anywhere between 1–14 days.

[Courtesy: Medical News Today]