Lets get it right

Coronavirus & FAQs

Disclaimer:
This piece is for informational purpose only;
it is not a substitute to a doctor’s advice or any
professional medical advice.
What is novel Coronavirus (COVID 19)

• COVID-19 is an infectious condition,

which means it can be spread, directly
or indirectly, from one person to
another.

• Involves your upper respiratory tract

(nose, throat, airways, lungs)
Caused by the newly discovered
coronavirus, called as novel
Coronavirus or COVID19

2
Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID19)

Coronavirus can get you symptoms like fever, cough, shortness of breath.
They can be almost similar to common cold or flu and may appear within 2-
14 days of exposure. Severity of illness can vary in different people from
mild to severe symptoms.

3
How deadly is Coronavirus (COVID19)?

• Coronavirus has HIGH INFECTIVITY

but LOW MORTALITY
 It infects more people but it is not deadly
to all
 Fatality rate is about 3%
 Much lower than SARS (10)%, MERS
(30%), EBOLA, NIPAH etc
 Srious illness occurs mainly in elderly or
people with other coexisting diseases like
hypertension, Diabetes, Cancer etc

4
Spread of coronavirus (COVID19)

• Person-to-person spread
 Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet)
 Via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These
droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be
inhaled into the lungs.

• Contact with infected surfaces or objects

 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own
mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.

5
What to do if I have symptoms

• Stay Home, Take adequate rest

• If you have a fever, cold, or sore throat,
don’t panic. Take good care of yourself:
• Keep yourself hydrated at all times
• Inhale steam 2-3 times a day
• wash your hands frequently for at least
20sec
• In case symptoms increase – Consult your
doctor.

• If you have come into contact with a

suspected/ confirmed coronavirus case
or if you have travelled to COVID 19
countries – Consult a doctor

6
Personal Protection
to prevent spread
to protect oneself
to protect community

7
Hand Hygiene

• Wash your hands regularly with plenty of

soap and water.
• Keep an alcohol-based sanitizer ready
for times when soap and water are not
available.
• Don’t touch your eyes, mouth or nose
with unclean hands.
• Follow no-touch greeting to keep yourself
safe. (NO Handshake, Hugging)

8
 The image part with relationship ID rId2 was not found in the file.

When and How to wash hands

WHEN HOW
 The image part with relationship ID rId2 was not found in the file.

Social Distancing

• It is a conscious effort to prevent

close contact between people in
order to prevent the spread of the
disease

• Maintain a distance of 3-6 feet from

a person coughing or sneezing

• If you are symptom free then you

can go about your day as per the
WHO guidelines listed alongside

10
Respiratory hygiene

• Don’t sneeze or cough into your

hands.

• Use a tissue and throw it away

immediately or sneeze in the inner
side of elbow.

• Wear a mask if you’re sick and also if

you are taking care of someone with
the symptoms.

11
Using Masks
• Persons having NO symptoms are not to use
mask as it creates a false sense of security that
can lead to neglecting other essential measures
such as washing of hands.
• You must Wear a mask
 When a person develops symptoms of cough ; cold or
fever.
 While visiting a healthcare facility
 When you are caring for an ill person
 Close family contacts of such
suspect/confirmed cases undergoing home
• What type of mask should one wear to protect care should also use Triple layer medical
against the coronavirus? mask.
• Three layers’ disposable surgical mask are
 When interacting with customers at check in
good enough to contain the virus.
• N-95 or N-99 masks are not mandated.  When cleaning the aircraft
 When changing aircraft filters
• Change the mask after 8 hours or as soon as it  When handling baggage of international
becomes wet. travellers
 While attending to suspected passenger
• Disposable masks are never to be reused and
should be disposed off carefully with all precautions.

12
Personal Protective equipment (PPE)

• To be worn by High risk people on

being advised

• Consist of – Masks, Gloves, Apron,

Shoe covers

• The use of gloves does not replace the

need for hand hygiene by either hand-
rubbing or handwashing

• To be used when in contact with

suspected/ contaminated objects/ fluids/
secretions.

• For disinfecting or cleaning activities.

• ALL PPE’s SHOULD BE DISPOSED AS

BIOHAZARD MATERIAL
Protect your community

• If you feel unwell, seek medical attention.

• Don’t travel or visit crowded places if you’re sick.

• If you have a fever, cough, or difficulty breathing,

stay indoors. Call healthcare professionals and
follow their advice.

• Do not share ‘just any forwarded message’. Only

share authentic information coming through medical
experts

• Avoid public gatherings; transport.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and

surfaces.

14
Some questions Answered
• Will I die if I catch the disease?
 NO - Almost 80% of people have mild symptoms, and recover from the disease in 2
weeks. 97 % people recover Most of the symptoms can be treated with timely
medical care.

• Who is getting sick and how sick?

 Old people are twice as likely to have serious COVID 19 illness.
 Most corona virus led illnesses are generally mild, especially for children and young
adults.

• Are children also at risk of coronavirus infection?

 COVID-19 appears to be relatively rare and mild in children. Just over 2% of cases
were under 18 years of age. Out of these, fewer than 3% developed severe or critical
disease.

• Can the novel coronavirus be passed on through food?

 NO - There is no such evidence as of now. Experience with other coronaviruses like
SARS and MERS suggest that people do not get infected through food.

15
Some questions Answered
• Can eating chicken or eggs cause coronavirus?
 No - There is no such evidence as of now. The novel coronavirus is not known to spread directly through
poultry products. But, experts say it can be a good option to have only properly cooked meat.

• Do I have coronavirus if I am coughing or sneezing?

 You may have coronavirus, only if you have symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath) + any out of
these:
- Travel history to a coronavirus-affected area (like China, Iran, Italy, Republic of Korea, etc.)
- Close contact with such a person. Working in healthcare facility/ labs where coronavirus patients are being taken care of

• Should I be tested for coronavirus if I have high grade fever, cough and difficulty in
breathing? Or can I get a coronavirus test done just for the sake of satisfaction?
 NO - Testing for coronavirus will only be done as recommended by the doctors if someone falls under the
definition of ‘suspected case’.

• Why can only designated labs test coronavirus? Why can't I get a home sample
collection done for coronavirus testing?
 It is because the virus is highly contagious and can only be tested by special labs equipped to handle
such contagious pathogens. As of now, only labs with biosafety level 4 (BSL4) can handle the COVID-
19 samples.

16
Some questions Answered

• Can a person infected with coronavirus recover completely and be no more

infectious?
 YES - In fact, about 80% of people have recovered from the disease without needing special
treatment.

• Will warm weather stop the outbreak of COVID-19?

 As per experts in the field, heat and warm weather is likely to decrease the spread of COVID-19.

• How long does the coronavirus survive over the surfaces or objects?
 From available data It survives up to 8-10 hours over porous surfaces (like paper, untreated wood,
cardboard, sponge and fabric) and a little more than this over nonporous surfaces (like glass,
plastics, metals, varnished wood).

17
What to do during Home isolation/ Quarantine

• The home quarantined person

should:

 Stay in a well-ventilated single-room

preferably with an attached/separate toilet.
 If another family member needs to stay in the
same room, it’s advisable to maintain a
distance of at least 1 meter between the two.
 Needs to stay away from elderly people,
pregnant women, children and persons with
co-morbidities within the household.
 Restrict his/her movement within the house.
 Under no circumstances attend any
social/religious gathering e.g. wedding,
condolences, etc.

18
What to do during Home isolation/ Quarantine

• He should also follow the under mentioned public health measures at all times:
 Wash hand as often thoroughly with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizer
 Avoid sharing household items e.g. dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, bedding,
or other items with other people at home.
 Wear a surgical mask at all the time. The mask should be changed every 8 hours and disposed off.
 Disposable masks are never to be reused.
 Masks used by patients / care givers/ close contacts during home care should be disinfected using
ordinary bleach solution (5%) or sodium hypochlorite solution (1%) and then disposed of either by
burning or deep burial.
 Used mask should be considered as potentially infected.

• If symptoms appear (cough/fever/difficulty in breathing), he/she should immediately

inform the nearest health center or call 011-23978046.

• Instructions for the family members of persons being home quarantined

 Only an assigned family member should be tasked with taking care of the such person
 Avoid shaking the soiled linen or direct contact with skin
 Use disposable gloves when cleaning the surfaces or handling soiled linen
 Wash hands after removing gloves
 Visitors should not be allowed

19
In case the person being quarantined becomes symptomatic

All his close contacts will be home quarantined (for 14 days) and followed up for an additional
14days or till the report of such case turns out negative on lab testing Environmental sanitation

Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in the quarantined person’s room (e.g. bed
frames, tables etc.) daily with 1%Sodium Hypochlorite Solution.

Clean and disinfect toilet surfaces daily with regular household bleach solution/phenolic
disinfectants c) Clean the clothes and other linen used by the person separately using common
household detergent and dry

20
Helplines

• For any further queries, contact the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on their 24*7
helpline number (+91-11-23978046) or email at (ncov2019@[Link])
• Website of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: [Link]

6E Medical Team

Designation Name Mobile number

Chief Medical Officer Col (Dr) K Nageshwar Rao +91-9611024391

Senior medical officer Dr. Sharmila Sanyal +91- 9811377965

Medical Officer (ISC) Dr. Manu S Menon +91-9820632497

Regional medical officers

North Dr. Kailash Kumar Verma +91- 9810648659

South Dr. Amit Gupta +91- 9871222599

East Dr. Anindya Pramanik +91-9830251824

West Dr. Harsha Chavda +91- 9820186054

21