deepstash

Beta

deepstash

Beta

The new virus: What we do - and don't - know - Harvard Health Blog

The new virus

They are a group of viruses that cause respiratory infections, including the common cold.
They can infect certain animals and spread from one animal to another. They can reach the human body if certain mutations occur in the virus.

117 SAVES

This is a professional note extracted from an online article.

Read more efficiently

Save what inspires you

Remember anything

IDEA EXTRACTED FROM:

.no-js-GettyImages-476433472 { display: none !important; }

The new virus: What we do - and don't - know - Harvard Health Blog

.no-js-favicons?domain=health { display: none !important; }

health.harvard.edu

Key Ideas

The symptoms

Common symptoms: coughing, fever, and shortness of breath. Non-respiratory symptoms (feeling nauseous, vomiting having diarrhea) were also reported.
The virus is more violent with the elderly, the very young and with individuals that have a weak immune system. The majority of those infected however recover after a few days.

Spreading the virus

Coughs or sneezes from an infected person are the most likely to spread the virus. So it's essential to follow basic hygiene rules:

Wash your hand often during the day.
Cover coughs and sneezes with your inner elbow or a napkin.
Don't touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with your hands.
Stay inside if you have any of the symptoms and avoid interacting with people that show signs of the infection as well.

The new virus concerns

At the end of December 2019, concerns regarding a new form of illness related to the new virus arose in Wuhan, China. Since then, the virus has spread in several other countries due to international travel.
Many of the first persons infected had contact with a seafood and animal market in Wuhan and it became clear that the virus can spread from person to person.

EXPLORE MORE AROUND THESE TOPICS:

How canceled events and self-quarantines save lives, in one chart

.no-js-favicons?domain=vox { display: none !important; }

vox.com

The main uncertainty in the coronavirus outbreak in the United States now is how big it will get, and how fast. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Nancy Messonnier told reporters on March 9, "many people in the US will at some point, either this year or next, get exposed to this virus."

Key Ideas

Flattening the curve

.no-js-flattening_the_curve_final { display: none !important; }

It means that all the social distancing measures being adopted these days in many countries aren’t so much about preventing illness but rather slowing down the rate at which people get sick with...

Preventing system overload

Staying home during the pandemic helps prevent health systems from being overloaded.
Overloading hospitals can likely be averted with protective measures like closing schools, canceling mass gatherings, working from home, self-quarantine, self-isolation, avoiding crowds. All these keep the virus from spreading fast.

.no-js-photo-1509218541462-aa68e407d0ca?ixlib=rb-1 { display: none !important; }

Pandemics That Changed History: Timeline

.no-js-favicons?domain=history { display: none !important; }

history.com

As human civilizations rose, these pandemic diseases, from the bubonic plague to smallpox to influenza, struck them down.

Key Ideas

Spreading of diseases

Transmissible diseases existed during humankind’s hunter-gatherer days, but the shift to agrarian life 10,000 years ago created communities that made epidemics more possible.
We started build...

430 B.C.: Plague of Athens

The earliest recorded pandemic happened during the Peloponnesian War. It passed through Libya, Ethiopia, and Egypt, and it reached Athens as the Spartans laid siege. Two-thirds of the population died.
The disease, suspected to have been typhoid fever, weakened the Athenians significantly and played a big role in their defeat by the Spartans.

165 A.D.: The Antonine Plague

It may have been an early appearance of smallpox that began with the Huns.
The Huns then infected the Germans, who passed it to the Romans and then returning troops spread it throughout the Roman empire. This plague continued until about 180 A.D., claiming Emperor Marcus Aurelius as one of its victims.

15 more ideas

.no-js-masks-1_wide-1a0751325fe7715c4a71890f01e015c6bbeac58c { display: none !important; }

Face Masks: What Doctors Say About Their Role

.no-js-favicons?domain=npr { display: none !important; }

npr.org

As the Wuhan coronavirus continues to spread, officials in China are urging citizens to wear masks in public to stop the spread of the virus - and cities in China as well as other parts of Asia are reportedly running out of face masks. But can a mask really keep you from catching the virus?

Key Ideas

Protection By Face Masks

Due to the Wuhan virus spreading across the world, the use of face masks might seem a good means of protection.

The N95 mask, which is a heavy-duty mask offers better protection (95% of air...

Protect Yourself Wisely

Cloth masks, which are reusable and washable, offer no real protection while being potentially harmful in case there is any moisture retention or dirt in them due to their being reused.
It is a good practice to wear a mask all the time, especially if you have any respiratory illness.
It is advisable to be careful while removing your mask, as a mere touch of your hands on the front of the mask can contaminate it.
It is also advisable not to touch your face or nose too much.
Constantly and frequently wash your hands, all year round, and get a flu shot, as it is flu season. While a flu shot is not a protection against the virus, it is still advisable to get one.