With the rapid spread of coronavirus, the big question is how to fight coronavirus? The best way to break the chain of Covid-19 is the self-isolation or self-quarantine.
By Mohsin Raza Abro
Before we discuss on how to fight coronavirus, first we have to understand what is coronavirus?
Covid-19 actually stands for “Coronavirus disease 2019“. Initially there were many names of this virus, like 2019 Novel Coronavirus, nCOV-19. Finally, on February 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced its official name as Covid-19
There are several kinds of coronavirus in the world, that mostly cause disease in animals. Only seven kinds of coronaviruses are found that jumps to humans. Most of them cause cold like symptoms in humans.
Besides, current Covid-19, there are two other coronaviruses severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers), that are much more severe, and killed more than 1,500 people between them since 2002. These three kinds of coronavirus are deadly coronaviruses.
Just like other deadly viruses such as Ebola, Hendra, Nipah Marburg, SARS and MERS, Covid-19 also has severe effects where a large human population is suffering. Rather, more severe affects in terms of spread. Otherwise, Covid-19 is not that much lethal. It has only 2-4 per cent fatality rate.
How coronavirus works?
But before we figure out how it spreads, first we have to understand how it actually works, is it like bacteria?
There is a common misunderstanding of virus and bacteria. In fact, virus and bacteria are two distinct things. Bacteria is 200 times bigger than a virus. Bacteria lives on externally, and it has its own immune system, which means it can produce energy for itself by consuming energy around it.
While the virus is parasite, it is neither living nor non-living thing. Virus doesn’t have its own immune system; it is static and needs a host cell to stick with. As it is a parasite, once it sticks with some living organism it replicates the DNA with the host cell. After taking over one cell, it exponentially spreads to other cells nearby.
How can we stop spreading?
If we use antibiotics, they would work only on bacteria, but to kill the virus, it’ll be like burning your own skin and cells.
It spreads by transmitting from one person to another through contact, droplets of water and fomites (clothes or gadgets). It is more like a chain process, where one effected person can affect all in its surroundings. The best way to break the chain of Covid-19 is the self-isolation or self-quarantine.
How to fight coronavirus when infected?
Although, there is no specific medical treatment of Covid-19, but patients are getting cured with existing drugs of Ebola and HIV. Researchers are working to develop vaccine for Covid-19; pre-clinical trials have been started but even then, it’s a complicated process since virus has muted into a second strain.
And since there’s no vaccine ready for Covid-19, the best practice to fight the Coronavirus is not to let it spread till the researchers experiment and prepare a vaccine for it.
Conclusion
We have to take this problem seriously as soon as possible and prepare ourselves more than anything before it reaches us. This is a test for our generation and the history will be written on how we acted against this plague that is taking our lives and our loved ones.
The author is a student of Computer Sciences at Sindh University, Larkana Campus.