Simple Precautions To Reduce The Spread Of Coronavirus

The coronavirus has spread across the globe, causing unforeseen transformations in the way we carry out our everyday activities. Even as the number of infections and the casualties from the virus continue to rise, regulatory bodies and experts all over the world remain passionate about the fact that some tried and tested coronavirus precautions can help curb the spread of the virus. To understand more about these precautionary measures, it is first important to understand what COVID-19 is and how it spreads.

What is COVID-19?^[1]

COVID-19 – an acronym for coronavirus disease 2019 – is a contagious respiratory and vascular illness that is caused by the novel coronavirus, which is also known as SARS-CoV-2. The disease was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Since then, it has spread to multiple countries across the world, prompting strict lockdowns in many parts of the globe.

The disease mainly spreads through the air when people are in close proximity, primarily via small droplets or aerosols that are released into the surrounding when an infected person breathes, coughs, talks, sneezes, or sings, among other things. Transmission via contaminated surfaces has not been conclusively proven yet, although there are some theories about the virus lasting for hours to days on certain surfaces.

Common symptoms of COVID-19 ^[1]

The signs and symptoms of the disease vary from one person to the next. People with the same infection may display varying symptoms, which may also keep changing with time.

Generally, the common symptoms of COVID-19 include –

• Fever

• Dry cough

• Tiredness

• Headaches

• Muscle pains

• Shortness of breath and trouble breathing

In some cases, patients have also experienced gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea and diarrhoea. Emergency symptoms include difficulty in breathing, continuous pain or pressure in the chest, sudden confusion, and difficulty waking, in which case immediate medical attention is needed. As the disease progresses, it may lead to complications like pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, septic shock, and organ failure, eventually causing death.

Precautions you can take to curb the spread of COVID-19 ^[2]

To stay safe during this pandemic, it is important to take some coronavirus precautions that can help prevent the spread of the disease. Here is what the World Health Organization recommends –

• If you sneeze or cough, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or with the crook of your elbow.

• Dispose of used tissues hygienically and immediately.

• Wash your hands with soap or use an alcohol-based hand rub after you have been exposed to an outside surface.

• Wear a mask when you are in public spaces, and make sure you cover your nose and your mouth.

• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, nose, or other parts of your face without washing your hands.

• Clean and regularly disinfect objects and surfaces that you are exposed to frequently.

• Avoid coming into close contact with people who are sick.

• If you are sick, stay home as much as possible, leaving only to seek emergency medical care.

How a life insurance plan can help you live worry-free

In uncertain times like this, many people wonder about the future of their family. There may be many dependents like aged parents, a spouse, and children. In case the primary breadwinner of a family succumbs to COVID-19, the surviving members of the family will need a financial safety net to fall back on. Here is where a life cover can be beneficial. With a life insurance policy that covers COVID-19 in India, nominees will receive death benefits in case of COVID-19 deaths. In addition to the life cover offered by a life insurance policy, which also offers COVID-19 cover, health insurance is also essential to live worry-free during this crisis. With rising costs of medical care, it can be tough to meet the expenses associated with COVID-19 treatment. Hospitalization charges alone can rise up to steep limits. Fortunately, with a health insurance plan that covers coronavirus illness, you can rest assured that your medical expenses are adequately covered.

In this manner, a life cover and a health insurance plan can both help you live without stressing out about the financial impact of the pandemic.

Conclusion

While insurance can help you cope with the financial difficulties that follow in case of a COVID-19 diagnosis, coronavirus precautions can ensure that you do not contract the illness in the first place. So, it’s a good idea to follow the precautionary measures outlined above, since that can help curb the spread of the disease and allow things to go back to normal sooner than later.

Sources:

^[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_disease_2019#Signs_and_symptoms

^[2] https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public