Is there treatment?
This is a viral infection and will have absolutely no effect as antibiotics. Treatment basically follows the effects you may experience of a cold, such as taking paracetamol if you have a fever, drinking water, and rest. Research is taking place on a global scale to create a vaccine, but none is available yet. Vaccine development and processing is extensive, so it is unlikely that a new release unique for COVID-19 would last for at least one year.
How can I minimize the chance of catching the virus?
The virus also spreads along the respiratory route – as a result of coughing and sneezing. The disease is much moreserious for others, the elderly and particularly those with other medical conditions such as chronic lung disease, diabetes or heart disease. Hence the best advice is to minimize the spread of infection: Sensitive hygiene precautions: daily washing of hands with soap and hot water is the safest way to eliminate the infection. Wash with soap for 20 seconds – sing to yourself twice Happy Birthday! But most importantly wash your hands thoroughly and properly! While this may sound patronizing we know that most people don’t wash their hands properly or as often as they should, see the RCN guideline on how to effectively wash hands.
- Using alcohol-based hand gel or rub should be 65% alcohol or higher if hand washing is not accessible, anything else will not kill the virus.
- Cough or sneeze and throw the tissue away in a tub. If you don’t have a tissue, use your elbow’s crook to avoid getting the germs on your hands and spreading them further as you touch things.
- Do not cross your face and eyes, because this will spread the virus
- People are not allowed to wear surgical face masks for daily use. These masks are designed to last for a maximum of 15-20 minutes. They will become wet with your breath after this time and may pass through the virus. We also seem to make people more likely to touch their face which spreads the virus. Do not buy or wear a face mask of any description unless specifically advised by the public health agencies as part of self-isolation.
- Aim to avoid near contact with someone unwell, to prevent infection spread.
