Coronavirus Disease 19 Assignment

Overview

The Coronavirus disease 19, commonly known as COVID-19, is an extremely pathogenic and transmittable viral infection caused by severe SARS-CoV-2. The disease would emerge from Wuhan, China, in mid-2019 and subsequently spread across the globe.  A genomic analysis of the disease would reveal that SARS-CoV-2 is phylogenetically similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome-like (SARS-like) bat viruses (Kannan et al., 2020). It is for this reason that bats are believed to have been the primary reservoir. While the intermediate source of the disease and its transfer to humans remains unknown, it is quickly confirmed that it is rapid human to human transfer. Currently, no clinically approved vaccine or antiviral drug is available for use against this disease. However, several broad-spectrum antiviral drugs have undergone evaluation against COVID-19 in clinical trials and have subsequently resulted in clinical recovery, as stated by Kannan et al. (2020). The current standing of the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control is that the current pandemic will be eliminated through prevention measures.

Problem

The COVID-19 pandemic has so far resulted in unprecedented stress in a healthcare system that was already challenged. Due to the novel virus, clinicians have had to quickly learn how to effectively care for infected people who constitute the most unstable and complex patients in acute care in the present day.  While most infected patients experience only minor symptoms and subsequently recover with no need for inpatient intervention, those displaying severe symptoms will often develop acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, pneumonia, ARDS, and other complications. For this reason, significant infrastructure has been directed to the understanding of the emergence of COVID-19, its pathogenicity approaches, developing effective vaccines, and, more important measures to ensure that infection rates are reduced.

Solution

As stated above, while there is currently no vaccine against COVID-19, the WHO and CDC have recommended measures that people can take to reduce the risk of infection. These measures are not only recommended evidence-based practice but have been seen to be successful in real-world applications like in Wuhan. Solutions to the current pandemic are as below, as listed by Li et al.,2020).Coronavirus Disease 19 Assignment

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• Regular and thorough cleaning of the hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based rub kills viruses on a person’s hands.
• Maintaining 3 feet of distance between oneself and others is also recommended. This is because when a person sneezes, coughs, or speaks, small liquid droplets are released from their mouth and nose, which may contain the virus. If one is close to this individual, they could breathe in the droplets and get infected.
• It is recommended that people avoid crowded places. This is because where people exist in a crowd they are likely to get into close proximity with a y toget intoclose proa crowd his he in the droplets andget infected. aperson sneezesal world application like in WCOVID-19 infected person. It is also more difficult to maintain the recommended 3 feet of distance.
• It is advised that governments encourage the public to wear fabric masks once there is widespread community transmission. This is especially the case where it is difficult to maintain public distance. This is because masks have proven to be a key tool in the comprehensive approach to fighting COVID-19.
• It is also advised that people refrain from touching their mouths, noses and eyes. This recommendation is based on the fact that human hands touch many surfaces of which some may contain the virus. Once they are contaminated, the hands may transport the virus to one’s eyes, mouth and nose resulting in infection.
• Following good respiratory hygiene is also at the core of preventing COVID-19 infection. This will involve using evidence based practice such as using the bent elbow to cover ones mouth and nose or tissues when sneezing or coughing. This is to be followed by immediate washing of the hands to ensure that the virus is not spread by both symptomatic and asymptomatic people.Coronavirus Disease 19 Assignment
• WHO and the CDC agree that self-isolation and staying home for people with even minor symptoms is an effective way to avoid transmission. These symptoms include fever, cough, headache and cough. It is recommended that people with these symptoms get someone to get supplies for them and wear masks if they have to leave the house so as to avoid infecting unsuspecting people.

Opportunity

The world has not experienced such a devastating pandemic since the black plague. In fact, the world has only come together to fight HIV and Ebola. COVID-19 has however provided an opportunity to study viruses on a large scale. The disease has infected millions of people and displayed numerous genetic signatures (Kannan et al., 2020). This disease, while problematic, provides an opportunity for researchers to understand viruses. Once a vaccine for COVID-19 is arrived at, humanity will be better positioned to fight other viruses.

Program Competencies Addressed

This webinar has allowed for the achievement of several program competencies such as those listed below.

• Understanding epidemiology of viruses such as COVID-19 including how they are transmitted. Coronavirus Disease 19 Assignment
• Developing an appreciation of how to implement important infection control standards aimed at minimizing the spread of viruses and maintaining healthcare worker protection.
• Getting recommendations based on best practice for optimal protection while making
• Appreciating and implementing WHO and CDC guidelines and data on legislative advocacy.

References

Kannan, S., Ali, P. S. S., Sheeza, A., & Hemalatha, K. (2020). COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus 2019)-recent trends. Eur. Rev. Med. Pharmacol. Sci, 24(4), 2006-2011.

Kannan, S., Ali, P. S. S., Sheeza, A., & Hemalatha, K. (2020). COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus 2019)-recent trends. Eur. Rev. Med. Pharmacol. Sci, 24(4), 2006-2011.

Li, H., Liu, S. M., Yu, X. H., Tang, S. L., & Tang, C. K. (2020). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): current status and future perspective. International journal of antimicrobial agents, 105951.

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Coronavirus Disease 19 Assignment