COVID-19 UPDATE: How to avoid and treat COVID-19?

With coronavirus spread getting out of hand, it is crucial to take prophylaxis rules seriously, follow the main rules for not acquiring the disease and know your options for the therapy.

What is COVID-19?

This particular coronavirus officially called COVID-19 is a viral infection first discovered in China in the city of Wuhan in early 2019, around mid-January, which has symptoms typical for common flu but makes infected individuals quickly develop life-threatening complications. The complication that takes away thousands of lives around the world as of March 2020, is an acute respiratory failure which manifests in shortness of breath and is diagnosed as partial to complete dysfunction of lungs that in around 4% of COVID-19 patients result in death. It develops as a result of complication – severe quickly-progressing bilateral pneumonia that results in the death of the lung cells due to the attack of the virus and additionally, as a result of an improper immune system reaction, bacteria.

How to know if you have COVID-19 or flu?

Although the symptoms of COVID-19 are quite alike to flu, there are some differences primarily, in the likelihood of some symptoms. In the table below find the likelihood of symptoms occurrence in COVID-19 and flu.

The occurrence of symptoms in flu is around two days after being exposed. In COVID-19 symptoms, this interval is from two to fourteen days. On average, based on the existing statistical data, it is around 4-6 days. It means that if you had a contact with the carrier, you can develop symptoms within this time.

NOTE: If you live in an area with high infection incidence seek medical help immediately if you have fever, dry cough, and develop shortness of breath.

What are your chances to get COVID-19?

You may have read on the Internet that young people do not get ill or that they are less likely to have severe symptoms. However, it is not quite true.

First of all, virus is very contagious and can infect anyone without regard of age.

As for the development of the aggravations, indeed, younger people statistically have a higher recovery rate and in general milder symptoms. However, Italian hospitals, the medical system of the country that is hit with the virus the most severely after China, report that recently more and more younger patients aged 20-40 have been hospitalized with severe symptoms.

Please consider that even if you are less likely to have severe symptoms it doesn’t mean that you don’t have to be cautious. The carriers of the pathogen endanger others with chronic diseases and seniors who are at great risk of dying from the complications.

The virus is spreading very fast and only good hygiene and keeping distance from other people can slow down the rate of COVID-19 distribution. Only this can ensure that people who need intensive care will be able to receive it.

COVID-19 risk group

As you may probably know, the danger of COVID-19 complications and death raise greatly with the age of a patient.

Risk of dying of COVID-19 in pre-existing health condition Risk of dying of COVID-19 in pre-existing health condition

COVID-19 statistics

Confirmed Cases and Deaths by Country, Territory, or Conveyance (20 countries with the most cases)

You can also evaluate your chances of getting the virus by checking the COVID-19 map:

COVID-19 Spread in the USA

But please keep in mind that the data are changing very quickly and the virus spreads also very quickly. Your region might look safe on the COVID-map but there may be hundreds of undiagnosed cases around you due to the lack of tests. So it is better to be safe regardless of the statistics you can find online.

COVID-19 prevention

There are four main rules for COVID-19 prevention:

- Keep social distance (don’t shake hands, hug, etc., stay 1-2 meters away from people when going grocery shopping, etc.);

- Do not touch your face when outside;

- Wear a mask if you are taking care of an ill person.

- Make sure you are following the instructions on washing hands for at least 20 seconds as shown in the video below.

Additionally – how to prevent COVID-19 spreading

- When coughing or sneezing – close your mouth and nose with a tissue or an elbow fold. This will keep you from spreading the virus if you have it without showing major symptoms.

- Minimize contact with your senior relatives and people with chronic diseases.

- If you have to take care of your elderly relatives, do it with a medical mask on to prevent them from contracting the disease from you.

- Even if your region is not in a complete lockdown yet, it is still advised to do not go outside without a necessity such as going for groceries, to a drugstore or work if you cannot work from home.

COVID-19 treatment

Official data from the World Health Organization contains quite vague data on the COVID-19 treatment.

The basic recommendations that are sufficient for 80% of patients are:

- Bed rest;

- Use of paracetamol to cope with fever;

- Drink plenty of water.

However, there are already existing treatment protocols with a confirmed effect tested by Chinese doctors. These are the combinations of several drugs that you can buy at our online drugstore:

- Lopinavir + Ritonavir 60 tabs/bottle 200/ 50 mg. This combination drug is designed for HIV treatment and is confirmed to be effective against COVID-19.

- Chloroquine 250 mg/500 mg. This is an antimalarial medication with proven efficacy against the new coronavirus is approved by the FDA for COVID-19 treatment.