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The Causative Organism of this disease is the coronavirus. Coronaviruses are called so because of crown-shaped spikes on their surface. There are four main subgroups of these viruses, alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. The human coronaviruses are alpha and beta types. COVID-19 is caused by a novel virus called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
The main route of transmission is via droplets carrying the infectious virus. Other ways include contact transmission such as shaking hands, hugging, etc., and airborne transmission through suspended droplets in the air. The CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public and outside in busy locations or when in close contact with unvaccinated people if you live in an area where there have been a lot of new COVID-19 cases in the recent week.
According to WHO, the total number of COVID-19 infected individuals worldwide is over 760 million, with 6.8 million casualties. The United States reported the most significant number of Covid cases and the highest number of deaths so far in the world.
Risk factors for the disease include:
The incubation period for COVID-19 varies greatly, ranging from two days to two weeks. Some cases are maybe asymptomatic. Most patients develop only mild symptoms, whereas few progress to severe disease with complications. Signs and symptoms include:
Sometimes malaise, sputum production, respiratory distress, and neurologic symptoms are also noted. The most common manifestation of COVID-19 is pneumonia. Complications include:
The initial symptoms of COVID-19 are non-specific and mimic many other respiratory infections. These could be viral or bacterial and include:
For a definitive diagnosis, PCR antigen testing is required. Supplemental labs include:
The mainstay of treatment is to provide supportive care to all infected patients and prevent complications. An effective therapy against the disease is still under process as a lot of therapy is being done on an experimental basis only.
A vaccine can prevent you from getting the COVID-19 virus or keep you from becoming extremely ill if you do get it. Furthermore, vaccinated against COVID-19 may provide better protection than getting sick with COVID-19. According to a recent study, unvaccinated people who have already been infected with COVID-19 are more than twice as likely to become infected with COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people.
Furthermore, if you are fully vaccinated, you will be able to resume many activities that you may have been unable to accomplish due to the pandemic. The CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public and outside in busy locations or when in close contact with unvaccinated people if you live in an area where there have been a lot of new COVID-19 cases in the recent week. You may need to remain wearing a mask even if you are entirely vaccinated and have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system.
For patients who have been fully vaccinated but have not had a strong enough immunological response, an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended.
According to WHO, the incidence of death in populations by age indicated that death rates are highest amongst males and older individuals. Hospitalization and death rates are highest amongst individuals with comorbid conditions, specifically diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and cardiac diseases.
General methods of prevention include:
The CDC recommends additional COVID-19 vaccine doses and booster doses in the following situations:
Additional Dose: The CDC recommends the third dosage of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccination for selected people with weakened immune systems, such as those with an organ transplant. After two doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, those with compromised immune systems may not generate enough immunity, and an additional amount may boost their COVID-19 protection.
Booster Dose: You should have a single booster dose if you are 18 or older, have received both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and it has been at least six months.
If you are 18 or older and have already received one dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, you should receive a single booster dose. If you are 18 or older and have received both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and it has been at least six months, you should have a single booster dose. Booster doses can help to boost immunity and protect against severe disease
A booster dose may also be given to pregnant women. You have a choice in which vaccine you receive as a booster shot. You can receive a booster dose from the same brand as your last shot or shots, or you can get one from a different brand.
Our clinical experts continually monitor the health and medical content posted on CURA4U, and we update our blogs and articles when new information becomes available. Last reviewed by Dr.Saad Zia on June 22, 2023.
Coronavirus (who.int)
https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1
A Review of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) | SpringerLink
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12098-020-03263-6
CoronaVirus Disease, also known as COVID-19, is caused by a novel coronavirus called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The organism was first identified after an outbreak of respiratory illness at Wuhan, China, in 2019. Soon it started spreading to other parts of the world, and on March 11, 2020, it was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). New variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have emerged, such as Omicron, Delta, and Alpha. These variants are more transmissible and can evade some of the protection offered by vaccines. It is therefore important to stay up-to-date on the latest information about COVID-19 variants and to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible.