After a long time, the world is facing a pandemic situation due to the discovery of a new coronavirus called the Covid-19. The virus has spread and infected millions worldwide and the numbers of Covid-19 infected persons are only increasing with every passing day. Very little knowledge about the virus has resulted in the widespread outbreak of the same. The human body was never exposed to this kind of virus before; this makes our immune system more prone to take a hit when it comes in contact with the Covid-19 disease.
For those who still aren’t aware, this type of coronavirus causes respiratory problems in both animals and humans. This respiratory disease which is caused by the newest member of the coronavirus is what is termed as Covid-19. Our world was certainly not prepared for this kind of health situation. Several scientists and health experts tried their best to research and conduct experiments to know more about the nature of the virus; while they did that, the virus didn’t wait, it spread like wildfire from one person to another, from one community to another, from one city to another, from one country to another. In a very short span of time, it had reached many corners of the world and the largest of the nations began to observe what is called lockdown to curb the spread and break the chain of the virus. Quarantining those who came in contact with the virus was the only way the world saw to save others from falling prey to the virus.
Social distancing and wearing masks became a worldwide rule. The normalcy of life took a topsy-turvy turn. The development and research for a vaccine for Covid-19 are still on the road to discovery. And whilst that might take some time, we all need to follow the basic norms of hygiene and practice social distancing wherever we go while wearing our masks.
What Is The Incubation Period Of Covid-19?
The incubation period is that time or the number of days from when you are infected to when you start showing symptoms of the virus. When it comes to a virus-related disease, it is vital to know the incubation period of the virus for health professionals. Knowing the incubation period of the virus will help determine how long the infected person should stay away from others so that the virus doesn’t get transmitted to others. The incubation period will help health organizations across the world to come up with more effective quarantine systems for those who are potential carriers of the virus. This is the only method right now through which one can control and prevent the spread of the virus.
So, the incubation period of Covid-19 (the time between exposures to showing symptoms) has been known to be from 2 to 14 days according to the following stats:
- According to the most renowned health organization of the world, the WHO, the incubation period of Covid-19 is from 2 to 10 days.
- According to the health organization of China, the National Health Commission (NHC) where the virus originated, the incubation period has been declared between 10 and 14 days.
- The country that has been affected the most, the USA, its CDC organization tells that the incubation period of the Covid-19 is from 2 to 14 days.
Please note that these findings were the most initial ones. Now, as the spread of Covid-19 has increased and more data is available, in some cases, the incubation period of Covid-19 has gone up to 24 days as well in the case of double exposure to the coronavirus.
Transmission Of The Coronavirus
This coronavirus mainly spreads from one human to another when they come in close contact or through the droplets that scatter in the air or surface when an infected person sneezes or coughs. This novel coronavirus is marked to be highly contagious and an infected person is known to be most contagious when he or she starts showing the symptoms. These days, several cases of coronavirus are discovered where the infected person is asymptomatic in nature.
How To Protect From The Novel Coronavirus?
All health organizations are continuously stressing the importance of washing your hands regularly and sanitizing them. It is a good practice to wash hands for at least 20 seconds so that the virus gets killed. Some other ways of staying away from coronavirus are:
- Avoid hanging out with a large group of people
- Be six feet apart from other people outside
- Don’t touch your face when you go out
- Don’t share any of your items with others like your water bottle, glass, napkins, etc.
- Sanitize and wipe the highly-touched surfaces like elevator buttons, doorknobs, etc.
- If you are unwell then stay home and self-isolate yourself. Call the doctor if the condition becomes worse.
Common Symptoms Of Covid-19
Symptoms of Covid-19 have shown the nature of being mild in the beginning and slowly developing into severe symptoms. The most common ones are:
- Sore throat
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Cough
Other symptoms:
- Nasal congestion
- Headache
- Muscle pains
- Loss of taste and smell
- Chills
How Long Should One Quarantine After Being Exposed To The Coronavirus?
The CDC believes that if you have come in contact with the coronavirus and you are not showing any symptoms, then self-monitoring is the best way to look at it. During this time it is best to home quarantine and self-isolate from your family members while at home for at least 14 days. Keep checking your temperature twice a day and monitor your oxygen levels with the help of an oximeter. Call a health professional and seek assistance if the condition worsens or you express shortness of breath. So, if you have symptoms, call your doctor and follow their advice. Don’t rely on any information circulated via unauthorized communities on social media. Stay alert and stay safe!
