LEARN MORE ABOUT COVID-19.
January 12, 2021
What is COVID-19
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats and bats. Rarely, coronaviruses that infect animals can infect people, such as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV. Recently, in December 2019, a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was transmitted, which was identified in Wuhan in China and caused a COVID-19, which was then disseminated and transmitted from person to person.
COVID-19 is a disease caused by the coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2, which has a clinical spectrum ranging from asymptomatic diseases to severe conditions. According to the World Health Organization, the majority (about 80%) of patients with COVID-19 can be asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic (few symptoms), and approximately 20% of the detected cases require hospital care because they have difficulty breathing, of which approximately 5% may need ventilatory support.
What are the symptoms
- Cough
- Fever
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of smell (anosmia)
- Change in taste (ageusia)
- Gastrointestinal disorders (nausea / vomiting / diarrhea)
- Tiredness (asthenia)
- Decreased appetite (hyporexia)
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
How to protect yourself
As recommended for prevention to COVID-19 are the following:
- Wash your hands frequently up to the wrists with soap and water, or clean them with 70% gel alcohol. This frequency should be increased when you are in a public environment (work environments, buildings and commercial facilities, etc.), when using the public transport structure or touching surfaces and objects for shared use.
- When coughing or sneezing, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or the inside of your elbow.
- Do not touch the eyes, nose, mouth or the easy protection mask with unhygienic hands.
- If you touch your eyes, nose, mouth or mask, always clean with your hands as indicated.
- Maintain a minimum distance of 1 (one) subway between people in public and social places. Avoid hugs, kisses and handshakes. Adopt friendly behavior without physical contact, but always with a smile on your face.
- Sanitize frequently the cell phone, children's toys and other objects that are used frequently.
- Do not share personal items such as cutlery, plates, plates and glasses.
- Keep environments clean and well ventilated.
- Avoid unnecessary circulation in the streets, stadiums, theaters, shopping malls, shows, cinemas and churches.
- If you are sick, avoid close contact with other people, especially the elderly and chronically ill, seek guidance through the online channels provided by SUS or attendance at health services and follow the recommendations of the health professional.
- Sleep well and eat healthy.
- It is recommended to use masks in all environments. As fabric masks (homemade / handcrafted), they are not Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), but can act as a physical barrier, especially against the exit of potentially contaminated droplets.
- Encourage family, friends and co-workers about the importance of wearing a mask and hand hygiene in preventing the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.
Tips for travelers:
If you need to travel, assess the real need. If travel is unavoidable, take precautions and follow the directions of your local health authorities.
When returning from international trips or recommended places, you should:
- Reinforce hygiene and protection habits such as the use of a mask, hand hygiene with soap and water or with 70% gel alcohol.
- If you have flu symptoms, seek assistance from health services, and avoid contact with other people
