What are the strategies implemented for the control of the COVID-19 pandemic?

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What are the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health?

Bereavement, isolation, loss of income and fear are triggering mental health conditions or exacerbating existing ones. Many people may be facing increased levels of alcohol and drug use, insomnia, and anxiety. Meanwhile, COVID-19 itself can lead to neurological and mental complications, such as delirium, agitation, and stroke. People with pre-existing mental, neurological or substance use disorders are also more vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection ̶ they may stand a higher risk of severe outcomes and even death.

What does pre-symptomatic transmission of COVID-19 mean?

The incubation period for COVID-19, which is the time between exposure to the virus (becoming infected) and symptom onset, is on average 5-6 days, however can be up to 14 days. During this period, also known as the “pre- symptomatic” period, some infected persons can be contagious. Therefore, transmission from a pre-symptomatic case can occur before symptom onset.

How does COVID-19 affect patients with tuberculosis?

While experience on COVID-19 infection in TB patients remains limited, it is anticipated that people ill with both TB and COVID-19 may have poorer treatment outcomes, especially if TB treatment is interrupted. TB patients should take precautions as advised by health authorities to be protected from COVID-19 and continue their TB treatment as prescribed.

Why is contact tracing important for COVID-19?

WHO has outlined detailed guidance on how to find and test cases during different phases of the pandemic. In addition to case finding, contact tracing is essential in tracking and breaking chains of transmission of COVID-19. WHO provides technical guidance on contact tracing explains what constitutes a contact, how to identify contacts and how best to monitor contacts in quarantine.

What are the long lasting fruits and vegetables I should buy for COVID-19 quarantine?

WHO recommends consuming a minimum of 400 g (i.e. 5 portions) of fruits and vegetables per day. Citrus fruits like oranges, clementines and grapefruit are good options, as well as bananas and apples, which can also be cut into smaller pieces and frozen for later consumption or to add to smoothies.Root vegetables such as carrots, turnips and beets, as well as vegetables like cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower are relatively nonperishable. Garlic, ginger and onions are also great options to keep at home, as they can be used to add flavour to a variety of meals.

What is contact tracing for COVID-19?

contact tracing is the process of identifying all people that a COVID-19 patient has come in contact with in the last two weeks.

What are the strategies implemented for the control of the COVID-19 pandemic?

See full answerStrategies in the control of an outbreak are screening, containment (or suppression), and mitigation. Screening is done with a device such as a thermometer to detect the elevated body temperature associated with fevers caused by the coronavirus.[185] Containment is undertaken in the early stages of the outbreak and aims to trace and isolate those infected as well as introduce other measures to stop the disease from spreading. When it is no longer possible to contain the disease, efforts then move to the mitigation stage: measures are taken to slow the spread and mitigate its effects on the healthcare system and society. A combination of both containment and mitigation measures may be undertaken at the same time.[186] Suppression requires more extreme measures so as to reverse the pandemic by reducing the basic reproduction number to less than 1.[187]

What are some contributing factors of a COVID-19 hotspot?

A county could have more than one contributing factor identified. Contributing factors included focal outbreaks (i.e., at long-term care facilities, food processing facilities, correctional facilities, or other workplaces), community transmission, increased testing or irregular reporting, or no discernible cause.

Why are countries trying to obtain herd immunity to COVID-19?

One of the aims with working towards herd immunity is to keep vulnerable groups who cannot get vaccinated (e.g. due to health conditions like allergic reactions to the vaccine) safe and protected from the disease.

How can COVID-19 antibodies help during the pandemic?

• Although most people who recovered from COVID-19 had low levels of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in their blood, researchers identified potent infection-blocking antibodies.• Their careful analysis of the antibodies may provide guidance for developing vaccines and antibodies as treatments for COVID-19.

Can you contract COVID-19 from touching surfaces?

People may also become infected by touching surfaces that have been contaminated by the virus when touching their eyes, nose or mouth without cleaning their hands. Further research is ongoing to better understand the spread of the virus and which settings are most risky and why.