Contents
- The doctor answered the most frequent questions about the coronavirus
- Can you get the coronavirus again?
- How long is the incubation period for COVID-19?
- Gloves from coronavirus: pros and cons
- Can a person get COVID-19 from an animal?
- Can you get the coronavirus on the street, in a store, in an elevator, or through money and food?
The doctor answered the most common questions about re-infection, transmission of the virus and its incubation period.
Today, perhaps, there is no person in the world who would not be interested in the coronavirus. The disease has proven to be very insidious, and even doctors cannot predict how long the pandemic will last. We are sure that you know the basic rules for protecting against a virus. However, there are many more questions about COVID-19, the answers to which are important to know. This is exactly what the doctor, TV presenter of the Doctor TV channel, YouTube blogger and creator of the first medical quiz Medical Brain Battle in Russia, Evgeny Kesarev, told the readers of Wday.ru.
Doctor, TV presenter of the Doctor TV channel, YouTube blogger, creator of the first medical quiz in Russia, Medical Brain Battle
Coronavirus infection, like many others, triggers an immune response in the human body. A person who has been ill in the blood contains antibodies, by which we find out at what stage the disease is. But what will happen next? How will the virus behave? Will it turn out to be like measles (had it once been vaccinated and got immunity for life) or will it manifest itself as a flu virus (and we will get sick with it every year)?
Unfortunately, no one today is able to answer this question unambiguously, since this requires observations, research, statistics, and time. Now we see that information about newly sick people often appears in the media. But it is impossible to say whether the disease is recurrent or protracted first. A similar problem also includes the imperfection of tests and other “crown” riddles, which will take time to solve.
How long is the incubation period for COVID-19?
The incubation period is 1-14 days (average 5). Sometimes it takes longer, depending on your immune system. If you are often sick, the incubation period is likely to be short.
Important: during the incubation period, the patient is usually not contagious, but a day or two before the first symptoms appear (formally, this is still the incubation period), active release of the virus into the environment begins, that is, the patient does not yet know about his illness, but poses a danger to others.
Another insidious property of the virus is that a huge number of cases are asymptomatic. That is, you may not suspect that you are sick, but you are a carrier of the virus.
Here you need to remember about protection and how masks differ from respirators. The mask protects others from you. A respirator (without an exhalation valve) protects both you and those around you. Whereas a respirator with an exhalation valve only protects you. This is a very important point, which, unfortunately, many people forget.
On the one hand, we know that the virus does not penetrate the skin of the hands, and the WHO (World Health Organization), for example, does not support the glove initiative. However, according to statistics, a person with gloves is less likely to touch his face with his hands.
I recommend that you still proceed from common sense and abide by the law. Gloves can help us if we wear them consciously. Remember that viruses sit on their surface as well as on the skin. Do not touch your face with them. But there is often moisture under the gloves and bacteria (not viruses) can multiply there, therefore, when removing gloves, be sure to wash your hands. Also learn take off gloves correctly… An incorrectly removed glove (even one) can negate all previous efforts. And the last thing: you should not go to the point of madness and wear gloves where they are not needed (for example, at home).
Can a person get COVID-19 from an animal?
According to current data, the facts of infection from animals have not been established. As well as confirmation that pets (dogs and cats) can carry the virus. If your pet has been in contact with a sick person, wash it before hugging and kissing your pet. It is better to contact a veterinary clinic for this, having previously warned the staff about the situation. Or do the procedure yourself, observing all safety measures (mask, gloves, glasses), then wash all clothes at 70 degrees and take a shower.
If a meeting with a sick person took place in elevatorThat is, the chances of getting infected are quite high. Let me remind you that the virus itself cannot fly, it attaches to surfaces (walls, skin, droplets of moisture).
In the air store there may also be a virus: someone sneezed without a mask in the next section and the virus flew to you through the shelves with food.
Could the virus be on products? Yes. Someone coughed into a fist (even with a glove) and touched the tomato. The same goes for money.
But at the same time, it is not for everyone that you will get sick. For example, my wife is also a doctor. For three months now, she has been working in the red zone. And while the disease bypasses her. If you comply with all sanitary requirements (washing hands and face with soap, wearing masks / respirators / gloves, minimizing contact with other people), your risks are significantly reduced!