How to Know if You are Infected with Coronavirus? Symptoms & Prevention

The coronavirus pandemic has brought the world to a standstill. Initially surfacing in Wuhan, China, the deadly virus is spreading with blistering speed across the globe. Countries are reporting hundreds of new cases every day. As of this writing, the global confirmed cases had surpassed 339,363 with 14,716 deaths. With Covid-19 ragging on and no stopping in sight, there are a couple of things you must know and do.

Coronavirus or flu (seasonal flu, common cold, allergy)?

The initial symptom of a coronavirus infection can be deceiving. The symptoms are just like any other upper respiratory tract infection. A running nose, cough, fever, headache_they are almost similar to that of the common cold and seasonal flu. Therefore, it is important that you differentiate between influenza and a coronavirus infection, and of course, on time.

Symptoms of a coronavirus infection

So, how to know if you are infected with the Covid-19 from the initial symptoms? Let’s list the symptoms first.

how to know coronavirus or flue

Common symptoms

Most of the people tested positive with the new coronavirus showed these initial symptoms:

  1. Fever
  2. Dry cough
  3. Tiredness

Other symptoms

These symptoms may follow the common symptoms mentioned above:

  1. Sore throat
  2. Shortness of breath
  3. Aches and pains

Rare symptoms

Very few people also showed the following symptoms:

  1. Runny nose
  2. Diarrhea
  3. Nausea

How to know if you are infected with the coronavirus?

Though the symptoms of a coronavirus infection match that of influenza, there are indicators that will tell you if you, in fact, need to be tested.

If you fall into any one or more of the following categories and then show some or all of the abovementioned symptoms, we recommend you get your test conducted.

  1. You are above the age of 60.
  2. You have an underlying medical problem like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer.
  3. You have repeatedly noticed a weak immune system.
  4. You are pregnant, have given birth, undergone surgery.
  5. Your locality has reported number of coronavirus cases.
  6. You live in a place hard hit by Covid-19.
  7. You have recently visited someone infected with the virus.

WHO (World Health Organization) recommended ways to prevent coronavirus

That old saying ‘prevention is better than cure’ has never been so true before the coronavirus outbreak. Prevention is, in fact, the only way to stay safe in the case of the Covid-19.

WHO, the biggest authority on health recommends the following precautionary measures to avoid a contraction:

how to prevent coronavirus covid-19

  • Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, or clean them with alcohol-based hand rub.
  • Maintain at least 1-meter distance between you and people coughing or sneezing.
  • Avoid touching your face.
  • Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
  • Stay home if you feel unwell.
  • Refrain from smoking and other activities that weaken the lungs.
  • Practice physical distancing by avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away from large groups of people.

The best way forward: Even if you are infected

In spite of sticking to all the preventative measures, there is a fair chance that you will contract the infection. Some infectious disease experts, in fact, think that Covid-19 may eventually infect up to 40 percent of the world population.

Therefore, it is not wise to think that you will somehow never get the virus. And with no vaccine in sight, the best way forward is to keep a strong immune system to defend you against the coronavirus. Please read this article to know how to make your body’s natural defense system strong.

Share this public awareness message with others, help them stay safe.

CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOM how to know-01

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