Coronavirus Disease is a highly infectious viral disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virus mainly attacks the lungs inhibiting the breathing process, the absorption of oxygen into the blood, and the release of Carbon dioxide from the blood (HSE, 2022). This results from the virus attacking the alveoli cells as it uses host cells for reproduction.
Signs and Symptoms
Covid-19 exhibits several signs and symptoms easily identifiable and recognized by the public. Some symptoms are similar to common cold but should not be confused. A patient with Coronavirus will have a fever, a temperature above 38 degrees, a dry cough, and fatigue. At severity, patients exhibit difficulty breathing, chest pains, and loss of appetite. However, some less common coronavirus symptoms include loss of taste, joint aches and pains, nasal congestion, and conjunctivitis (HSE, 2022). However, these symptoms may appear at all levels of disease severity. The virus takes a fortnight to start showing symptoms; thus, an infected person may exhibit none of the symptoms.
Susceptible Population
Coronavirus can attack anybody. However, the risk of developing adverse symptoms is higher in older than younger people. Similarly, the risk is higher for people with underlying serious health problems like diabetes, lung conditions, or obesity. Further, people with weakened immunity are more prone to the Coronavirus as their immunity cannot fight the virus in their body, and instead, the leucocytes are overwhelmed by the virus. Further, the probability of catching COVID-19 is higher for people aged 85 years and above. According to HSE live (2022), the cumulative corona-related deaths, ICU admissions, and hospitalization cases were dominated by 65 and older patients. For instance, from December 2020 onwards, the infection rate was highest in people aged 85 years and above.
Spread of COVID 19
Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation in march 2020. The virus originated in Wuhan, China. So far, 1.644 million covid-19 cases have been reported in Ireland. Scientific consensus has established that the virus has a zoonotic origin and could be related to bats and monkeys, and most likely, it spread from the wet markets of Hubei. The virus spreads from person to person in close contact as they release small forms of respiratory fluids as they exhale during talking, coughing, breathing, singing, yawning, etc. The covid-19 virus is a respiratory infection carried by respiratory fluids (HSE, 2022). As a result, during exhalation, the viruses are released together with the fluids, and the droplets will fall instantly, and small tiny droplets may remain in suspension in the air for minutes to hours as the wind may carry them. If the droplets fall on the respiratory tract of a healthy person, they start to multiply, infecting the second person, and the cycle continues (World Health Organisation, 2021).
Scientific research has shown that the covid-19 virus can survive for several hours when they land on a surface that depends on the material of the landing surface (McGrath, 2020). For instance, it can last for four hours on copper surfaces, whereas on stainless steel, the virus can last for two to three days. As a result, the virus is also spread through surfaces. If an infected person sneezed on the surface and another healthy person touched the surface, they would get the virus in their body if they touched their respiratory organs.
Source of Information
Covid-19-related information is available on many sites and sources. However, for this paper’s purposes, the information was collected from The Health Service Executive, which is a hub for all Republic of Ireland’s information on health-related issues, and on this pdf. Additionally, World Health Organization has credible Covid-19-related information
Breaking the Chain of Transmission
Covid-19 is a person-person transmitted viral disease. Moreover, it is easily spread from contact with an infected person. Therefore, the ideal method of reducing transmission was the reduction of personal contact. As a result, the best strategy for reducing the spread of the virus is reducing human interactions. The government, on advice from the Ministry of Health in Ireland, imposed Covid-19 restrictions, which included temporary closure of public places like learning institutions, restaurants, places of worship, and public transport, and imposed lockdowns (McGrath, 2020). Additionally, face masks help reduce exposure to respiratory fluids in public places. They may not reach other people who similarly put on the masks, so the droplets may not reach their respiratory organs (World Health Organisation, 2021). Similarly, hand washing with soap and sanitizers prevented the spread of the virus as it eliminated potential viruses that an individual could have collected from the surface. Vaccines are used as simulators for the virus so that the body can produce antibodies responsible for fighting it in case the body is attacked. Several vaccines have been manufactured, ranging from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Moderna, among others which the World Health Organization approved. From these measures, the spread of Covid-19 has been contained globally.
Prevention of a future outbreak
Several vaccines have been rolled out to minimize the spread of the virus. Similarly, when the mass is vaccinated, their bodies have developed an artificial immunity, enabling them to fight the virus when it attacks the body (Kennelly et al., 2020). As a result, the virus is controlled. However, there has been a continuous study of the virus and how to contain it as it has undergone several mutations since the inaugural case in china. However, health practitioners and experts urge the public to continue adhering to the measures and report all covid-19 related cases immediately.
Reflection
The Gibbs model of reflection is used to work through an experience. As a model, it helps to determine how the conclusions from experience can be applied in the future. In this study, I learned about the Covid-19 pandemic, its method of spread, and its control. Despite the disease being a global pandemic, most health practitioners have managed to contain the situation. The majority of the information about the virus is available online on the WHO and HSE websites.
Feelings
Intellectually, I thought the covid-19 virus did not have a cure and was the deadliest virus to have been on earth. Emotionally, I was shocked and surprised by how the number of patients and reported deaths increased daily. Somehow, this brought the picture of the world’s end where everybody was about to die.
Evaluation
The fear of possible death and infection of masses in the world prompted further and more detailed research on the virus. Further, the covid-19 virus being a new virus, gave a lot of non-factual information, especially due to the mutations the virus is undergoing. As a result, it was hard to identify the current strain of the virus.
Analysis
Covid-19 can catch anybody of all ages. As a result, people should take precautionary measures to protect themselves. Moreover, the mass should boost their immunity so that the body will fight the virus in case of a future viral attack, and the effect will be mild.
Conclusion
From the entire study, the study about Covid-19 should be heightened to get one-piece information about the entire virus. Moreover, the efforts should be geared towards having a stable vaccine that works with maximum stability.
References
HSE. (2022). COVID-19 resources and translations. HSE.ie. Retrieved July 29, 2022, from https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/covid-19-resources-and-translations/
Kennelly, B., O’Callaghan, M., Coughlan, D., Cullinan, J., Doherty, E., Glynn, L., Moloney, E., & Queally, M. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland: An overview of the health service and economic policy response. Health Policy and Technology, 9(4), 419-429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlpt.2020.08.021
McGrath, J. (2020). ADHD and COVID-19: Current roadblocks and future opportunities. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 37(3), 204-211. https://doi.org/10.1017/ipm.2020.53
World Health Organisation. (2021, July 7). HSRM countries. Home. https://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/monitors/hsrm/hsrm-countries/hsrm/ireland
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