In 2020, the world woke up to a new and unknown coronavirus strain, which first made its appearance in Wuhan, China in December last year. This novel coronavirus, since then, has spread to nearly 132 countries across six continents.
In India, the first confirmed case of coronavirus came from Thrissur, Kerala on 30th January. Since then, the number of confirmed cases in India crossed the 100-mark.
On 15th March, it stood at 110 that include two fatalities reported from Bangalore and Delhi. The highest number of confirmed cases, however, is reported from Maharashtra followed by Kerala.
The increasingly growing numbers of cases have caused significant social disruption in India, with the Union and state governments scrambling to put a check to its alarmingly rapid pace of transmission.
In the last week, states such as Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh among others have issued temporary shutdowns of every school and college within its borders alongside multiple other public facilities such as malls, gyms, etc.
Although COVID-19 does not cause any severe symptoms in most infected individuals, its unknown nature poses a precarious threat. And while scientists and health experts across the globe are working rigorously to put an end to this pandemic, the onus falls upon you to ensure that you and your child stay safe.
But how?
Prior to adopting precautionary measures, you must learn about its symptoms and take early notice of it in both you and your child. Only then, you can ensure taking adequate steps for its prevention.
What are the Symptoms of the Coronavirus Diseases?
The coronavirus symptoms majorly noticed in patients across the world, as per information resourced by the World Health Organisation, are –
Phlegm
Coughing and sneezing
Shortness of breath
Runny nose
Acute body ache
Diarrhoea
Sore throat
Fatigue
Fever
Pneumonia and severe respiratory complication (severe case of COVID-19)
Most of these symptoms noticed in patients are similar to the seasonal instances of flu. Hence, before drawing any conclusions and panicking, confirm it with a doctor or your local health authority.
You must be wondering why coronavirus is such a fatal disease if its symptoms are similar to influenza or the common cold.
The factor that makes COVID-19 so fatal and has prompted such large-scale terror and concern across the world is the unknown strain causing it. SARS-CoV 2, the coronavirus strain responsible for the coronavirus disease, is new and unfamiliar. Therefore, scientists have yet not been successful in developing a coronavirus medicine that can counter its effects.
What are the Precautionary Measures for COVID-19?
Prevention is better than cure!
Going by those words, it is crucial to ensure utmost decency and diligence when it comes to preventing the spread of the coronavirus infection that has taken the face of a pandemic.
What do you do?
Preventives prescribed by WHO (if not sick)
The World Health Organisation routinely collects information about the developments concerning the spread of the coronavirus disease from across the world. Based on this information, it has devised a list of measures which can prevent and delay the spread of this disease.
And you must ensure that both you and your child/children adopt these measures in daily life, even if it means continuous vigilance. A few of the precautionary measures that WHO has prescribed are:
Wash hands regularly with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub or sanitiser frequently. Soap or alcohol-based hand sanitiser kills the virus present in hands.
Refrain from touching your eyes, mouth, and nose before washing your hands, as mentioned in the measure above.
If you see anyone coughing or sneezing, ensure to maintain at least 1-metre distance from that person. The tiny droplets from one’s sneezing and coughing can contain the coronavirus strain. Also, if you are near an infected individual, you might contract the virus from breathing in the droplets or microscopic particles called aerosols.
Ensure that you, your child, and everyone around you maintain proper respiratory hygiene. That includes covering the mouth and nose with a bent elbow or using a tissue when sneezing or coughing, using a disposable item to wipe off phlegm, cleaning the hands with a hand sanitiser immediately after, etc.
If there are any reported cases in your area or somewhere you are visiting, wear a mask. Ideally, you should avoid going out if there is an outbreak in your area.
It is paramount that you and your child follow these measures to prevent contracting the coronavirus disease.
Preventives by WHO (if you are sick or have visited /live in an area where there has been an outbreak)
In case you have recently returned from a region where there has been an outbreak, or you or your child is feeling under the weather then undertake the following precautionary measures:
If you recently visited an affected region, it is suggested that you self-quarantine yourself for at least 14-days to prevent its spread.
In case you or your child exhibit mild symptoms, consider isolation. If needing to go out, wear a disposable or N95 mask and abstain from touching others.
Also, immediately contact your local health authority or health care provider if you notice any symptoms in yourself or your child.
Besides these measures, it is also crucial to remain abreast of the coronavirus updates and advisories issued by credible bodies such as WHO, and national and local health authorities.
While these are the preventive measures which you need to take to prevent contracting and spreading the disease, there are other facets which stand affected by the pandemic.
What are the Social Costs of COVID-19?
Alongside learning about the preventive measures of the coronavirus disease, it is also crucial to know how to tackle a situation as pressing as a pandemic.
An epidemic of this scale, where nearly 180,000 have been affected to date and the death toll reaching 7000 globally, it is only natural to be anxious; especially when no concrete information about the virus and its possible cure has surfaced.
Therefore, parents such as yourself are concerned about their child’s health and for all good reasons, but there is another crucial facet which deserves equal merit and attention.
Academic hindrance
An alarming number of confirmed cases and two deaths in India due to the coronavirus disease has significantly infringed on the social structure of the country. The shutdowns of schools and colleges, albeit temporary, are bound to hinder your child’s academic progress.
It does not end at that; state governments of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi, among others have also imposed restrictions on large-scale social gatherings that involve coaching centres. This measure, although preventive and temporary, will imminently affect your child’s education.
Regulated environments foster disciplinary studying, and with that out of sight, it will be difficult for students to maintain that academic discipline.
So, how can you ensure that your child does not stray from the academic discipline they were earlier tied to?
Vedantu, in this scenario, provides a much-needed sigh of relief to parents by offering free live classes for standards 1 – 12 and also classes for entrance exams such as IIT JEE and NEET. These classes will facilitate students to keep a hold on their academics and also remain abreast with lessons they were ought to miss out on due to school shutdowns.
No Academic Disruption in the Time of Coronavirus with Vedantu!
We are one of the pioneers of online education in India and have strived to make quality education available to everyone since our naissance.
Our Master Class features some of the finest teachers of their respective fields, and during the COVID-19 crisis, we are providing those classes for free.
We have always set education as our first priority and in the wake of school shutdowns across several Indian states to ensure safety; we take it to be our responsibility to keep your child’s academic progress going.
Live and interactive classes
These classes are conducted by professional teachers live, and the interface also facilitates students to ask questions during the lesson.
This feature will allow your child to stay updated with the lessons they are missing out due to school shutdowns and bans on public gathering. Also, with the interactive sessions, your child can clear out the doubts they face while studying by their own.
Aplenty study materials
While live classes are time-bound, your child can access Vedantu’s study materials anytime. So, when they are not attending the online classes, they can refer to these study materials for convenience.
Accessible across platforms
These classes are available on both the Vedantu app and website. Also, your child can attend free live classes as well as the study materials on phones, tabs, and personal computers. Now keep your child's preparation undeterred with our study material and NCERT Solutions Class 1 to 12 all subjects available on Vedantu site.
So, without further ado, go ahead and sign up with Vedantu for free live classes, study materials, and other resources to ensure your child’s academic progress remain unperturbed amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease.
