Coronavirus … if you are an attentive person to what is happening, surely, you have heard about this subject on television, radio, social networks and even in markets, schools, colleges and churches.
Covid-19 is a disease that was discovered last year.
In mid-March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the coronavirus outbreak became a pandemic.
In other words, it is a disease that is spread to all corners of the world and should be a priority for Governments and States.
As the Minute Healthy team is concerned with this scenario, this text clarifies the risk groups and ways of prevention
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What are risk groups?
At-risk groups are made up of people who are most vulnerable to contracting a disease or infection.
These groups, if affected, may also be at greater risk of having a more severe condition.
This division into groups is important so that health authorities can know how many people are at greater risk of being affected. Thus, it is possible to take more stringent prevention and care measures.
Who is most susceptible to Covid-19?
The groups most likely to be infected with Covid-19 are the elderly (people over 60) and people with diabetes , respiratory diseases, high blood pressure , heart problems and kidney diseases.
Whoever belongs to one or more groups mentioned above, must be more alert than the others. Find out why:
Seniors
The main justification for including the elderly in the group at risk for Coronavirus (and all other diseases) is quite simple: the immune system, responsible for combating harmful agents such as viruses, is no longer as strong.
Linked to that, there are also other factors: the lungs are more fragile, vaccines are not as effective and visits to hospitals are frequent, which leaves them exposed.
To avoid contagion, it is important that people over 60 have their vaccines up to date, bet on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and avoid crowds of people.
Diabetes carriers
Diabetes is a disease that can compromise various parts of the body, including the immune system that is affected by excess glucose in the blood.
Those who have this disease also have a greater tendency to inflammation. This means that, if the coronavirus infection occurs, the symptoms take longer to appear. In addition, glycemic changes make the immune system more difficult to fight threats or infections in general.
For this reason, people with this disease must maintain glycemic control, practice physical activities regularly and keep vaccines up to date.
People with heart disease and high blood pressure
This group of people must be very careful for 2 very simple reasons.
First, depending on the stage at which the Coronavirus is in the body, it can affect the heart. As there is already an overload of the organ, it tends to fire or stop (causing complications that can lead to death, such as a heart attack ).
The second reason is that Coronavirus, in more advanced stages, can cancel out the effects of the medication used to control blood pressure, heart rate and cholesterol.
The recommendation to avoid all of this is quite simple: keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in check, exercise your heart rate and take all the vaccines.
People with respiratory diseases
People who have respiratory diseases are also at risk because they have a vulnerable respiratory system. Therefore, it is more common for those who have a respiratory disease to suffer, more often, from other pathologies or infections.
But what to do to prevent this?
Whoever has respiratory diseases should try to control their clinical condition following the guidance of the medical professional who accompanies the case and avoid crowding.
People with kidney disease
People with kidney disease are also a risk group susceptible to Coronavirus. That’s because they tend to have the lowest immunity.
In these cases, to avoid these complications, the correct thing to do is to avoid crowding, to keep the vaccines up to date and in cases of suspicion, not to suspend hemodialysis.
How to prevent: what does everyone need to do?
First of all, it is important to note that the specific treatment for Coronavirus is not yet known, although there are cases of people who were infected with Covid-19 and are now well.
What can only be done is prevention, that is, to prevent you and those close to you from having contact with the virus.
Regardless of your health and age, it is important to follow these tips:
Sanitization of hands
Washing your hands with running water and soap, whenever possible, is one of the most effective ways to prevent Coronavirus and other diseases as well.
Don’t forget to wash and dry well between your fingers.
In cases of lack of water and soap, alcohol gel can be used to eliminate viruses and bacteria from the hands.
Also, don’t pick up other people’s objects (like cell phones and water bottles). If this is necessary, do not forget to sanitize your hand afterwards.
Another very important tip is to avoid taking your hands to your nose, mouth and eyes, as these are routes of entry for infections.
Reduce or limit physical contact
Avoid physical contact with other people (even those closest to you). Therefore, kisses, hugs and handshakes should be cut out of your routine.
When talking to other people, try to keep the distance of 1 meter more or less, in order not to be hit by droplets of saliva.
Don’t forget to cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. Ideally, when you feel like it, place your face on your upper arm, close to your shoulder or elbow.
This way, you avoid spreading viruses and bacteria in your body to other people.
Keep environments ventilated
Opening windows and doors is essential for air to circulate, whether in large or small places.
But why is this so important?
When viruses and bacteria leave an organism (through sneezing and coughing ), they tend to stay in the air until they find another host strong enough to harbor them.
Therefore, keeping the air circulating is ideal for viruses and infectious agents to be further away from our body.
Isolation: for whom is it necessary?
People who are suspicious or have been diagnosed with Covid-19 need to go through a period of isolation (in hospitals or in their own homes).
This measure only applies to cases where there is a medical recommendation or health surveillance.
In case of doubt or suspicion, seek medical advice as soon as possible.
It is important to take care of yourself and follow the old and infallible tips: wash your hands, avoid contact and in case of doubts or suspicions, seek medical help urgently. The Healthy Minute brings other texts on diseases and forms of prevention. Access our posts !!!
