by Rockape » Tue Mar 17, 2020 10:07 am
This is a very simplified and helpful bit of info....was to me anyway, so sharing on here:
Thought you might find this useful.
OK a bit of a primer on coronavirus COVID-19.
Coronaviruses are enveloped RNA viruses, this means they can survive and remain infective on surfaces for some time, some scientists saying for up to three days. The envelope is made of a lipid (fatty) bilayer which can be disrupted by soap causing the virus to literally fall apart. This is why hand washing, surface washing etc is best done with soap.
So what happens if you touch a contaminated surface and don't wash your hands? Infective virus particles are transferred to your fingers and if you touch your mouth, nose or eyes the virus will be transferred to the mucous membranes so *DON'T TOUCH YOUR FACE*
Now the virus has some protein receptors sticking out of its surface (under electron microscopy this makes the virus look like a crown, corona = crown). These receptors attach the virus to your cell, it then injects its RNA into your cell.
You are now infected but not infectious or symptomatic.
The virus RNA hijacks your DNA and causes it to start making copies of itself, at the end of approx 3 days all these new copies are released to infect new cell and be released into the environment.
You are now infected and infectious but not symptomatic.
in fact during this phase which may last 2 days you are at your most infectious, you are a super shedder leaving active virus everywhere. When you are shedding you can disperse viruses on your breath for approx 1 meter which is why the recommended distance you keep from other people is 2 meters.
Your body's immune system now mounts a response, trying to clear the virus from your system, this is when you get symptoms such as cough, fever, headache, difficulty breathing etc. These are due to your immune response not the virus. For most people these symptoms are fairly mild.
You are now infected, infectious and symptomatic.
The consensus is that this phase lasts 7 days and although you will test positive as you are still infected you are no longer infectious.
You are still infected but no longer infectious or symptomatic.
Why so many deaths then? In some people the immune system over-reacts causing a cytokine cascade and you develop bilateral, interstitial pneumonia. Bottom line - your lungs fill up with fluid and you drown. This is why the panic about ICU beds and ventilators.
OK to explain the quarantine/self-isolation lengths:
If you have possibly been exposed but are showing no symptoms then 14 days will allow the virus to run through its course and at the end of 14 days you will no longer be infectious.
If you are showing symptoms or you test positive then 7 days will take you to the end of the infective period.
The purpose of this is to protect other people from you not vice versa. If it turns out you don't have coronovirus then you've just had to spend some boring time at home.
So:
Wash your hands with soap and water
Don't touch your face
Stay 2 meters away from other people
Don't shake hands, and most, most definitely don't do Spanish style greeting kisses. Namaste is becoming popular.
Follow the govt advice on self-isolating.