Abstract
Coronaviruses are a group of enveloped viruses with nonsegmented, single-stranded, and positive-sense RNA genomes. Apart from infecting a variety of economically important vertebrates (such as pigs and chickens), six coronaviruses have been known to infect human hosts and cause respiratory diseases. Among them, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) are zoonotic and highly pathogenic coronaviruses that have resulted in regional and global outbreaks Coronaviruses possess a distinctive morphology, the name being derived from the outer fringe, or ―corona of embedded envelope protein.
Introduction
The outbreak of the world endemic of corona virus Covid-19 has unarguably disrupted so many activities ranging from sports, religious gathering, government functions, project implementation to mention but few. This virus originated from a Chinese city, Wuhan, i
...n December 2019. It is an established fact that coronaviruses belong to the Coronaviridae family in the Nidovirales order. The pandemic represents crown-like thorn on the outer surface of the virus; thus, it is named as a coronavirus.
According to W.H.O (2020) the virus can infect any persons irrespective of their age but the older people and those with existing health issues/challenges are more vulnerable to contact the virus than any other group of individuals. Methods of transmission can be through droplet, contaminated materials, sneezing or cough.
It is observed that those who have high chances of contacting the virus are those who are regularly in contact with infected persons. The symptoms includes but not limited to nausea, fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, pneumonia, fatigue, kidney failure and other breathing difficulties.
As part of government and WHO, INOGs, at all levels around the world has put machineries on ground to contend the
spread of Covid-19 by introducing social distancing in the society amidst other measures e.g city locked down, shut down, restriction of movements, practices of personal hygiene.
Social distance as expressed by Boguna, Marian, Romualdo Pastor-Satorras, Albert DĂaz-Guilera, and Alex Arenas (2004) and Helfgott, Jacqueline & Gunnison, (2008) social distance is the distance between different groups in society, such as social class, race/ethnicity, and gender. It is the measure of nearness or intimacy that an individual or group feels towards another individual or group in a social network or the level of trust one group has for another and the extent of perceived likeness of beliefs.
It is the level of acceptance people have of others outside of their own social group or class. This level of acceptance is defined by their general feelings toward others, and the amount of social interaction they have with people whose characteristics are outside of their social norm. Social distance is a measure of perceived difference (or distance) among groups. As a social construct, social distance is a familiar issue.
Clearly then, the strategy to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic is “PHYSICAL DISTANCING “and NOT “Social Distancing”. According to Aziz, (2020) the World Health Organization (WHO) has started using the phrase 'physical distancing' instead of 'social distancing' as a way to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus from people to people, a move widely welcomed by experts as a step in the 'right direction'.
Thus, physical distancing involves taking steps to limit the number of people you come into close contact with. This will help to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the community Lisa Lockerd Maragakis, (2020). Since coronavirus is spread mainly through respiratory droplets, especially
when people cough or sneeze, maintaining a safe distance is recommended to decrease transmission.
And also, the WHO recommends being more than one metre (three feet) away from the nearest person, while some health experts have suggested maintaining a distance of at least two metres from others. On a comparative note, Bauer, (2020) put forward that physical distance is measured in metric metres or centimetres. It is the geographical distance from person A to person B while 'social distance' is a measure of distance across social boundaries.
Overview of the Corona Virus
Coronaviruses are a group of enveloped viruses with nonsegmented, single-stranded, and positive-sense RNA genomes. Apart from infecting a variety of economically important vertebrates (such as pigs and chickens), six coronaviruses have been known to infect human hosts and cause respiratory diseases. Among them, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) are zoonotic and highly pathogenic coronaviruses that have resulted in regional and global outbreaks Coronaviruses possess a distinctive morphology, the name being derived from the outer fringe, or ―corona‖ of embedded envelope protein.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some of which cause illness in people, and others that circulate among mammals and birds. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can spread to humans, and then spread between people. Zoonotic coronaviruses have emerged in recent years to cause human outbreaks such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).
Symptoms of Corona Virus
Coronavirus infects the lungs. The two main symptoms are a fever or a dry cough, which can sometimes lead to breathing problems. The cough to look out for is a new, continuous cough. This
means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or having three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours. If you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual Gallagher, (2020).
You have a fever if your temperature is above 37.8C. This can make you feel warm, cold or shivery. A sore throat, headache and diarrhoea have also been reported and a loss of smell and taste may also be a symptom. It takes five days on average to start showing the symptoms, but some people will get them much later. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the incubation period lasts up to 14 days Gallagher. On 18 April, the US's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its list of symptoms to look out for, to include:
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
- Prevention of Corona Virus
- Wash your hands often
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick. Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others. You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick. Everyone should wear a cloth face cover when they have to go out in public, for example to the grocery store or
to pick up other necessities.
Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance. The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected. Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
If you are in a private setting and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the trash. Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks. If surfaces are dirty, clean them. Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
Principles of Physical Distancing
If you do need to go out which many of us continue to do for our weekly shopping trip, our jobs or to pick up medications follow these guidelines to protect yourself and others.
Limit your time in public. If you need essential items, like groceries or medication, it’s fine to go out but it’s important to limit your trips. Instead of going to the store every few days, try to go once a week or, if it’s available in your area, use grocery delivery or pick up services.
Keep your
distance. Some stores have used tape to mark off distances of 6 feet in checkout lines. Whether or not these markers are present, be mindful of keeping your distance from the person in front of you.
Bring hand sanitizer. Before and after you enter a store, use a hand sanitizer that’s made with at least 60% alcohol. If you don’t have any on hand or can’t find some in the store, you can make your own! You can make a simple hand sanitizer spray with distilled water and rubbing alcohol. You can also add some essential oils if you have them on hand.
“Sanitizing before you go in will help prevent spreading any germs or viruses you may be carrying and sanitizing after you leave will help you prevent spreading any viruses you may have come into contact within the store,” says Dr. Fareed.
Also, if the store offers sanitizing wipes at the entrance, use them to wipe down your cart or basket before you start shopping.
Wash your hands. Whenever possible, opt for soap and water instead of hand sanitizer. While hand sanitizer is a great option when you can’t get to a sink, thorough handwashing is the best way to prevent the spread of viruses.
Cover your mouth. When you sneeze or cough – even if you think you aren’t sick – cover your mouth with a tissue or the inside of your elbow. If you use a tissue, throw it away immediately and wash or sanitize your hands.
No matter what you call it, taking preventative measures and keeping your distance to help slow the spread of COVID-19 will help you protect yourself, your loved ones and everyone in your community.
Conclusion
When a novel pandemic
potential virus arises, community-based prevention approaches are often the most readily available measures to help and prevent the spread of the virus within populations before the vaccine is available. This rapid analysis indicated that physical distancing techniques could be effective measures to minimize transmission and alleviate the effects of the flu pandemic.
Such techniques should be introduced to plan when and where there is evidence of population transmission. Signals of continuing community transmission that involve the identification of reported cases of COVID-19 with no epidemiological connection to travelers or identified cases, or more than three generations of transmission.
Implementation is focused on emphasizing the individual responsible for implementing recommended actions at the personal level, allowing companies, schools, and community groups to enforce recommended actions, in particular in ways that protect persons at increased risk of serious illness, focusing on settings that provide vital facilities or services to individuals at increased risk of illness.
Recommendations
However, in these tough times, the fundamental need for people to communicate with one another during physical isolation necessitates. Thus, according to Stanford psychologist Jamil Zaki, social distancing is important for slowing the spread of COVID-19, but it also pushes against the basic need of human beings to interact with each other: thus, the populace should remote to the following to keep abreast with the virus
- Video chats and phone calls with friends and family
- Hiking while keeping your distance of at least 6 feet between people
- Game night with everyone you live with (if they aren’t sick)
- Virtual movie night with your family and friends (video chat or text while watching the same movie in your own homes or rooms)
- Exercise/yoga/mindfulness videos online to
be physically active in the comfort of your own home
References
- Lisa Lockerd Maragakis (2020) Coronavirus, Social and Physical Distancing and Self-Quarantine https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-social-distancing-and-self-quarantine
- Baucer, (2020) https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/world-coronavirus-death-toll-exceeds-250000-live-updates-200504231301555.html
- https://www.geisinger.org/health-and-wellness/wellness-articles/2020/04/08/13/47/social-distancing-vs-physical-distancing
