In the face of a natural disaster, a catastrophe, the arrival of an illness, the death of a loved one, an unjust action, a sudden change of circumstances, and the like, people often wonder why. Many of them tend to blame God. Others blame the governments, the medical personnel in charge, their bosses or those who were related to what happened. They try to find a scapegoat, an answer that satisfies them, but many times there is none. This has been the panorama throughout the world from the end of 2019 to the present, the beginning of 2021, after the unexpected arrival of a disease that would change the entire panorama and throw all the plans and programmed projects overboard. The arrival of Covid-19 has left millions of people devastated, who have not only lost many family members and friends in death, but have also had to deal with the disease and its collateral effects, such as those related to the economy, the nutrition and activities of daily living in general.
In a short time, this disease became a pandemic, a term that we may not have previously known. Currently, this word is part of our everyday vocabulary. In fact, even children use it in their conversations. But have you ever wondered what a pandemic is? During this short article, this question will be answered. Also, you will be able to find out what are the conditions that must exist for a pandemic to occur and what preventive measures you must take into account in order to prevent contagion. Undoubtedly, these are questions that are of greater interest and importance today, as they prepare us to face that colossal enemy that has arrived and we do not know when it will leave. Let’s see it right now.
Instructions
Etymologically, the word Pandemic comes from the Greek Pandemos, which is the result of the union of the suffix Pan, which means Everything, and Demos, which means People. Thus, we come to the conclusion that it is a phenomenon that can potentially affect us all. A pandemic is nothing more than the global spread of an infectious disease that generates a high number of infections. In the specific case of a flu pandemic, it occurs when a flu virus spreads around the world and most people lack immunity to it. In fact, previous pandemics have generally been caused by influenza viruses that first infect animals. Pandemic flu can sometimes be confused with seasonal flu. However, these are two different diseases. Although it is true that both affect all age groups and the infection usually resolves spontaneously without treatment, mortality from seasonal influenza especially affects elderly people and those with underlying diseases or disorders. However, there are more deadly cases of pandemic flu, where deaths have occurred in younger people, whether they have been healthy or suffering from other illnesses. In addition, this type of flu has caused many more cases of viral pneumonia.
Phases of a pandemic
There are 6 phases for a pandemic to fully develop and they are as follows:
The virus begins to circulate among animals, but without causing any type of infection among humans. This virus has now managed to infect humans and is therefore considered a threat. In this phase, the virus only produces sporadic cases of disease, without being transmitted from person to person and without reaching the potency to generate a community outbreak. In this phase, the virus is already capable of producing person-to-person transmission, which facilitates its spread. During the fifth phase, the spread of the virus takes shape and is evident in two countries that are within the scope of the World Health Organization. Finally, the contagion spreads to a third country and cases of community transmission outbreaks begin to appear. It is important to bear in mind that, during the last two phases of the pandemic, all health measures aimed at safeguarding global health must be organized, informed and put into practice. But since this is an emergency situation, what can you do individually?
What do you need
Some entities related to the field of health have determined that at least three conditions must be met. The first is that a new virus appears, which has never before circulated in the population and, therefore, there are no people immune to it. The second condition is related to the ability of the virus to cause serious illness. Finally, the third has to do with the ability of the virus to be transmitted from person to person efficiently. Now, as we already know, a pandemic does not appear overnight. It is the result of a process, which is often almost imperceptible to most people, would you like to know what it is? Keep reading.
Tips
Some of the things you can do to avoid contagion are the following:
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water or alcohol gel. Especially if you have touched surfaces that could be contaminated or if you have had contact with sick people. When you keep your hands clean, the risk of contagion is lower. Clean surfaces. Especially those with high contact, such as door handles, windows, kitchen area, countertops, toilet and faucet surfaces, personal electronic devices, computer keyboard, etc. Avoid crowded areas. Above all, if you are over 60 years old or suffer from an underlying condition, be it cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, etc. Since the risk of developing a serious disease is much higher. Stay at home. If you don’t need to go out or if you feel bad, the best thing you can do is stay home and call your doctor from there. Depending on what your symptoms are, they will give you the right advice and tell you what to do. Keep social distancing. Try to be at least one meter away from other people, especially those who cough, sneeze or have a fever. When a person infected with a virus like Covid-19 coughs or sneezes, they project small droplets called droplets, which contain the virus. Therefore, if you are very close to them, you run the risk of inhaling the virus. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Since hands touch many surfaces that could be contaminated with the virus, if you touch your face with your hands, you can carry the virus from the surface to yourself. Therefore, it is important to follow this recommendation even if you are wearing gloves. Wear a mask when you are in closed spaces and ensure that the rooms in your house have good ventilation, since, in these cases, airborne transmission cannot be ruled out. Change your way of greeting. Avoid shaking hands, kissing the cheek, hugging, or even touching others. Contrary to what most might think, this is a way of showing them that you love them and that you care about their well-being.