Affecting nearly 11,34,418 people and causing the deaths of 60,115 people worldwide, according to the most recent data, COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease) is an infectious disease by a new type of virus from the family of Coronaviruses. This virus causes respiratory illness, similar to the flu, with symptoms like cough, fever, and in more severe cases, difficulty breathing. This is a type of communicable disease. It spreads from coming in direct contact with an infected person when they cough or sneeze. It also spreads when a person touches a surface or object that has the virus on it, then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth. When a person sneezes without covering his/her mouth, he/she transfers tiny water droplets containing the flu virus into the open air. The most dangerous fact about this disease is that it cannot be diagnosed or recognised until after 14 days the person gets sick.
The disease was identified for the first time in December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province. As soon as the virus hit a significant part of the world, scientists, researchers, doctors, and medicine makers delved deep to find the cure or at least a vaccine for this deadly virus. Till now, no vaccine or cure for COVID-19 has been found. WHO and all health organisations and doctors around the world advise the best precaution for COVID-19: social distancing. About 35 companies and medicinal institutions are working hard day and night to produce a cure for COVID-19. Saint Louis University is also one of them. Sarah George, M.D., an associate professor of Infectious Diseases at the Saint Louis University and the principal investigator of the trial in St. Louis has an experience of 30 years in this field. She believes that finding the cure for COVID-19 is the utmost goal now. The study is investigating the safety and effectiveness of remdesivir, an investigational intravenous anti-viral medication, in treating COVID-19. The results of this study could be added as an important one in the collection of potential theories to cure COVID-19.
Therefore, since every medical personnel and organisation is working hard to keep us safe, the best effort we can pitch in their progress is to practise social distancing and stay home. We must also follow precaution tips such as washing hands with soap frequently for more than 20 seconds, using alcohol sanitisers, and covering our nose and mouth while sneezing and coughing.
Dibyasha Das