Beat COVID-19 Pandemic with these Simple yet Effective Tips

COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted due to the deadly novel coronavirus, has impacted the entire world adversely. The rapidly mutating virus is generating variants that are causing the community spread of the viral infection and affecting humankind negatively. India has already witnessed the first and second waves of this ravaging pandemic. With the expert researchers and virologists predicting the third wave of the coronavirus disease, it becomes quintessential for all of us to follow safety and preventive measures to stay safe in the near future. In such challenging circumstances, PDII (Prevention, Detection, Isolation, and Intervention) model can prove to be a blessing in preventing and regulating the spread of the disease and ensuring the safety and good health of most of the citizens. In addition to the PDII framework, following certain basic, simple yet quite helpful tips can also help curb the spread of this highly infectious viral disease. Read on to find all about it.

PDII stands for Prevention, Detection, Isolation, and Intervention. All these four strategies carry a great significance in beating the COVID-19 pandemic. Each strategy has its own regulations or tips to follow to avoid the ravaging effect of the deadly novel coronavirus. So, let’s understand and follow all these measures listed below.

PDII stands for Prevention, Detection, Isolation, and Intervention. All these four strategies carry a great significance in beating the COVID-19 pandemic. Each strategy has its own regulations or tips to follow to avoid the ravaging effect of the deadly novel coronavirus. So, let’s understand and follow all these measures listed below.

I. PREVENTION – Preventive Measures that safeguard you from the infectious coronavirus

If you are lucky one among those people who are not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, you still need to follow preventive measures to keep the deadly virus at bay. Here are some crucial preventive tips that can help you stay safe and curb the spread of viral infection in the community.

1. Wear a Mask: The basic and one of the most crucial measures that can help prevent you from getting infected is wearing a mask. Every time you move out of your home or happen to communicate with anyone in-person, be sure to wear a mask covering your nose and mouth. It is very important to wear the mask correctly and dispose it off properly. We will have a look at this in detail later in this blog.
2. Sanitize Your Hands: Be sure you use a good hand sanitizer or wash your hands by using a soap every time you get inside your house, after touching outdoor surfaces, after you sneeze or blow your nose, or before you take your hands near your face. Sanitizing your hands eliminates the presence of coronavirus on them and, thus, prevents you from getting infected. Also, avoid touching any part of your face with un-sanitized or unwashed hands.
3. Follow Physical or Social Distancing: When you step out of your home in any public place or at work, be sure to maintain at least 1 meter or 6 feet distance from other people. Do not get close to the people who you find coughing or sneezing. Doing so helps in preventing the risk of catching the viral infection through the cough or sneeze droplets from the infected person.
4. Get Vaccinated: Being vaccinated is one of the most crucial measures that helps you develop a strong immunity to fight back the virus if you happen to get infected. Although one may catch the coronavirus infection even after getting vaccinated, having a vaccine ensures that you do not develop a serious illness. Vaccination of the masses also helps develop herd immunity and safety from fatal viral infection. So, book your slot and get your dose of vaccine as soon as possible.
5. Avoid Getting in Crowded Places: Going out in crowded places increases your risk of catching the infectious viral infection. With a lot of people gathering in a place, which may comprise a few coronavirus-infected (asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic) individuals, may make you vulnerable to the infection. You might come into the contact with an infected person, and this can increase your risk of catching the infectious virus. So, avoid being a part of a crowd during the pandemic.
6. Refrain from touching your Mouth, Eyes and Nose often: Your mouth, eyes, and nose are the entry points for the infectious coronavirus. As you happen to touch various common objects, such as the doorknobs, table surfaces, and railings, which might have been touched by an infected person, the risk of coronavirus getting on your fingers and hands increases. If you happen to touch your mouth, eyes, or nose with an un-sanitized hand, the infectious virus might get in your body and infect you. So, be sure you keep your hands off your face as much as possible.
7. Inculcate Safe Respiratory Hygiene Habits: When you cough or sneeze, be sure to cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief or disposable tissue. You can also cough or sneeze on your bent elbow. If you are using a disposable tissue, dispose it off in a closed trash bin immediately after its use.
8. Disinfect Frequently Touched Objects: Doorknobs, tables, chairs, and cell phones are some of the frequently touched objects that carry a high risk of having the coronavirus on them. If you happen to touch these objects when they carry the virus, you get exposed to the high risk of getting infected. Use a good disinfectant and sanitize as many of such frequently touched objects as possible to avoid the transmission of the virus.
9. Never share Personal Domestic Items: Personal belongings, such as razors, towels, spoons, water-drinking glasses and others, are likely to have the infectious virus on them if an infected individual uses them. While you care for yourself, you would also want to care for your beloved family. If you happen to get infected at any time, your personal belongings are bound to carry the virus. So, do not share your personal items with anyone to avoid the spread of the virus. As extra care, wash your household personal belongings with a good soap after using them.
10. Quit Smoking and Drinking Alcohol: Smoking is highly harmful to your lung health. In these critical times of pandemic, you need to have good lung health and if you smoke, you end up injuring your lungs. This increases your risk of getting infected. Also, drinking alcohol affects your health adversely and decreases your immunity. So, do not smoke or drink alcohol. Follow a healthy diet comprising all nutrients to enjoy good health and boost your immunity.

II. DETECTION – Diagnostic Measures That Help You Detect the Infection

Detecting the infection in the infected people is another crucial and effective step that helps curb the spread of the COVID-19 in the masses. Here are some tips that can help you detect the hazardous viral infection.

1. Experiencing Symptoms: If you happen to experience any discomforting symptoms, such as dry cough, high temperature or fever, fatigue, body aches, diarrhoea, loss of smell or taste, sore throat, or headache, it might be an indication of you being infected with the novel coronavirus. Breathing difficulties, pain or pressure in your chest, and a drop in the oxygen saturation levels are some severe symptoms of COVID-19. It is better to consult an experienced doctor when you experience mild symptoms. Also, getting tested for the infection can help you in receiving the right line of treatment.
2. Go for RT-PCR Test: RT-PCR Test stands for Reverse Transcriptase – Polymerase Chain Reaction Test. It is effective in detecting nucleic acid from the SARS-COV-2 from the respiratory specimen of the potentially infected individual. Thus, this lab test helps in detecting the actual genetic material of the virus and, thus, the possibility of being infected. It’s an accurate and reliable diagnostic test that helps determine the active viral infection in the body. If RT-PCR Test gives positive outcomes, you need to follow all recommended COVID-19 protocols. These include having the prescribed medicines, isolating yourself from the rest, eating healthy food, and monitoring vital parameters and oxygen saturation levels
3. Do Antigen Test: Rapid antigen test is yet another diagnostic test to detect the infection in patients who are experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19. This test is effective in detecting certain specific proteins in the coronavirus, if they are present in your specimen. Usually, a nasal swab is enough to provide as a specimen. Antigen test offers you results quickly, as soon as in about 30 minutes. Although positive outcomes of the antigen test are regarded as accurate, there are high chances of getting false-negative outcomes. RT-PCR test offers more accurate results than antigen test. So, depending on your health condition, your doctor may recommend an RT-PCR test.
4. Opt for Self-testing Kit: If you wish to test yourself for coronavirus infection without leaving your home, go for the self-testing kit. With the efforts of pathologists and researchers, India has seen launch of self-testing kit in recent months. CoviSelf is an ICMR approved self-testing kit that can help you detect whether you are COVID-positive or not at your place without having to visit any testing center or laboratory. Buy the self-testing kit, follow the instructions provided in the manual in the kit, carry out the test by using the apparatus that the self-testing kit provides, and you get the results in a few minutes.

III. ISOLATION – Isolating the infected individual from the rest of the family and society is the key to stop the spread of the deadly infection.

Here are some helpful tips to follow when you happen to get infected by the coronavirus infection.

1. Self-Isolation: For those experiencing mild symptoms of COVID-19, self-isolation or being home quarantined is the key to have rest and curb the spread of the infection. Even patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19 are isolated but in a hospital under constant medical care. While you are in self-isolation, be sure your room is well-ventilated and clean. Avoid getting in contact with anyone from your family or society. Being self-isolated prevents your contact with other people, and this helps in preventing the spread of the viral infection from you to any other individual.
2. Symptom Monitoring: While isolated, monitor your symptoms. Take teleconsultation with an experienced Doctor. If your symptoms get aggravated or there are new symptoms, your doctor will guide you if you need to go to a hospital to receive the right and effective medical care. So, keep a check on your symptoms while quarantined.
3. Sanitization: It is crucial that the clothes, bedsheets, and other linens of the isolated individual are sanitized and washed separately by using a good detergent. Also, various utensils, such as spoons, cups, plates, and other items, that the quarantined individual uses should be washed using a good soap separately.
4. Doctor Consultation: Tele-consultation with a certified doctor while in isolation helps you greatly in improving your health and enjoy a smooth recovery from the infection. Doctors study and do an analysis of the severity of the infection affecting your body. The treating doctor may also prescribe certain effective medicines based on your health condition. Anti-tussives, antipyretics, and vitamin and mineral supplements are some of the medications that a doctor may recommend you to have while in quarantine, depending on your condition.

IV. INTERVENTION: Medical Intervention by Certified Doctors and Specialists Helps Promote Smooth Recovery From COVID-19

a. Specialist Intervention: The intervention of a specialist doctor can work wonders in promoting your recovery from the coronavirus infection. Here are some recommended specialist interventions that can help you enjoy a smooth recovery and improved health.

b. Nutritionist Consultation: The guidance of a qualified nutritionist helps you follow a healthy and right diet for a speedy recovery. A nutritionist may recommend you to have a sufficient intake of vitamins, such as vitamin C and D, and minerals, such as zinc and iron. Also, the nutritionist may recommend you to follow a diet comprising foods rich in proteins and moderate in fats and carbohydrates, drink a lot of water, and limit the intake of processed foods, sugar, and salt.

c. Physiotherapist Consultation: Consulting a certified physiotherapist helps in enhancing your respiratory muscle function and minimizing your fatigue and muscle pain. Performing the exercises as directed by a physiotherapist can help in improving your lung health immensely. Chest mobility exercises, pursed-lip breathing exercises, back extension exercises, regular breathing exercises, proning, and deep diaphragmatic breathing exercises are some effective exercises that a physiotherapist may teach you to improve your lung and respiratory health and promote your recovery.

•  Psychologist Consultation: While recovering from the coronavirus infection and while in isolation, you might feel stressed out or depressed. Stress, anxiety, and depression can affect your health adversely. To overcome these psychological challenges, seek consultation from a certified psychologist. A psychologist will analyse your emotional and mental state and counsel and treat you. This will help minimize your depression and stress and enable you to develop a positive approach while recovering.

• Clinical Management: Clinical management is highly beneficial to COVID-19 patients. Certified nurses need to monitor you twice daily, maintain a record of the severity of your symptoms, note all your vital parameters, and co-ordinate with your treating doctor with all your medical details. Oxygen saturation level, blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate, and respiratory rate are some crucial parameters that the nurses monitor and note daily and provide them to your treating doctor. This gives a clear picture to your doctor and helps you receive the right and effective medical treatment for a speedy recovery.

• Symptomatic Urgent Care: If you happen to suffer from serious symptoms, such as shortness of breath, pain in the chest, extreme weakness, a great drop in the oxygen saturation level, you need urgent medical care. In such circumstances, the doctor may recommend you urgent hospitalization so that you receive the best medical care from the appropriate healthcare professionals.

How to Mask-up Correctly for the Maximum Protection Against Coronavirus Infection?

While wearing a mask is an inevitable measure that each one of us must follow during this pandemic and in every phase of PDII, wearing it correctly is far more important to keep the deadly virus at bay. Here are some helpful tips that can help put on the mask on your face correctly and get maximum protection against the virus.

1. Mask-up Your Nose and Mouth: Wear the mask in such a way that it covers your mouth and nose, thereby preventing the entry of droplets and microbes, such as viruses, into your body.
2. Go for Double Mask: A double mask is efficient enough to block up to 85.4% of the infectious virus particles. So, opt for it.
3. Don’t Combine the N95 mask with any other kind of mask: N95 mask offers sufficient protection against the virus. Refrain from doubling it up with any other kind of mask.
4. Choose Knotted and Tucked Surgical Mask Over a Cloth One: It is important to note that a cloth mask blocks 51.4 % of the infectious virus particles, while a tucked and knotted 3-ply surgical mask blocks up to 77% of the hazardous virus particles. Knowing this, it is wise to wear a knotted and tucked 3-ply surgical mask instead of a cloth mask. An unknotted surgical mask happens to block merely 56.1% of the virus particles, so be sure that your mask is well-knotted while you wear it.
5. Avoid Combining 2 Surgical Masks: A knotted and tucked 3-ply surgical mask is sufficient to keep the virus at bay. Do not combine two 3-ply masks and wear them. This may make you feel uncomfortable.
6. Opt for Masks with Embedded Metal Wire: Wearing a mask having an embedded metal wire covering the nose is quite effective in preventing the entry of viruses and microbes through your nose. Such a mask fits snuggly well around your nose and offers you maximum protection against the infectious virus.
7. Follow Mask Etiquettes: It is extremely important to follow mask etiquettes for the best protection and regulation of the spread of the virus. Here are some helpful, effective mask etiquettes that you should follow.
8. Do not wear your mask below your nose or below your mouth. Your mask should cover your nose and mouth well to prevent the entry of viruses into your body.
9. Never shift your mask above your nose exposing your mouth and nose.
10. Avoid touching your worn mask with un-sanitized or unwashed hands.

7 Helpful Tips to Remove the used Mask Appropriately and Dispose it off safely:

There are certain safety protocols that you should follow while removing the used mask and disposing it off safely. Check out these safety tips to remove and dispose of the used mask properly.

1. Sanitize your Hands: Use a good hand sanitizer and sanitize your hands before you touch the used mask on your face to remove it. This will help prevent the risk of infection from your hands to the face.
2. Remove your Mask: After you sanitize your hands, remove your mask by removing the ear loops from the back of your ear. Avoid touching the front side of the contaminated mask, and, also, avoid touching your face with your hands after touching your mask.
3. Fold Mask in Half: After you carefully remove the mask, bring it down way below your face and then fold it in half. Don’t be in a hurry to fold it in half while removing it when it is very near your face. Get it down and then fold it properly in half.
4. Wrap Mask with Ear Loops: Now, using the ear loops of the mask, wrap up the folded mask properly before you dispose it off.
5. Place Mask in a Paper Bag: Get a disposable paper bag and place the wrapped mask safely in it.
6. Dispose Mask into a Bin: Close or fold the opening of the paper bag that contains the used mask, so that the mask does not get out of the bag once you dispose of the bag in the trash bin. Once you are done with closing the opening of the paper bag, dispose of the bag in the trash bin.
7. Disinfect Your Hands Again: After you dispose off the used mask by following all these steps, sanitize your hands by using a good hand sanitizer.

11 Easy DIY Steps to Follow If You Get Exposed to COVID-19:

Even though the PDII strategies are the best to follow to beat the pandemic, here are some quick tips that you can follow all by yourself if you think you have been exposed to the highly infectious coronavirus disease.

1. Quarantine Yourself: Isolating yourself from your family and the rest of society can help curb the spread of the virus. So, if you think you have been infected or have come in contact with an infected individual, you may go for home isolation.
2. Monitor Yourself: Monitor your symptoms and vital parameters when in isolation. This helps you learn whether you are recovering or your health is deteriorating. If you feel any aggravation in any of the symptoms, seek medical attention.
3. Eat Healthy and Practice Exercises: Following a healthy diet rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals can help promote your recovery smoothly. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Also, perform breathing exercises to improve your lung capacity and health. Avoid strenuous exercises in isolation.
4. Steam and Gargle: Having steam and gargling helps in eliminating the harmful virus from your respiratory system. So, gargle three times a day with warm water mixed with turmeric and salt. Have steam daily for 15 minutes.
5. Disinfect Surfaces: Surfaces that you often touch may have infectious viruses on them. So, disinfect the commonly used surfaces, such as tables and doorknobs, by using a good disinfectant.
6. Complete 14-day Isolation Period: It is advisable to stay quarantined for 14 days if you have been infected or exposed to the coronavirus infection. Be sure you complete your home quarantine span to restrict the spread of the disease and obtain relief.
7. Get Tested: If you are experiencing an increase in the symptoms or their severity, get tested for the viral infection. It will help you receive the right line of treatment and medical care.
8. Consult a Doctor: Consulting a certified doctor helps you receive the right and effective medical care and recover from the infection smoothly. The doctor may prescribe some medicines to obtain relief from the discomforting symptoms.
9. Do Not Share Belongings: To avoid the spread of the infection, refrain from sharing your personal belongings with any other individual, that also includes your family member.
10. Wash Hands: Wash your hands often by using a good soap. Eat only after washing your hands thoroughly with soap.
11. Wear a Mask: Wearing a mask is a prime requirement to regulate the spread of the viral infection when you happen to get infected. Make sure that you follow all the above instructions while wearing, removing, and disposing of the mask.

Now that you know all these simple yet highly effective tips and the effective PDII model very well, be sure you and your beloved ones follow it to enjoy good health and stay safe during these challenging times of this pandemic. Let’s beat the impending tired wave and stay safe. If you or any of your near and dear ones have any queries or happen to experience any potential symptoms of the coronavirus disease, you can contact us at Nightingales on 1800 103 4530 or https://www.nightingales.in. Our certified doctors and healthcare professionals will be pleased to treat you and help you achieve good health. Be safe and enjoy good health.