COVID-19 Coronavirus Symtoms and Treatment Information
Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2020/01/29 - Updated: 2025/02/05
Publication Type: Informative
Topic: Coronavirus Information - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: This article offers a thorough exploration of COVID-19, focusing on its implications for individuals with disabilities, older adults, and those managing chronic health conditions. It combines accessible explanations of the virus's transmission, symptoms, and prevention strategies with practical guidance tailored to populations at higher risk. The content emphasizes clear, actionable steps for minimizing exposure, accessing healthcare resources, and adapting daily routines to maintain safety without compromising independence. By addressing barriers faced by people with disabilities - such as communication challenges, mobility limitations, or reliance on caregivers - it provides inclusive recommendations that align with diverse needs. The article also highlights evolving public health guidelines, vaccine considerations, and strategies for mental well-being during the pandemic. Its straightforward approach bridges gaps in mainstream health messaging, making critical information more relatable and applicable to those often underserved in public health discussions - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
What is a Novel Coronavirus?
A novel coronavirus (CoV) is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people such as with MERS and SARS. At this time, it's unclear how easily or sustainably the COVID-19 virus is spreading between people.
Main Item
COVID-19 is now the official name for the 2019-nCoV disease. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has now identified an official name for the coronavirus previously known as: 2019_nCoV or nCoV19 and nCoV2019. The official name now is: COVID19. The name was adopted by a group of virologists who examined the taxonomy of this virus and followed WHO's naming guidance.
COVID-19
CO = Corona
VI = Virus
D = Disease
19 = Year the outbreak was first identified
The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a coronavirus virus identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China. Early on, many of the patients in the outbreak in Wuhan, China reportedly had some link to a large seafood and animal market, suggesting animal-to-person spread. However, a growing number of patients reportedly have not had exposure to animal markets, indicating person-to-person spread is occurring.
The 2019 Novel Coronavirus is not the same as the coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) or the coronavirus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). However, genetic analyses suggest this virus may have emerged from a virus related to SARS.
Coronavirus and COVID-19 Pandemic Awareness Ribbons
2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Symptoms
The U.S. CDC believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 after exposure. Fourteen (14) days is the longest known incubation period for this disease. Symptoms of COVID-19 can include:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Pneumonia and/or kidney failure
- Fever - NOTE: Fever may not be present in some patients, such as those who are very young, elderly, immunosuppressed, or taking certain fever-lowering medications.
What body temperature is considered to be feverish? Our human body temperature chart provides information and temperature conversion tables of body temperatures including normal, high (fever) and low readings.
People infected with COVID-19 may have little to no symptoms. You may not even know you have symptoms of COVID-19 because they are similar to a cold or flu.
The main symptoms for COVID-19 are fever, cough (dry and persistent) and shortness of breath, not due to a known chronic disease like COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), bronchial asthma or heart failure.
Other atypical symptoms could be headache, sore throat, nausea, diarrhea, muscle pain or joint pain, nausea or vomiting, nasal congestion, haemoptysis conjunctival congestion.
Approximately, 90% of patients have more than one symptom, and 15% of patients have fever, cough, and dyspnoea.
Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. More rarely, the disease can be serious and even fatal.
Older people, and people with other medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), may be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill.
Coronavirus infections are diagnosed by a health care provider based on symptoms and are confirmed through laboratory tests.
Prevention and Recommendations
- The U.S. CDC recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of all respiratory viruses, including:
- Stay home when you are sick: You should not leave your home, except to get medical care. Do not go to work, school, or public areas, and do not use public transportation or taxis.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick: Stay in a different room from other people in your home. Use a separate bathroom, if available.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, bedding, or other items with other people. After using items, you should wash them thoroughly with soap and water.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or you can cough or sneeze into your sleeve. Throw used tissues in a lined trash can, and immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Wear a facemask when you are in a room with other people and when you visit a healthcare provider. If you cannot wear a facemask, the people who live with you should wear one while they are in the same room with you.
- Do not handle pets or animals while sick. Although there have not been reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19, several types of coronaviruses can cause illness in animals and spread between animals and people. Wear a facemask if you must be around animals or care for a pet.
Difficulty Breathing?
Try this ICU breathing technique for those with COVID-19:
Treatment for COVID-19
There is currently no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment to prevent COVID-19 infection. People infected should receive supportive care to help relieve symptoms.
Health care providers should obtain a detailed travel history for patients being evaluated with fever and acute respiratory illness. CDC guidance for evaluating and reporting a PUI for MERS-CoV remains unchanged. For severe cases, treatment should include care to support vital organ functions.
People who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should contact your healthcare provider immediately! Before your medical appointment, call the healthcare provider and tell them that you have, or are being evaluated for, COVID-19 infection. This will help the healthcare provider's office take steps to keep other people from getting infected. Get medical care quickly if your illness is getting worse, for example if you are having trouble breathing.
COVID-19 May Have Originated in a Lab
The origin of COVID-19 is highly debated - most studies have focused on a zoonotic origin, but research from the journal Risk Analysis, examined the likelihood of an unnatural origin (i.e. from a laboratory.)
Research points to an unnatural origin as the likely source for COVID-19. The results indicate a greater likelihood of an unnatural than natural origin of the virus. The researchers used an established risk analysis tool for differentiating natural and unnatural epidemics, the modified Grunow-Finke assessment tool (mGFT) to study the origin of COVID-19.
This risk assessment cannot prove the specific origin of COVID-19 but shows that the possibility of a laboratory origin cannot be easily dismissed.
Author Credentials: Ian was born and grew up in Australia. Since then, he has traveled and lived in numerous locations and currently resides in Montreal, Canada. Ian is the founder, a writer, and editor in chief for Disabled World. Ian believes in the Social Model of Disability, a belief developed by disabled people in the 1970s. The social model changes the focus away from people's impairments and towards removing barriers that disabled people face daily. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and achievements, check out his bio.