To understand how to protect yourself from coronavirus, it is crucial to learn how the disease spreads.
Primarily, the spread of the virus can be attributed to a person-to-person contamination. This can happen in two ways:
- By being in close contact with an infected person (at a distance of 6 feet or less).
- Through the respiratory droplets released into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land on your mouth and nose and in turn be inhaled into your lungs.
Apart from this, you also stand the chance of being infected by coming into contact of a surface contaminated with the virus and then touching your own nose, mouth or eyes.
The rapid transmission of the disease is one of the biggest causes of concern when it comes to containing it. Further, while healthy, young individuals are relatively at a lesser risk of getting infected, studies find that COVID-19 can be especially dangerous and even fatal for elderly individuals, and those with underlying health conditions.
Following is a look at how senior citizens, infants and those with underlying health conditions can adopt measures to protect themselves.