How to handle the virus scare and to quarantine yourself

New Delhi: New cases of confirmed coronavirus infection across the country have led to a series of precautionary measures by government and school authorities, and panic particularly among residents of the National Capital Region. Much of the panic has been spread by alarmist messages via WhatsApp.

What actions are safe or unsafe, and what measures are necessary or unnecessary? Here is all you need to know:

What test is done for coronavirus? Are private laboratories equipped?

The first test that samples of all suspected patients are sent for is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. If that is positive, the sample is sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, which is the only government laboratory currently doing genome sequencing, for final confirmation. This final confirmatory test specific for the novel coronavirus was developed virtually overnight after the emergence of the disease.

Can masks contain the coronavirus infection?

Masks are effective in containing the spread of infection. Any person with a history of travel to affected areas or of contact with infected persons, and showing symptoms of the disease, should use a mask. It is also important for medical staff to use masks. For the general population, it is not essential to use masks at the current moment. In fact, masks come with their own hazards. For a person with an existing medical condition, wearing a mask may inadvertently complicate the situation. Many experts have noted that people may wear a mask incorrectly, and they can increase the risk of infection by touching their face more often.

Are hand sanitisers effective?

They are, provided they are alcohol-based and the alcohol content is more than 60 per cent. The US Centers for Disease Control "recommends washing hands with soap and water whenever possible because handwashing reduces the amounts of all types of germs and chemicals on hands. But if soap and water are not available, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60 per cent alcohol can help you avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others." Hand-washing, though, remains the first and best step, preferably with warm water.

Is it all right to send children for birthday parties and other such gatherings? Is it okay to use public transport?

Only if someone among the party's guests or hosts has a history of exposure to an infected person, or a history of travel to a country where cases have been reported, is it advisable to avoid throwing or attending a party. The same holds for passengers on public transport. If there is no such history, there is no bar on gatherings or public transport at the current moment. At the same time, it is of paramount importance to maintain basic coughing and sneezing etiquette, and to repeatedly wash or sanitise hands.

How to quarantine yourself?

Stay home unless you must see a doctor. No work, school or shopping. If you must come out of your room, wear a mask. And don't share towels.

What treatment is given to the patients of COVID-19?

There is no specific treatment. Patients are mostly given medicines for symptomatic relief — for example, paracetamol to bring down fever, sometimes medicines for relief from pain. Care is also taken to ensure they stay hydrated. The mortality of the virus is a little over 3 per cent, and for most patients the body's own immune system succeeds in fighting the virus. This is what happened with the first three cases in India — students from Kerala, who had come back from Wuhan. They showed steady improvement with symptomatic treatment, and eventually recovered and went home.

ICMR has obtained permission for "restricted use in public health emergency" of two second-line HIV medications to fight the novel coronavirus. Top Health Ministry officials said the combination of lopinavir and ritonavir has been approved for emergency medical use. Guidelines have been framed for the use of these drugs. Officials said the drugs are to be used only for the "vulnerable", as they are not without side effects.

However, WHO Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan had told The Indian Express last week: "Some small trials (of the combination) in China have reported negatives."

Seventy per cent of HIV-positive individuals in India are on first-line drugs. The medicines are manufactured in India mainly for export, mostly to African countries. with agency inputs