Medical opinions on how to prevent corona virus

Damascus, (ST)-Amid reports about the spread of Coronavirus in more than 50 countries and the registration of about 85 thousand infections and 3 thousand deaths, most of them in China, questions are raised about the methods of infection prevention that doctors assure are as simple as adhering to the rules of personal hygiene and avoiding respiratory infections and not dealing with animals without protection.

The head of the internal division of Ibn Al-Nafees Hospital, Dr. Mazen Kseibati, said that the infection of the new corona virus does not pass through the air, but rather through direct contact with the patient and exposure to droplets of his cough or sneezing, and therefore there is no need to wear a mask. “oOnly doctors, health workers, and patients themselves have to put the mask”.

Dr. Kseibati explained  that symptoms of infection with Covid 19 virus, as the World Health Organization called it heat, dry cough, shortness of breath and general fatigue, can heal spontaneously without treatment and in a few cases  the complications may develop to threaten life .

Ksebati recommended prevention to adhere to the rules of personal hygiene and frequent hand washing for 20 seconds, food is cooked well because heat can kill the virus.

Head of the Department of Communicable and Chronic Diseases at the Damascus Health Directorate, Dr. Saad Qusayri, and at a symposium organized today by the Syndicate of Damascus Teachers in the Al-Assad Library, he explained that the effect of the new corona virus is more dangerous for people who suffer from heart failure, chronic respiratory diseases and kidney failure warning against taking antibiotics at random.

Qusayri recommended to teach preventive behaviors for children, such as putting hands on the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, using tissue paper and disposing of it safely, and not sending the child to school in case the flu symptoms appear on him.

It is noteworthy that Syria has not yet recorded any infection with Corona virus, and the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the World Health Organization recently prepared its reference laboratory with all diagnostic methods related to the emerging virus to detect any suspected case while continuing to apply its precautionary measures to border crossings and airports to ensure the safety of arrivals to Syria And follow up their health cases within 14 days, which is the incubation period of the virus.

Haifaa Mafalani