AIIMS LAUNCHES BOOKLET TO BUST CORONAVIRUS MYTHS

mid the coronavirus scar re in India, the All Indi a Institute of dica al Sciences (AIIMS) ued a booklet in order to st th he myth ro ounding the disease. Th he booklet, Covid-19 e careful, not rful, r is aimed at pelling the myths rrounding the ona scare. On the cover the words, ‘Follow cough etiquette, hand hygiene and personal care. Spread a word of precaution through your share,’ are written.

Talking about how the infected transmitted the virus, it said, “When a person suffering from this disease sneezes or coughs, a lot of droplets spread in the air or fall on the ground and nearby surfaces. If another person is nearby and inhales the droplets or touches these surfaces and then touches his face, eyes or mouth, he can get the infection. Chances are higher if one is within a distance of less than a meter from the infected person”.

The booklet claimed that at least 86% of people, which constituted a majority, will require no treatment as such and will recover on their own.

“A small proportion (less than 20%) may need hospitalisation and a very small proportion, mainly with underlying chronic illness, may need admission in intensive care unit (ICU),” said the booklet. It also said that, although the disease can occur in all age groups, the infection is generally mild in children. Older persons and persons with pre-existing medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes are at a high risk.

The AIIMS also asserted that persons having no symptoms are not supposed to use mask, rather observe hand hygiene, coughing and sneezing etiquette, maintaining social distance and monitoring one’s body temperature.