Solving The COVID 19 Puzzle: Answers To All Your Queries

Although it is known that the virus spreads from people to people through droplets from the nose or mouth through coughing or sneezing, it is still not clear if the virus particles in the faeces of an infected person can transmit the disease.

Representational Picture (PTI)

New Delhi: Even as the world is bravely putting up with the deadly SARS-CoV-2, there are several questions still baffling communities around us. From doctors, scientists, researchers to political leaders and public health experts everyone is trying to figure out the mystery behind COVID 19. Do you know how contagious it is? Although it is known that the virus spreads from people to people through droplets from the nose or mouth through coughing or sneezing, it is still not clear if the virus particles in the faeces of an infected person can transmit the disease. Does everyone show symptoms? Of the 550,000 cases reported worldwide, more than 127,000 have recovered and more than 24,000 have died. It has been estimated by researchers that up to 80 per cent infected show no or only mild symptoms and may not be even aware of their sickness. Does it affect only the old population? According to WHO, older people with pre-existing conditions - such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease - appear to develop serious illness more often than others. While younger people, maybe less vulnerable, can still catch the infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus resulting in similar complications from the disease. Even those with weakened immune systems, are at increased risk. Can you still catch it after recovery? It is not at all clear because there are only a handful of cases of possible "reinfection" in recovered patients. Even as the patient may feel better and test negative for the virus in nose and throat, the virus may remain elsewhere in their body. Fully recovered patients have antibodies in their blood that should protect from fresh infection, but there is no idea how long those antibodies will last. With some viruses, antibodies fade faster. Even if they do persist, SARS-CoV-2 might undergo small changes over time, as flu viruses do each year, rendering the antibodies ineffective. How long will the pandemic last? Nobody has any idea about the longevity of this virus, and hence the pandemic. It will depend on a range of factors, from how long people continue to isolate and avoid group gatherings to when effective drugs or a vaccine become available. For instance, in Hubei province, the epicenter of China's coronavirus outbreak, life has started to come back to normal after two months of lockdown. It's still not clear how long will it take for others to return to normalcy.