It’s difficult not to be bombarded with information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) breakout wherever you turn and to know whether these sources are reliable or not. We were fortunate enough to ask Dr Anne Mier, one of London’s leading doctors in respiratory and general medicine about the symptoms of coronavirus, who is most likely at risk and the sensible steps that you should follow to minimise chances of catching the virus.
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a group of viruses that can cause illnesses ranging from a common cold to a more severe disease such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).
A novel coronavirus (nCoV) such as COVID-19 is a new strain that has not previously been seen in humans. Coronaviruses are zoonotic, i.e. they are transmitted between animals and people. It has been shown that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from camels to humans.
COVID-19 has been classified as an airborne high consequence infectious disease (HCID) and so differs from flu.
People may be infectious without actually having symptoms themselves which makes it more dangerous than flu and easier for the illness to spread in the community.
HCIDs typically have a higher fatality rate, may not have effective treatment and are often difficult to recognise and detect rapidly.
Initial symptoms, which typically come on about four days after contact with the virus, may include:
After two to three days, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties can develop.
In more severe cases the infection can cause:
People who are frail, those over the age of 65, those with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes and people who are immunocompromised. Up to now, children below the age of 10 appear to be at lower risk.
Airborne HCIDs are spread by respiratory droplets or aerosol transmission, in addition to contact with an infected patient, infected fluids, tissues and other contaminated materials. It is highly advisable to avoid close contact - less than 2 metres - with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.
Standard recommendations to prevent spread of infection include:
If you are worried that you are showing signs of coronavirus, please contact the NHS 111 line for further advice. To stay up-to-date on what’s happening, we recommend that you refer to the UK government’s website for reliable information.
Dr Mier specialises in treating asthma, allergies, chest infection and cough. You can book an appointment to see her via her Top Doctor’s profile.
If you are currently in self-isolation or practising social distancing and need to speak to a medical specialist, you can speak to a doctor using our remote e-Consultation service. Find out more here.
