Experts point out that the most important issue in the fight against coronavirus, which has become an epidemic in the world and in our country, is correct information and emphasize that authorized names should be taken into consideration. Experts drew attention to the importance of providing accurate information within the scope of the Ministry of Health's guidelines for those who are confused between very different speeches and information. Pointing out that the incubation period in coronavirus can be as short as 2 days and as long as 14 days, Dr. Songül Özer said that the first and most important rule is hand washing. Özer; "There is a limit in hand washing, the important thing here is not to wash hands every minute. We entered a closed place, we took the bus, when we come home, let's wash our hands with normal water and normal soap."
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Brain Hospital Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Specialist Dr. Songül Özer stated that the coronavirus has been in our lives for a long time and said that the most important issue in the fight against the epidemic is information.
Stating that the coronavirus starts with symptoms like flu, Dr. Songül Özer; "These symptoms may be runny nose, dry cough, mild headache, but the most important symptom is a fever that exceeds 38 degrees and lasts for a very long time. Then there is a dry cough or rapidly typical respiratory distress symptom, inability to breathe. This is the most typical symptom. One difference from the flu is that the patient deteriorates much faster. Secondly, in influenza, muscle-joint pain, weakness, symptoms of falling into bed are very common, but influenza rarely causes pneumonia, but this coronavirus is very mild at the beginning and then immediately causes pneumonia."
How is it transmitted? What is the incubation period of the virus?
Pointing out that especially on social media channels, statements that are said to be true but are actually false are circulating, Dr. Songül Özer emphasizes the following about the transmission and incubation period of the coronavirus: "A lot of things are said on social media, but some of them are wrong. Let's say we have the virus, it has an incubation period between 2 and 14 days. When we look at the cases to date, we see that it mostly lasts five or six days. The incubation period can be as short as two days and as long as 14 days. The incubation period is the period after you get the virus until you start to see the first symptoms. Sneezing, coughing, watery eyes and high fever are the first symptoms. Of course, since it is a respiratory infection, it is transmitted through respiratory secretions. It is not transmitted through blood, urine or the food we eat and drink, this has been confirmed. When there is a distance of more than one meter between us and the healthy person, we must either sneeze and cough directly into his/her face, or our respiratory secretions must contaminate an inanimate surface and that surface must be touched by another person's bare hands without being cleaned and touch his/her mouth, eyes and nose without washing his/her hands. In other words, there must be a respiratory secretion, a respiratory secretion carrying a virus. Here, as published in the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, the following is very important: Close distance of less than one meter and contact for longer than fifteen minutes. These two sentences should not be forgotten. We should not forget that a person in the incubation period or a person with mild symptoms can also be contagious."
Does everyone who gets coronavirus die?
Emphasizing that the necessary precautions should be taken without being too complacent about the coronavirus, but without panicking too much, Dr. Songül Özer; "We need to take our precautions without being on the edge. It is necessary to know what we are facing but to act correctly without fear. It is very wrong to be too complacent and say 'it is exaggerated, it is a normal flu, it comes and goes, it does not kill'. The number of deaths in the world has reached high numbers, but it is also wrong to panic too much. Being too panicked, excessive consumption of disinfectants and excessive hand washing can disrupt people's psychology. It is necessary to take precautions. Some people are more at risk, and when this disease passes, the symptoms are much more severe. Therefore, the people who lose their lives are in that risky group. These are our elders over the age of 65. Those who have other diseases, heart failure, chronic kidney failure, lung disease are in the risky group. The most important of these are those who suffer from respiratory distress, which we call COPD patients. Those who have been diagnosed with cancer in any part of their body, those who have received chemotherapy, radiotherapy, organ transplantation. These people are also risky groups against coronavirus infection like many other diseases."
Measures are taken step by step in the fight against the pandemic
Drawing attention to the importance of the work of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Songül Özer; "There are question marks about why all the measures taken were not taken together. I would like to point out that measures are taken step by step in the fight against the pandemic. We monitor the cases, we look at the development of the disease, we tighten the level of precaution one more degree. If this is not done in steps, social life will be reset. If we say don't panic and on the other hand take all the measures at once, you will cause too much panic. It is the job of us experts to be cautious, to monitor, to tighten the measures. For this reason, we emphasize that we should apply what the experts and the Scientific Committee of the Ministry of Health say. This is the most important struggle."
The first and most important rule for coronavirus is hand washing
Emphasizing that the first and most important rule in coronavirus is hand washing, Dr. Songül Özer; "There is a limit in hand washing, the important thing here is not to wash hands every minute. We entered a closed place, took the bus, etc. When we come home, let's wash our hands with normal water and normal soap. We don't necessarily need antibacterial soaps. Normal soap and normal tap water is enough for us. The temperature of the water is also important. We should wash our hands with water at normal room temperature. Extremely hot water causes irritation on your skin and opens the pores, and when the pores open, it is easier for other micro-organisms to enter, but not the coronavirus. It is enough to wash your hands with normal water and normal soap for about twenty seconds. Should we use alcohol-based disinfectant when we cannot find water? Know that alcohol-based disinfectant does not remove or clean the dirt on your hands. On the contrary, it fixes it, that is, it makes it permanent. Alcohol-based disinfectant ensures that what is clean stays clean. In other words, if your hands are dirty, you will wash them with normal water and soap and then use the disinfectant if necessary. The main thing is water and soap."
Who should use masks and how?
Stating that there is no need for a mask in the open air alone or in a place where there are people with a distance of more than one meter between them, Dr. Songül Özer said, "It is necessary to be careful about contact for more than fifteen minutes at a distance of one meter. We need to think a little bit about why we always say this sentence. What does it mean to be in contact closer than one meter in a closed environment for more than fifteen to fifteen minutes? You entered a restaurant, it is a very cramped place. If you have to go in, if you have to communicate with someone, wear your mask. You don't know what the other person is. But under normal circumstances, you don't need to go everywhere with a mask in a panic. It is wrong to wear it especially when walking outdoors. But you have to take the metrobus, in a cramped environment, of course wear your mask there. Not only for corona. Let's not forget this fact; today, the second reality of Turkey and the world after coronavirus is influenza. So seasonal flu. Therefore, it is necessary to be careful."
What kind of mask should be used?
Stating that she wears a normal mask even when examining patients, Dr. Songül Özer; "There are many masks on the market. For example, I am at a certain distance while examining the patient. But when I need to take a sample from the patient's throat or examine the inside of the mouth, then I wear an N95 type mask. Let's not forget that the mask we think protects us is actually a way of transmission. If you wear a mask, touch it while it is on your face and do not wash your hands after touching it, this is wrong. There are no germ-preventing chemicals in any of the masks. The mask is a filter. The mask keeps the incoming micro-organism on it. We should not wear a mask for longer than 4-6 hours. After this period, it is necessary to remove the mask by holding it by the ear, throw it in a trash can with a lid and wash hands with soap and water."
What should people coming from abroad do?
Dr. Songül Özer said that those who have been in contact with the definite case are called suspectedcases; "The people we call suspected cases must have been in contact with the person who has tested positive in the laboratory for more than 1 meter and for more than 15 minutes. The suspected case is a suspected case until a swab sample is taken from the throat and nose and sent to the laboratory, the test is run and tested positive. If the test comes back negative, the suspected case does not become a definite case. The suspicion disappears for a while. Monitoring is continued. In order for it to become a definite case, a positive result must come back from the laboratory. We call the person who comes into contact with the suspected case a close contact. The Ministry of Health's recommendation in this case is home quarantine. So, how do you do this? If possible, you will sleep in a separate room and separate your common belongings. Ventilate the room you are in frequently. You should wear a mask when going to common areas in the house and of course you should follow the hand washing rules. It is important to wash clothes at 60-90 degrees with normal detergent. You can use normal plates, glasses and forks, but we recommend washing them in the dishwasher."
Pregnant women should protect themselves more often
Stating that the coronavirus passes through respiratory secretions, Dr. Songül Özer said; "When we monitored pregnant women 6 months and older, we saw that the coronavirus is not transmitted through blood or placenta. Mothers who carry the virus can breastfeed their children. It does not pass into milk. Since the virus is still new, we could not monitor mothers in the 1st and 2nd trimesters because they have not yet given birth. But we also know that such infectious diseases are especially effective on pregnant women in the first trimester. So pregnant women in the first trimester should protect themselves more often than other people."
It is necessary not to be in crowded environments!
Drawing attention to the statements of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Songül Özer; "Everyone should take their own precautions. Schools were not canceled for sightseeing. Let's be aware of this. Let's not visit relatives for a while. Let's not mix with people as much as possible. Our immune system is very important. Saying that there is no medicine for this disease does not mean that we are sitting on our hands. There are medicines being tried. We just can't say exactly which one. This disease is very similar to SARS in terms of antigenic structure. We managed to eradicate SARS, so we shouldn't panic too much, but there is no specific drug yet. A vaccine is also being developed, but it will take at least a year."