WHAT IS CORONA VIRUS (COVID-19) – HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

Corona viruses (COVID-19) make up a large family of viruses that can infect birds and mammals, including humans. There are many different kinds, and some cause disease. A newly identified type, called 2019 novel corona virus, has caused a recent outbreak of respiratory illness that started in China. While some corona viruses have caused devastating epidemics, others cause mild to moderate respiratory infections, like the common cold.

2019 novel coronavirus appeared in Wuhan, a city in China, in December 2019. Although health officials are still tracing the exact source of this new coronavirus, early hypotheses thought it may be linked to a seafood market in Wuhan, China. This virus probably originally emerged from an animal source but now seems to be spreading from person to person. The virus has been detected in people throughout China and 24 other countries, including the United States.

The official name COVID-19 was announced on 11 February by the World Health Organization (WHO). The director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: “We had to find a name that did not refer to a geographical location, an animal, an individual or group of people, and which is also pronounceable and related to the disease. Having a name matters to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatising.

It appears that symptoms are showing up in people within 14 days of exposure to the virus. 2019 novel coronavirus causes viral maskmonia, with symptoms including: cough, fever, shortness of breath, in rare cases it can lead to severe respiratory problems, kidney failure or death.

If you believe you have these symptoms and you have traveled to Wuhan, China, within 14 days, contact your health care provider right away. Call before you go to the doctor’s office or emergency room, and tell them about your symptoms and recent travel.

As of now, there is not a specific treatment for the virus. People who become sick from this coronavirus should be treated with supportive measures: those that relieve symptoms. For severe cases, there may be additional options for treatment, including research drugs and therapeutics. As of Feb. 12, 2020, 1,115 deaths have been attributed to the virus.

To protect yourself from 2019 novel coronavirus:

1. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly for at least 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.

2. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash

3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands

4. Stay home when you are sick

5. Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects people frequently touch

Can wearing a face mask protect you from the new coronavirus?
NO, a regular surgical mask will not help you steer clear of the virus. Health experts and mask makers said a properly used reusable N95 respirator mask certified by an independent agency can guard against the virus. The respirator is thicker than a surgical mask.

A mask is better than no protection at all and also prevents dirty hands from touching the face. Masks are often worn in far east Asian countries as a means to not only prevent infection, but transmission to others. As it is not always possible, nor realistic, for everyone to stay at home and quarantine themselves over a slight cold, wearing a mask is a good compromise to mitigate transmission while being considerate of others.

Every objects, including our human body, emit infrared energy. Non-contact infrared thermal image use infrared radiation to measure the surface temperature of an objects (such as skin temperature), which are reflected in different colors on the screen of the infrared thermal imager. The infrared thermal imager triggers an alarm when it detects that a person’s body temperature is higher than normal range. Although the infrared thermal imager is designed for industrial usage, at some point, the technology can also play a key role in the public well fare.

Medical staff and government agencies have been using non-contact infrared thermal imaging cameras to quickly detect people in public places for abnormal body temperature which were suspiciously caused by the virus infection. The infrared (IR) or thermal image generated by the non-contact infrared camera can detect very slight temperature differences, so that the relevant units can immediately identify people with abnormal body temperature and isolate them from the crowd immediately for further evaluation.

Thermal Imager can be used at:
• Airport, seaport, bus and train station
• Hospitals and schools
• Factories and commercial buildings
• Stadium events and conferences
• Other public gathering areas

The portable temperature detection system we provide is easy to deploy in any sites and location with different scenarios. The solution also has a very convenient and compact battery-powered option. Thus, the system requires only minimal manpower and is easy to use, understand and operate. They are also extremely flexible to set up and install in any manner which is less instructive among the crowd. Additionally, in non-pandemic situation, it can be converted to be used for maintenance and predictive maintenance application.

Advantages of non-contact infrared thermal imager:
• Non-contact: reduces the chance of disease transmission and infection
• able to quickly scan the temperature of a large group of people in the same time
• Infrared temperature measurement is completely safe and harmless and will not endanger public safety
• Able to scan moving objects without hindering pedestrian flow

At CT Precise Engineering Sdn Bhd, we are providing body temperature scanning solution and a varieties of particulate respirator/mask such as N95 (FFP2), N100 (FFP3), and 3 ply surgical (clinical) masks for your protection.

Kindly contact us for further clarification on the best solution to choose from.