Background on the global situation
Overall, this is a fast-changing situation, and the spread of the virus is rapidly becoming world-wide. It is likely that there is going to be little chance to contain the spread, despite some strong measures being taken by several governments.
It does not seem that it is going to be possible to stop Corvid-19 spreading across all communities eventually. The only mitigating aspect at the moment, is the virus is not as pathogenic (disease-causing) as SARS; the mortality rate appears to be 1% – 4%, depending on the community and report. In addition, it would seem that the large majority of deaths are from those with co-morbidities (ie already having another disease problem), and extremes of age.
Thus, every person and organisation, has to exercise self-responsibility regarding activities (such as air travel), and also vigilance of one’s own health and the health of those around. If someone becomes symptomatic (see below for typical symptoms), that person, and those around them, must take proportionate and supportive action to assess whether this is possibly Covid-19, or another form of infection. Actually, another viral infection is much more likely, given that this is winter in the northern hemisphere, and viral infections are very common.
How deadly is this coronavirus?
Based on data from 44,000 patients with this coronavirus, the WHO says:
- 81% develop mild symptoms
- 14% develop severe symptoms
- 5% become critically ill
The proportion dying from the disease, which has been named Covid-19, appears low (between 1% and 4%) – but the figures are unreliable.
Thousands are still being treated but may go on to die – so the death rate could be higher. But it is also unclear how many mild cases remain unreported – so the death rate could also be lower.
To put this into context, about one billion people catch influenza every year, with between 290,000 and 650,000 deaths. The severity of flu changes every year.
What are the symptoms?
It seems to start with a fever, followed by a dry cough.
After a week, it leads to shortness of breath and some patients require hospital treatment. Notably, the infection rarely seems to cause a runny nose or sneezing.
How can I protect myself?
WHO says:
- Wash your hands – soap or hand gel can kill the virus
- Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing– ideally with a tissue – and wash your hands afterwards, to prevent the virus spreading
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth– if your hands touch a surface contaminated by the virus, this could transfer it into your body
- Don’t get too close to people coughing, sneezing or with a fever– they can propel small droplets containing the virus into the air – ideally, keep 1m (3ft) away
So – generally good personal hygiene and awareness of one’s own health, and the health of those around you are probably the main ways of minimising the risk of contracting the virus.
Screening for crew and guests on-board
Each day, for anyone who reports feeling unwell (with symptoms above), or appears to be unwell, a simple temperature check would be wise. A temperature of over 38°C would trigger concern of an infection, but not necessarily Covid-19. For anyone with such a temperature, medical advice should be sought.
Action required if there is a suspected case on board the vessel
On a vessel, if someone is suspected of having contracted Covid-19, they should be isolated and medical advice sought as a matter of urgency. If in port, the local medical authorities should be alerted directly, and arrangements made to safely transfer the person to the local hospital for further assessment and treatment if necessary.
Hygiene for the vessel
There is reasonable evidence that there is a risk of the virus being picked up from surfaces touched or sneezed on by an infected person. Therefore it is wise to make sure all common surfaces, such as door handles, handrails etc, are cleaned several times a day. Chlorhexidine-containing surface cleaning agents and wipes are probably the best form to use.
Additional hygiene items and equipment for vessels
- Hand cleaner – alcohol or Chlorhexidine-based
- Face masks (N95 respirator type or similar) for those who are symptomatic, prior to testing;
- Surface cleaning fluid and cloths – Chlorhexidine-based
- Thermometers – surface IR versions / tympanic (ear) versions / oral digital versions
- Test kits for Covid-19 – only available in hospitals at present, but these are under development for wider use.
It is worth noting that such supplies are already in very short supply, having been acquired by governments and health authorities.
Quarantine period
Internationally, this is being taken as 14 days, ideally in personal isolation. This may well reduce risk of passing on the infection, but may not completely eliminate the risk that someone may still pass on Covid-19 after being in quarantine for 14 days. It may be wise to quarantine anyone arriving on-board, who has arrived from a high-risk area such as the Far East, or other hot-spots such as north Italy.
The incubation period
This is the time between infection and showing any symptoms – and may last up to 14 days, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
But some researchers say it may be as long as 24 days.
And Chinese scientists say some people may be infectious even before their symptoms appear.
Sources of advice on Covid-19
There are many sources of advice on all aspects of Covid-19, with a wide range of advice. Thus it is sensible to refer to government sites only, and that of the WHO. The main ones are listed below:
NHS Fit for Travel (UK) website:
https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/news/newsdetail.aspx?id=23670
CDC (USA) website:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/index.html
WHO website:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
0 Comments