• Coronavirus, which has been at the forefront of our country's and the world's agenda since January 2020, has been seen in 119 thousand of people in 118 countries. It is not a disease to be feared as its course and mortality rates can be seen clearly and there are treatment options. The precautions you take will protect you. Precaution saves, not panic.
• The disease was first reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on December 31, 2019, and has so far been reported in 46 other countries.
• Cases present with fever, respiratory distress, and dry cough and are confirmed by imaging and laboratory investigations.
• The deaths reported so far have been mostly in elderly people or people with concomitant systemic diseases. The overall mortality rate is around 2%. Under 9 years of age, there are no deaths, under 50 years of age the rate is four per thousand.
• To date, confirmed cases have mostly been reported from China, but recently twice as many cases have been reported from other countries as from China.
• The disease is transmitted from person to person. The transmission rate is not as high as with chickenpox.
• Since it is mainly transmitted by droplets, it requires close contact with the infected person, such as a distance of one meter.
• The time it takes for symptoms such as fever and respiratory distress to appear after infection varies between 2-20 days but is usually within 14 days.
• Coronavirus can be transmitted to people within one meter of the droplets released into the air by sneezes and coughs of sick people, by inhaling airborne droplets or by touching surfaces (such as door handles, elevator buttons) where droplets fall to the ground, by touching the mouth and eyes with hands.

Coronavirus Prevention

• Healthy people should cover their respiratory tract with a mask when they go outdoors.
• It is even more important for people with coughs, sneezes, and fever, even if they are allergic, to use masks when entering public areas.
• It may be meaningful for people who will be together with many people in closed areas to wear masks in terms of possible patient encounters.
• As the importance of surface-to-surface transmission has become more recognized, everyone who goes out of their homes must take care not to touch their face, eyes, and mouth after touching surfaces in common areas.
• It is protective for everyone who spends time outdoors to wash their hands frequently, to disinfect their hands with alcohol (the most readily available 60% cologne) if they cannot access water or a sink, and to wash their hands more often when they encounter sick people.
• Gargling the throat with warm water and consuming plenty of warm fluids can prevent the virus from settling.
• Good nutrition, being outdoors, ventilating indoor spaces, exercising, and paying attention to sleep patterns all have an impact on improving overall health and reducing the spread of the virus.
• It is safer to use stairs instead of elevators as much as possible as it increases the risk of being in a confined space.
• It is very important to wear a mask when going to a health facility when the symptoms of the disease start.