Understanding Covid-19

What is Covid-19?
There was an outbreak of a new coronavirus in China in December 2019. It has been named COVID-19.  This disease has spread to other countries.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold, to more severe diseases.

How is COVID-19 spread?

The COVID-19 is highly infectious and can spread easily. The virus is transmitted through direct contact with droplets from an infected person through:

• The air via coughing and sneezing.
• Close contact with an infected person such as touching or shaking hands.
• Touching an infected object then touching the mouth or eyes without washing hands.
• Contact with sick or wild animals.

How do I suspect I may have COVID-19?

Symptoms include fever, chest pain, tiredness, chills, headache, sore throat, and dry cough.

These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia or breathing difficulties and kidney failure.

The disease can be fatal.

If you suspect COVID-19 disease, you are advised to call the following Ministry of Health and Child Care Hotline Numbers: +263714 734 593 or +263774 112531  

How can I reduce the risk of infection with COVID-19?

• Avoid close contact (less than 1 meter) with anyone, especially if they have cold or flu-like symptoms.
• Prevent unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.
• Cover the nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue paper or flexed elbow.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
• Wash hands with soap and water at these times:

1. After sneezing or coughing
2. When caring for the sick,
3. After toilet use,
4. Before, during and after preparing food
5. Before eating food, whenever hands are dirty and
6. After handling animals or animal waste.
7. Before feeding the child
8. Whenever hands are dirty.

• Self-isolate for 14 days if you have come from a country with cases or have been in proximity to those with COVID-19.
• Avoid travelling to countries, cities or local areas were COVID-19 is spreading.

5. How can I as an Individual deal with stress during this period?

• It is normal to feel sad, distressed, worried, confused, scared or angry during a crisis. Talk to people you trust. Contact your friends and family
• If you must stay at home, maintain a healthy lifestyle (including a proper diet, sleep, exercise and social contact with loved ones at home).
• Keep in touch with family and friends through email, phone calls and making use of social media platforms.
• Don’t use tobacco, alcohol or other drugs to cope with your emotions.
• If you feel overwhelmed, talk to a health worker or a social worker, or another trusted person in your community (e.g. religious leader or community elder).
• Have a plan where to go and seek help for physical and mental health and psychosocial needs, if required.
• Decrease the time you and your family spending watching or listening to upsetting media.
• Put measures that prevent sexual abuse and exploitation for children in affected families e.g. children left alone due to quarantined parents. Link the children with community childcare workers (CCWs).

What else is the Ministry of Health and Child Care encouraging us to do?

• Discouraging the public from circulating incorrect messages on social media that cause unnecessary panic and fear among the people.
• Co-operating with health workers as they follow up people who have been to affected countries.
• Seeking correct information from your nearest health facility
• Reporting suspected cases to the nearest health facility.
• Postponing your visits to affected countries until the disease is under control

7. What is the MoHCC doing to prevent COVID-19 coming to Zimbabwe?

• All visitors and returning citizens from affected countries are being screened at the main points of entry.
• All visitors or returning citizens coming from affected countries are being followed up by trained health care workers for a period of 14 days
• Isolation facilities have been identified and are ready to receive cases in the event a case or suspect is identified. These facilities are Wilkins and Throngroove Hospitals
• Additional 11 isolation facilities are being identified and prepared in the areas next to the key port of entries.

Travellers

• Stay healthy while traveling:
• Avoid travel if you have fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.
• Seek medical care early and share your travel history with your health care provider
• Avoid close contact with people suffering from fever and cough (at least 1-meter distance)
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
• Avoid close contact and travel with animals
• Frequently clean hands using alcohol-based hand rub or was hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth with flexed elbow or tissue. Throw away the tissue into a bin right away and clean hands
• If wearing a mask cover noise and mouth and avoid touching it Immediately discard the single-use masks after each use and wash hands after removing the mask
• If you become sick during travel, immediately inform crew and seek medical care early
• Avoid close contact with anyone with a cold or flu-like symptoms
• Prevent unprotected contact with farm or wild animals
• Cover the nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue paper or flexed elbow
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
• Wash hands with soap and running water at these critical times:

1. After sneezing or coughing
2. When caring for the sick,
3. After toilet use,
4. Before eating food,
5. Before preparing food,
6. Whenever hands are dirty
7. After handling animals or animal waste.
8. Before feeding the child
9. Whenever hands are dirty

You can help control the spread of CONVID-19:

• Seek medical care early if experiencing fever, cough, or difficulty in breathing
• You can wear a mask when coughing or sneezing or when you are close to a suspected patient
• Seek more medical advice before coming into contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19
• If you choose to wear a mask to protect yourself:

1. Be sure to cover mouth and nose
2. Avoid touching mask once it’s on
3. Immediately discard single-use mask after each use
4. Wash hands after removing mask

Public transport operators and passengers

Persons exhibiting signs and symptoms of COVID-19 may use public transport to seek health care so public transport operators and other passengers may be at increased risk.

• Improve your understanding of COVID-19 so that you can recognize someone with COVID-19.
• Provide information to passengers about prevention and control of COVID-19
• Ensure that the transporting vehicle is well ventilated
• Avoid overcrowding of passengers as much as possible
• Have protective wear, e.g. mask, to be used in a case of transporting a suspected patient. Learn how to use the mask

People taking care of the sick/suspected patients

• Immediately get to a hospital to minimize spread to others
• Minimise chances of contact with other people at home and in public places to protect them from becoming infected.

 

Call the Ministry of Health and Child Care Hotline Number (+263714 734 593 or +263774 112 531).