Nalzaro: Latest studies on Covid-19

Nalzaro: Latest studies on Covid-19

First, medical experts said that the mode of transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) was only through droplets. Droplet transmission occurs when a person is in close contact (within one meter) with someone who has respiratory symptoms like coughing and sneezing. Just recently, the United States Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention released its findings that the virus can be acquired airborne. Medical experts from other countries continue to conduct research and release their studies such as these:

Livescience.com said “the new coronavirus can linger on human skin much longer than flu viruses can, according to a new study from researchers in Japan. Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, remained viable on samples of human skin for about nine hours, according to the study. The findings underscore the importance of washing your hands using sanitizer to prevent the spread of Covid-19.”

This study shows that Sars-Cov-2 may have a higher risk of contact transmission (example: transmission from direct contact) because it is more stable than human skin. These findings support the hypothesis that proper hand hygiene is important for the prevention of the spread of Sars-Cov-2.

Researchers in Australia also found out that the virus that causes Covid-19 can survive on banknotes, glass and stainless steel for up to 28 days, much longer than the flu virus, highlighting the need for cleaning and handwashing to combat the virus, according to reuters.com.

Researchers at Australia’s National Science Agency CSIRO found that when kept at 20 degrees Celsius, the Sars-Cov-2 virus remained infectious for 28 days on smooth surfaces such as plastic, banknotes and glass found on mobile phone screens. The study was published in Virology Journal.

According to the same Reuters report, “the study involved drying virus in an artificial mucus on a range of surface at concentrations similar to samples from Covid-19 patients and then extracting the virus after a month. Experiment done in controlled laboratory environment at 20, 30 and 40 degrees Celsius showed that the survival time declined as the temperature increased.”

“Establishing how long the virus really remains viable on surfaces enables us to predict and mitigate its spread and do a better job of protecting our people,” CSIRO chief executive Larry Marshall said.

So, with these findings, we should not be complacent and lower our guard because the virus is still pretty much around. One false move can be disastrous for our health once we are infected. Be sure to make it a habit to observe the minimum health protocol to be safe.

Meanwhile, is this study really possible? Studies said that people with blood type O may be less vulnerable to Covid-19 and are unlikely to get severely ill. However, experts say more research is needed. “The research provided further evidence that blood type (also known as blood group) may play a role in a person’s susceptibility to infection and their chance of having a severe bout of a disease,” said abc11.com. The reason for this link is not clear and more research is needed.

According to 2abc.com, “a Danish study found that among 7,422 people who tested positive for Covid-19, only 38.49 percent were blood type O — even though among a group of 2.2 million people who were not tested, that blood type made up of 41.7 percent of the population.”

In another study, researchers in Canada found out that among 95 patients critically ill with Covid-19, a higher proportion with blood type A or AB — 84 percent — required mechanical ventilation compared with patients with blood type O or B which was 61 percent.

Hala, type O ra ba ko. Pero dili lang gihapon ta magsalig aning maong findings kay kining Covid-19, walay gipili nga edad o blood type. Magbantay gyud ta pirme.

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