ABSTRACT
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the most prevalent infectious human disease spreading in several parts of the world caused by SARS Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 transmission is mainly spreading via the respiratory tract, personal contact, digestive tract and hospital-acquired infections. Health care workers particularly working in clinics practicing traditional medicine need to be in close contact with patients, so they have a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this paper, therefore, the personal-protective measures need to be followed by healthcare workers in traditional medicine clinics during COVID-19 pandemic are emphasized, to enlighten them about self-protection and to improve the safety of such a special group of traditional healers.Copyright © 2021 Bentham Science Publishers.
ABSTRACT
In the 21st century, human civilization has witnessed three major epidemics caused by Coronaviruses namely severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS CoV) in 2003, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS CoV) in 2012 and 2019 novel coronavirus (2019 nCoV) or coronavirus disease (COVID 19) in 2019. Among these, COVID-19 has greater transmission and mortality rate. 2019 nCoV belongs to a large family of positive sense single-stranded RNA viruses (+ssRNA) that can be isolated in different animal species. The most communal symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath during the incubation period (2-14 days) of infection. COVID-19 transmission is occurring from infected humans to close contact with one another through respiratory droplets, coughs, and sneezes of infected person. Moreover, the virus containing surfaces may also transmit the infection. Diagnosis is being carried out by collecting a nasopharyngeal swab or sputum specimen for detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Rapid diagnosing methods are also under development which can diagnose COVID 19 in few minutes to hours. Currently, there is no specific cure or preventive therapeutics available. Hence, based upon limited in-vitro and anecdotal data, Chloroquine, or Hydroxychloroquine, Remdesivir, Lopinavir and Ritonavir are being employed in the management. Search for new specific anti-viral drugs from natural/synthetic origins is under full swing and many of them are currently used as chemotherapeutic drugs under clinical investigation. Yet, there is a strong need for development of vaccine, which may take several months to few years for the development.