E.O. Komarovsky needs no introduction. For several years he has been leading the TV show "School of Dr. Komarovsky." Author of scientific articles, pediatrician. His opinion on the coronavirus infection is of interest to many, especially parents with minor children.
What Dr. Komarovsky said at the very beginning of the virus
Many specialists, including Dr. Komarovsky, cautiously assessed the new disease. Since it has not been sufficiently studied, it was difficult to predict its development. It is known that it arose for the first time in China, spread by airborne droplets. The center of infection is the province of Wuhan.
The pediatrician considered an infection belonging to the coronovirus family. He also explained to the population how to protect themselves from it. These are commonplace methods known to citizens: wearing masks in public places, washing hands thoroughly.
What is Komarovsky's opinion about the coronavirus now?
Time passed: it helped to understand the behavior of the virus. Dr. Komarovsky says about the coronavirus that it mainly affects the elderly part of the population. It is associated with a protein produced in the human body. This substance is ACE2. He acts as a kind of traitor, passing the virus into the human body. It is located in the lung tissue, or rather, in its cells. When a virus enters this organ, ACE2 happily meets the virus, helping it to gain a foothold. In people in adulthood, the ACE2 protein is elevated. This explains why they get sick faster, more severely than others.
Until now, the impact of infection on children and pregnant women has not been studied. Scientists cannot understand why children carry the infection more easily than adults. Komarovsky adds that mankind has not developed immunity against this disease.
After the virus came to Russia and Ukraine, the doctor was bombarded with questions. There are many answers to them, it is necessary to highlight the main ones:
- The infection is spreading all over the world. Cases of infection are recorded in Malta, the Maldives. The doctor says that you need to understand that the disease can come to everyone's house. And you need to be ready for this.
- It is important to observe safety measures. You should not attend mass events, travel to countries with an unfavorable situation.
If government agencies do not take any measures to protect citizens, then, according to the expert, there will be a collapse of healthcare. But the population must understand the responsibility for preventing the spread of infection. Literally, this means that you can’t live as before until you succeed.
About the differences and similarities of coronavirus and influenza
The flu is a well-known disease. He doesn't scare many people. Coronavirus has the opposite effect. In general, diseases differ from each other:
- The flu spreads faster than the coronavirus. Moreover, at the first infection, the main factor of infection is the children's population. COVID-19 is interesting because the main carriers are adults. They get infected.
- With coronovirus, the frequency of cases recognized as severe is higher compared to influenza. But the doctor says that a lot depends on the test systems. The problem is that they vary in quality. The severity of the course of the disease is a debatable issue, since some people go through the disease relatively easily, while others are difficult. It is still not clear why some people act as supercarriers of the virus, while others do not.
- There are vaccines for the flu. Coronavirus - no. The pharmaceutical industry has developed many antiviral drugs for the flu. They do not work on COVID-19.
The similarity of the real and known virus is the way of transmission. It is airborne and contact. Based on this, the protection measures for both ailments are the same.
On the unpreparedness of healthcare for an epidemic
When talking about how prepared the healthcare system is for an infection, this question should be divided into two components:
- WHO - the world organization and its reaction to the events;
- national health systems.
When answering the question of whether health care is ready for the spread of the virus, Komarovsky answers evasively. But he clearly focuses on the need for quarantine measures in states.
In particular, the doctor gives a simple example: if 100 people fall ill in a single locality, then the healthcare system will fail. And if, for example, a smaller number - 30 people get sick, then there will also be a collapse. The purpose of quarantine measures is to prevent people from getting sick immediately and doctors can distribute the load.
According to Komarovsky, 80% of sick citizens will carry the virus quite easily, 15% will need oxygen. The remaining people will need medical care with adequate treatment. But the doctor insists that adequate measures must be taken. For example, do not put everyone in infectious diseases hospitals. For those who have a mild form of the virus, it is enough to stay at home.
According to Komarovsky, anyone who has an increase in body temperature should not be immediately admitted to the hospital. In part, this is done because doctors are afraid that these people will go to work, infect others and households. It is necessary that officials think about how to minimize visits to hospitals, pension funds, post offices by the elderly. They are at risk. And when infected, the country risks losing them. It is necessary to take effective measures in order to bring them a pension at home, and to minimize relations with authorized bodies and state authorities. For example, to remote. But the problem is that older people are not familiar with the Internet. Someone does not want to fundamentally master the user's skills. And in this they should be helped by children and grandchildren.
In conclusion, everything that you learned about the virus was said from the lips of Komarovsky. I would like to add that the new disease is officially registered in 101 countries. In Russia, several dozen cases of infection have been officially confirmed so far, but every day brings disappointing news. As of March 15, 2020, it became known from unofficial sources that one of the gymnasiums in the east of the capital was completely quarantined. The official website of the school does not confirm the infection of one of the students with the coronovirus. This information has already been in the news. It is safe to say that the number of cases in the capital is underestimated.
The pace of the spread of infection in the world is frightening. Italy, France, Spain suffered. And even a superpower, despite the assurances of its leader that the best doctors in the United States cope with the disease. China managed to minimize the spread of infection in record time, trying to minimize the risks of infection associated not with the local population, but with those who enter the country.