BY DR. PIMSIRI BHUSIRI
The COVID-19 is caused by coronaviruses transmitted by respiratory droplets and aerosols from person to person. It has been spread with increasing morbidity and mortality among all populations worldwide (Parasher, 2021). There are five steps for the virus to enter the host including attachment to receptors of the host, penetration through cellular membranes of host, biosynthesis, maturation and release (Yuki, Fujiogi, & Koutsogiannaki, 2020). The process ends with the transfer of viral genomes inside host cells.
Source: Olagunju, A.S, Oladapo, I.P, Kosemani, S.O, Olorunfemi, F.G, &Adeyemo, A.S. (2020). Pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) respiratory infection. Int J Travel Med Glob Health, 8(4):137-145. doi:10.34172/ijtmgh.2020.24.
The responses of the host can be divided into five levels (Yuki, Fujiogi, & Koutsogiannaki, 2020) as follows:
- Asymptomatic level: no signs and symptoms, normal chest x-ray, positive COVID nucleic acid test
- Mild level: fever, fatigue, myalgia, cough, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea
- Moderate level: Pneumonia with no obvious hypoxemia, chest CT with lesions
- Severe level: Pneumonia with hypoxemia (SpO2 < 92%)
- Critical level: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), shock, encephalopathy, myocardial injury, heart failure, coagulation dysfunction and acute kidney injury
The measures set by Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health of Thailand to prepare for onsite teaching-learning modes of educational institutes in the semester 1/2022 are as the followings:
1. Surveillance Guidelines using the principles of “cut the risk, build immunity” by 3 T1V
T: Thai Stop Covid Plus (TSC+)
The educational institute has to do self-assessment regarding the readiness before opening the schools or universities
T: Thai Save Thai (TST)
Students, teachers, and staff regularly do personal risk assessment for covid -19
T: Test
Do appropriate screening test such as ATK checking when getting risk or having signs and symptoms
V: Vaccine
Teachers, staff, students, and students’ parents get vaccinated according to the criteria.
Safety Measure to Prevent Covid-19 in Educational Institutes
1. Main Measures: DMHT-RC
D: Distancing between persons at least 1-2 meters
M: Mask wearing
H: Hand washing with soap and water or alcohol gel
T: Testing (measure body temperature, take history of high-risk group, observe signs and symptoms such as fever, sore throat, coughing
R: Reducing (reduce congestion, avoid going to the crowded areas or the high-risk areas)
C: Cleaning after touching door knobs, handrails, elevator push buttons, etc.
2. Auxiliary Measures: SSET-CQ
S: Self-care (Self-discipline to follow measures for Covid-19 prevention)
S: Spoon (Use a personal spoon)
E: Eating (Eat freshly cooked foods)
T: Thai chana application (Register in and out the educational institutes)
C: Check (check risk groups or people travelling from a high-risk area for further screening process)
Q: Quarantine (self-quarantine when coming into contact with or in an area where there is an outbreak of Covid-19)
References
Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health of Thailand, The measures set by Department of Health,
Ministry of Public Health of Thailand to prepare for onsite teaching-learning modes of educational
institutes in the semester 1/2022 (April 22, 2022)
Olagunju, A.S, Oladapo, I.P, Kosemani, S.O, Olorunfemi, F.G, &Adeyemo, A.S. (2020). Pathogenesis of severe
acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus2(SARS-CoV2) respiratory infection. Int J Travel Med Glob
Health,8(4):137-145. doi:10.34172/ijtmgh.2020.24.
Parasher, A. (2021). COVID-19: Current understanding of its pathophysiology, clinical presentation
and treatment. Postgrad Med J., 97:312–320. doi:10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-138577. Yuki, K., Fujiogi,
M., & Koutsogiannaki, S. (2020). COVID-19 pathophysiology: A review. Clinical Immunology,
215, doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2020.108427.
About Author
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Dr. Pimsiri Bhusiri Dean, Bernadette de Lourdes School of Nursing Science |
