\u201cThe transmission from person to person is an interesting topic. We know that other coronaviruses are mainly spread through large droplet infections, such as sneezing and coughing, which allows the virus to be transmitted from person to person. The information that we have at the moment suggests that the Covid-19 behaves in the same way.<\/p>\n
\u201cPerson to person transmission within this outbreak is occurring primarily where there\u2019s been sustained close contact. Also, we have seen indirect transmission where an individual handles an object that has recently been contaminated by coughs or sneezes from an infected person. The precise survival time of Covid-19 on surfaces has not been fully studied, but it is likely to be up to a few hours.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Who is most susceptible to contracting the virus?<\/strong><\/p>\n“If you envisage a pyramid, at the bottom you have lots of people who are exposed to the virus. Above that you have a smaller group who are exposed to the virus and become infected but don\u2019t become ill or display clinical symptoms. On the level above that, you\u2019ll have a smaller subset of those who are infected and become unwell. At the very top of the pyramid, you have a very small subset of people who have a severe case of the disease and even die from the virus.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn individual\u2019s likelihood of contracting Covid-19 will be affected by biological factors such as their ability to fight infection; and behavioural factors, such as the degree of contact they have with infectious individuals. However, it\u2019s always the people with pre-existing medical conditions with weakened immune systems, perhaps the very elderly and young infants, that are most likely to die from the virus. This is true for the flu and other outbreaks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s also more likely that people who are fit and healthy are less likely to show symptoms in the first place, if they do become infected.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
How significant are the developments in Brighton and London? <\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cI think we shouldn\u2019t panic \u2013 we\u2019ve only seen nine cases in the UK so far. You must remember that there\u2019s been more than 47,000 cases confirmed globally and 99 per cent of those have been in China. We live in an age where international travel is very prominent, so it\u2019s not surprising that we\u2019re going to see a few cases being imported.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe cluster of cases in the Brighton area certainly sparked some alarm, but in fact we should really take confidence in the effectiveness of contact tracing and case identification.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ninth case, who self-presented at a busy A&E department in London should perhaps give us more cause for concern. This case really highlights how the behaviour of humans, rather than the behaviour of the virus, can have an impact on public health. Public health education and clear, consistent messages are so important in the fight to prevent a pandemic.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Is the UK equipped to deal with an outbreak of the coronavirus?<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cThe UK is well resourced, and well-rehearsed for dealing with outbreaks, whether seasonal flu or major pandemics.<\/p>\n
\u201cScreening of travellers from those areas identified as high risk has been implemented at airports. In the absence of a vaccine to prevent the spread, containment is really the most important strategy. Very rapidly, a highly sensitive and specific test for the new virus was developed and rolled out, and the cases that have been identified have been isolated to eliminate onward transmission.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
How do we stop the virus spreading?<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s important that people follow the advice of Public Health England and WHO. For example, handwashing with soap, we should all be doing this anyway, not just to protect ourselves from coronavirus but all the other seasonal viruses that are around.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople returning from high risk areas, particularly China, should be following the advice to self-isolate, to effectively put themselves in quarantine for 14 days until they know that they\u2019re healthy. If they\u2019re not healthy within that time, they should stay at home. Don\u2019t attend a GP surgery, instead call 111 and seek advice in that way.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Dr-Helen-Wimalarathna-300x225.jpg\")
![\"Man](\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Man-on-tube-in-face-mask_resized-300x200.jpg\")