The document provides information about COVID-19, including how it is transmitted, symptoms, who is at higher risk, potential treatments, and ways to stay safe. It is transmitted through droplets from sneezing, coughing, and talking that can spread up to 6 feet. Symptoms may include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Those over 60 or with underlying conditions are at higher risk. Social distancing and washing hands with soap and water are key ways to prevent transmission and flatten the curve.

1. WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW ABOUT COVID - 19
Sahil Chopra, MD
Harvard Medical School
Internal Medicine
Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine
Sleep Medicine
SahilChopraMD@gmail.com
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3. TAKE HOME POINTS
• How do we get infected and how is it transmitted?
• What are the symptoms and who is high risk?
• Are there medications available?
• How do we stay safe?
• What precautions can I take if I have to go to work?
• Questions and hopefully answers…
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4. HOW DO WE GET INFECTED?
Sneezing – 40,000 droplets
Coughing – 3,000 droplets
Talking – 600 droplets
Airborne – spread up to 6 feet
spread up to 3 feet
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Soap and Water
Social Distancing
Face Mask

6. HOW LONG DOES IT STAY ON
SURFACES?
Debatable
Aerosol (microdroplet cloud) – 3 hours
Copper surface – 4 hours
Cardboard – 24 hours
Plastic and stainless steel – 72 hours
? Cruise ship surfaces – upto 17 days?
Van Doremalen et al., NEJM 2020
Moriarty et al. MMWR morb mortal wkly report
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7. I FEEL FINE…THEN HOW CAN I
TRANSMIT IT?
A difference between latent period and incubation period can lead to a period of
asymptomatic communicability. The period of communicability may also extend
beyond the duration of symptoms.
Figure from Wikimedia, contributor Patilsaurabhr.
R0 = Each infected person with spread virus to 2.3 people.
R0= For influenza ~1-2
Pre-symptomatic carrier
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8. I FEEL FINE…THEN HOW CAN I
TRANSMIT IT?
Based on Chinese models, they estimate at 79% of transmission
done by asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic people.
Virus shedding started 24-48 hours before symptoms
start.
Another study 12% transmission by presymptomatic transmission
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9. WHAT SYMPTOMS SHOULD I
LOOK FOR ?
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10. Who is at higher risk?
Elderly or those age greater the 60/65 years
Any underlying cardiovascular, diabetes, respiratory or renal condition
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11. Who is at higher risk?
Per the China CDC report of 72,314 cases:
81% of patients were mild/moderately ill
14% had severely ill
5 % were critically ill.
There were no reports of deaths for patients who were mildly, moderately, or
severely ill; there was a case fatality rate of 49% in critically ill patients . 11

12. “I HEARD THERE ARE MEDICINES,
CAN THEY CURE ME?”
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13. “I HEARD THERE ARE MEDICINES,
CAN THEY CURE ME?”
Unfortunately most studies are laboratory studies.
There is poor early data to suggest these medications might work but
there is insufficient clinical research data to prove that they work.
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14. SO HOW DO I STAY SAFE?
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15. S
Vitamin “S”
Stay Home
Social Distancing
Soap & water
Support Immune System
Sleep
Sunshine (Exercise)
Solid nutrition
Spiritual wellbeing
and Stress reduction
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Sahil Chopra, MD

16. SOCIAL DISTANCING AND
“FLATTENING THE CURVE”
Flattening the curve does
not necessarily mean
that fewer people will
become infected and
require medical care in
total - the area under the
curve is not necessarily
reduced
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No Social distancing
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

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Forced Lock down without social distance
Break down
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

19. 19
75% of population is Social distancing
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

20. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/
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87.5 % of population is social distancing

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No Social distancing
Forced quarantine
75% of population is social distancing
87.5 % of population is social distancing

22. SOAP & WATER
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25. C
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27. SOAP & WATER
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28. SOAP & WATER
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29. SOAP & WATER
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30. Supporting immune function by : Good Quality Sleep
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31. Supporting immune function by : Sunshine and Exercise
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32. Nieman DC, Wentz LM. The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defense system.J Sport Health
Sci2019;8:20117.
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Marathon
45 min/day
5 days/week

33. Supporting immune function by : Solid Nutrition
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35. WHAT IF I HAVE TO GO TO
WORK?
• Allow sewa for the youth and elderly should stay home
• Leave home with mask and gloves
• Outside don’t touch things you don’t need to touch
• Avoid hand contact with your face and eyes
• After coming home wash your soap and water (you don’t need Lysol or hand
sterilize).
• Clean high touch surfaces 1-2 times per day (counters, door nobs, car
steering wheel, etc…)
• Change you cloths once you enter your home
• Maintain social distancing even within house holds
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36. Social distancing…
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37. SATSANGAT JI PYAR SE
KEHNA…
SahilChopraMD@gmail.com
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