COVID-19 from Community Medicine Perspective

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COVID-19 from Community Medicine Perspective
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COVID-19 bags its position to be one of the
biggest pandemics known to humankind. Outbreak of
COVID-19 as a pandemic in 2020 has impacted the
lives of people globally in a huge manner.
Living with the pandemic has become new normal
now and people are trying to manage/revamp their
lives in as normal a way as possible.
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Epidemiology
SARS-CoV-2 originated from China in December 2019
and spread rapidly to affect rest of the world
over a period of 3-4 months. It produced a large
cluster of pneumonia cases. WHO declared it a
global pandemic on 11th March 2020. Maximum
number of cases were recorded in USA followed by
India and Brazil. The COVID-19 pandemic is the
third recorded outbreak of a coronavirus, with
the 2002 sudden acute respiratory syndrome
(SARS, SARS-CoV-1 or SARS-CoV) and the 2012
Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS or
MERS-CoV) epidemics preceding it.
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Epidemiology
The COVID-19 case fatality rate is challenging to
evaluate, due to widespread variability in
public health response and capacity, availability
of treatment, national demography, viral
variants, and prevalence of comorbidities. The
mortality rate of COVID-19 is currently estimated
to be between 2 and 4 however, some countries
have a case fatality rate of less than 1, while
others (particularly poorer countries, and those
whose healthcare systems have been overrun) have
a case fatality rate as high as 25 .
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Causative Agent
COVID-19 is caused by the novel coronavirus
SARS-COV-2. According to WHO, the incubation
period of the virus is estimated to be between 2
and 14 days and on average 5.2 days. As per WHO,
a very long incubation period could represent a
double exposure.
Variants of SARS-CoV-2
The newer variants of the virus are classified
into Variants of Interest (VoI) and Variants of
Concern (VoC) Variants of Interest (VOI) have
changed phenotypic properties compared to the
known existing virus due to mutations that need
further study
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Protection of Susceptible Host
Virus vaccines The virus itself is used in a
weakened or inactivated form. Types Weakened or
inactivated. Viral-vector vaccines A weakened
virus, such as adenovirus or measles, is
genetically engineered to produce coronavirus
proteins in the body. Types Replicating viral
vector and non-replicating viral
vector. Nucleic-acid vaccines Nucleic acid is
inserted into human cells, which then produce
copies of the virus protein which produces an
immune response. Types DNA vaccine and RNA
vaccine.
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Protein-based vaccines Virus protein fragments
or protein shells are injected directly into the
body. Types Protein subunit vaccines and virus-
like particle vaccines Vaccines currently in use
in India Two vaccines are currently licensed for
use in India, i.e., Covishield and Covaxin. Both
the vaccines have 100 efficacy against severe
COVID-19, hospitalization, and death. Studies to
confirm efficacy against COVID-19 infection and
reduction of transmission are ongoing. Other
vaccines licensed in India are Sputnik V from
Russia to be manufactured by Serum Institute and
Moderna from the USA, to be imported by Cipla.
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