Coronavirus (COVID-19)
What you need to know to protect yourself and your loved ones.
The novel coronavirus (CoV) is a new strain of coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans.
The disease caused by the novel coronavirus (first identified in Wuhan, China) has been named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – ‘CO’ stands for corona, ‘VI’ for virus, and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, the disease was referred to as ‘2019 novel coronavirus’ or ‘2019-nCoV.’
There is much to learn about how COVID-19 is spread and its severity. UNICEF has been preparing and responding to the epidemic of COVID-19 around the world, knowing that the virus could spread to children and families in any country or community. In Somalia, UNICEF is working with the government and partners to mitigate transmission of the virus, and to keep children and their families safe.
Watch in English or Somali a brief description of the common symptoms, ways to reduce the risk of infection, and ways to take care of yourself and your loved ones if you get sick:
Frequently asked questions about COVID-19
How does the COVID-19 virus spread?
Symptoms, duration and treatment
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
How long does the COVID-19 infection last?
Avoiding the risk of infection
How can people avoid the risk of infection?
Should people avoid attending public events, for example, religious celebrations?
Handwashing
What is the best way to wash hands properly?
What if people don’t have soap?
Physical distancing
Some people say it is important to practice physical distancing. Why and what does it mean?
Who should practice physical distancing?
Avoid touching face and masks
Why is it important to avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth?
Who should wear a medical mask?
Children and the family - how to respond
Does COVID-19 affect children?
What should people do if a family member displays symptoms?
When should people with COVID-19 who have stayed home stop home isolation?
How can people prevent the spread of the virus when caring for someone who is sick?
When should people seek medical advice and go to see a doctor/nurse?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Can pregnant women pass COVID-19 to unborn children?
Is it safe for a mother to breastfeed if she is infected with COVID-19?
Reliable resources
There’s a lot of information online. Which sources are reliable?
How COVID-19 spreads
How does the COVID-19 virus spread?
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than 1 meter (two adults’ arms’ length away) away from a person who is sick.
The time between when a person is exposed to the virus and when symptoms first appear is typically 5 to 6 days, although may range from 2 to 14 days. For this reason, people who might have been in contact with a confirmed case are being asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
Most COVID-19 cases appear to be spread from people who have symptoms. A small number of people may have been infectious before their symptoms developed.
Symptoms, duration and treatment
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Symptoms can include fever, cough and shortness of breath. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia or breathing difficulties. More rarely, the disease can be fatal.
These symptoms are similar to the flu or the common cold, which are a lot more common than COVID-19. It is important to remember that key prevention measures are the same – frequent handwashing, and respiratory hygiene (cover your cough or sneeze with a flexed elbow or tissue, then throw away the tissue into a closed bin).
How long does the COVID-19 infection last?
The infection period for the virus will vary from person to person. Mild symptoms in an otherwise healthy individual may resolve over just a few days. Similar to influenza, for an individual with other ongoing health issues, such as a respiratory condition, recovery may take weeks and in severe cases could be potentially fatal.
Is there a cure or vaccine?
There are no vaccines that protect against COVID-19.
There is no specific treatment for COVID-19. Most of the time, symptoms will resolve on their own.
Avoiding the risk of infection
Who is most at risk?
Based on what we know so far about COVID-19 those at greatest risk of serious infection are:
- people with compromised immune systems (e.g. cancer)
- people with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
- people who have serious heart conditions
- people with diabetes, kidney disease or liver disease
- elderly people (e.g. people aged 65 and over)
It is important to remember that in some instances, even healthy young adults can have severe disease caused by COVID-19.
How can people avoid the risk of infection?
Handwashing with soap, when done correctly, is critical in the fight against COVID-19 and as good or better than hand sanitizer. It is one of the cheapest, most effective things you can do to protect yourself and others against COVID-19, as well as many other infectious diseases.
To keep yourself and your family protected, we recommend the following actions:
- Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds using soap and water.
- Avoid close contact with anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms
- Cover your mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing, dispose of used tissue immediately into a trash can and wash your hands afterwards.
- If you develop mild symptoms (e.g. fever, cough), stay at home, self-treat and distance from others.
Only contact a clinic if you develop serious breathing difficulties.
Should people avoid attending public events, for example, religious celebrations?
Yes. Follow issued public health guidance to protect your community and limit the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). During Ramadan only pray with immediate family members and avoid large family gatherings.
Physical distancing
Some people say it is important to practice physical distancing. Why and what does it mean?
Physical (or social) distancing means reducing the number of close physical and social contacts that we have with one another. This is because when someone coughs or sneezes, they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain the virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease. This is why we recommend maintaining at least 1 metre distance (two adults’ arms’ length away) between yourself and others, especially with people coughing or sneezing.
Combining physical distancing with good hand and respiratory hygiene slows the spread of the COVID-19. This helps protect the most vulnerable members of the community and reduces the impact of the pandemic on essential, life-saving health services.
While practising physical distancing, you can leave your home to seek medical care, buy food and supplies, and handle other essential activities that cannot be done from home.
When engaging in these activities, we recommend trying to:
- only be in public spaces with immediate family/household members or one other person.
- not shake hands, hug or kiss as a greeting.
- keep a distance of 1 meter (two adults’ arms’ length away) between yourself and other people, where possible.
- avoid visiting vulnerable people, such as those in hospitals, infants, or people with compromised immune systems due to illness or medical treatment.
- Use mobile money transfer (e.g. Dababshiil) instead of cash.
Who should practice physical distancing?
Everyone should practice physical distancing, as it reduces the potential for transmission.
Avoid touching face and masks
Why is it important to avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth?
Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer COVID-19 to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.
Who should wear a medical mask?
The use of a medical mask is advised if you have respiratory symptoms (coughing or sneezing) to protect others.
If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected infection.
The use of a mask alone is not enough to stop infections. Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent handwashing with soap and water or hand sanitiser.
If masks are worn, they must be used and disposed properly to ensure their effectiveness and to avoid any increased risk of transmitting the virus. For more information about how to do this, visit: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks
Children and the family - how to respond
Does COVID-19 affect children?
This is a new virus and we do not know enough yet about how it affects children or pregnant women. We know it is possible for people of any age to be infected with the virus, but so far there have been relatively few cases of COVID-19 reported among children. Most children and adolescents with COVID-19 have mild or no symptoms and recover within one to two weeks. The virus is fatal in rare cases, so far mainly among older people with pre-existing medical conditions.
As with other respiratory infections like the flu, seek care early if you or your child are having symptoms, and try to avoid going to public places, to prevent it spreading to others.
What should people do if a family member displays symptoms?
Most people who get sick with COVID-19 will have only mild illness and should recover at home. Care at home can help stop the spread of COVID-19 and help protect people who are at risk for getting seriously ill from COVID-19.
If you are caring for someone at home, monitor for emergency signs, prevent the spread of germs, treat symptoms (like fever) with over-the-counter medicines, make sure the sick person drinks a lot of fluids to stay hydrated and rests at home. For most people, symptoms last a few days and get better after a week.
When should people with COVID-19 who have stayed home stop home isolation?
People can leave home after these three things have happened:
- They have had 3 full days of no fever without the use of medicine that reduces fevers
AND
- other symptoms have improved (for example, when their cough or shortness of breath have improved)
AND
- at least 7 days have passed since their symptoms first appeared
How can people prevent the spread of the virus when caring for someone who is sick?
Have the person stay in one room, away from other people, including yourself, as much as possible. If possible, have them use a separate bathroom. Avoid sharing personal household items, like dishes, towels, and bedding. If face-masks are available, have them wear a face-mask when they are around people, including you. If they can’t wear a mask for whatever reason, then the caregiver should wear one. Every day clean all surfaces that are touched often, like counters, tabletops, and doorknobs. Wash laundry thoroughly and avoid having any unnecessary visitors.
When should people seek medical advice and go to see a doctor/nurse?
Monitor yourself or others for worsening symptoms. If they develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 seek medical care immediately. Emergency warning signs include:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- Bluish lips or face
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Can pregnant women pass COVID-19 to unborn children?
At this time, there is not enough evidence to determine whether the virus is transmitted from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, or the potential impact this may have on the baby. This is currently being investigated. Pregnant women should continue to follow appropriate precautions to protect themselves from exposure to the virus, and seek medical care early, if experiencing symptoms, such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing.
Is it safe for a mother to breastfeed if she is infected with COVID-19?
All mothers in affected and at-risk areas who have symptoms of fever, cough or difficulty breathing, should seek medical care early, and follow instructions from a health care provider.
Considering the benefits of breastfeeding and the insignificant role of breastmilk in the transmission of other respiratory viruses, the mother can continue breastfeeding, while applying all the necessary precautions.
For symptomatic mothers well enough to breastfeed, this includes wearing a mask when near a child (including during feeding), washing hands before and after contact with the child (including feeding), and cleaning/disinfecting contaminated surfaces – as should be done in all cases where anyone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 interacts with others, including children.
If a mother is too ill, she should be encouraged to express milk and give it to the child via a clean cup and/or spoon – all while following the same infection prevention methods.
Reliable resources
There’s a lot of information online. Which sources are reliable?
There are a lot of myths and misinformation about COVID-19 being shared online – including on how COVID-19 spreads, how to stay safe, and what to do if you’re worried about having contracted the virus.
So, it’s important to be careful where you look for information and advice. UNICEF has launched a portal where you can find more information and guidance about COVID-19. In addition, the WHO has a useful section addressing some of the most frequently asked questions.