Minor Injury Self Help

Minor Injury Self Help

COVID 19

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the name  given to the 2019 novel coronavirus.
COVID-19 is the name given to the disease associated with the virus.  SARS-CoV-2 is a new strain of coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans. The virus infects through droplets and contact with the mucous membranes. It does not infect through the skin.

Lesson Outcomes

  • Explain the term SARS NCOV2 (COVID-19).
  • Explain how SARS NCOV2 (COVID-19) infection may spread from person to person.
  • Understand the New provisions for treating a casualty during the Covid 19Pandemic
  • Follow the PHECC Guidelines for the treatrment of minor injuries, Close Contact and life threatening injuries.
  • Follow the PHECC Guidelines for the treatrment of a Casualty in Cardiac Arrest.
  • Understand the correct procedure for Doning and Doffing PPE
  • Know the correct PPE which must be provided to First Aid Responders.

Risks associated with SAR – COV – 2

  • Covid 19 or (SARS-CoV-2) – Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2
  • The greatest element of risk for responders is transfer of the virus to the mucous membranes by contact of contaminated hands (including contaminated gloved hands) with the eyes, nose or mouth.
  • The key interventions to manage this risk are to minimise hand contamination (keep your hands to yourself when possible), avoid touching your face and clean your hands frequently (with soap and water or alcohol hand rub).

Transfer of the Virus

  • There is a significant risk of direct transfer of the virus on to mucous membranes by droplet transmission, that is, by direct impact of larger infectious virus droplets generated from the patient’s respiratory tract landing directly in your eyes, nose or mouth.
  • This is more likely to happen, the closer you are to the patient; This risk is managed by use of appropriate PPE (surgical facemask, gloves, long sleeved gown/ apron and eye protection) and by requesting the patient to wear a surgical facemask and cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing (respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette).
  • In the presence of a patient with COVID-19, small poorly ventilated areas will have a higher concentration of virus.

 

Why do the virus and the disease have different names?

Viruses, and the diseases they cause, often have different names.
For example, HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. People often know the name of a disease, but not the name of the virus that causes it.

“Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)” Is the  name of the new virus IDENTIFIED on 11 February 2020. This name was chosen because the virus is genetically related to the coronavirus responsible for the SARS outbreak of 2003. While related, the two viruses are different.