COVID-19

Question 1

What family of viruses does COVID-19 belong to?

Answer 1

Coronaviruses
A large family of viruses including
- SARS: severe acute respiratory syndrome
- MERS: middle eastern respiratory syndrome
- Seasonal coronavirus

Question 2

What are the features of coronaviruses?

Answer 2

Crown like spikes on the surface
Enveloped RNA based

Question 3

Who can coronaviruses infect?

Answer 3

Humans and animals
(is zoonotic = large number circulating in animals)

Question 4

What are the different types of coronaviruses?

Answer 4

Alpha - related to bats
Beta - related to bats (COVID-19)
Gamma - related to birds
Delta - related to pigs

Question 5

What was the initial and intermediate hosts for COVID-19 (and other coronaviruses)?

Answer 5

Initial host = bats
Intermediate = don’t know!
- MERS = camel
- SARS = cats

Question 6

How is COVID-19 transmitted?

Answer 6

Cough
Sneeze
Touch

Question 7

How does coronavirus attack/infect the body?

Answer 7

1. Enter nose/respiratory tract
2. Use binders on human cells to enter
3. Hijack enzymes and replicate virus protein
4. Package it up
5. Leave cell to infect more cells

Question 8

How does the immune system respond?

Answer 8

Via T and B cells
T cells = direct attack
B cells = memory attack

Question 9

How long can COVID-19 survive on certain surfaces?

Answer 9

• Copper = 3
• Copper = 4
• Cardboard = 24
• Steel = 48
• Plastic = 72
• Glass = 96

Question 10

Define the term epidemic

Answer 10

Refers to an increase, often sudden, in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that population in that area.
e.g. Ebola

Question 11

Define the term endemic

Answer 11

Refers to the constant presence and/or unusual prevalence of a disease/infectious agent in a population within a geography area.
e.g. malaria

Question 12

Define the term outbreak

Answer 12

Carries same definition of epidemic but is often used for a more limited geographic area.
e.g. cholera

Question 13

Define the term pandemic

Answer 13

Refers to an epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents usually affecting a large number of people.
e.g. COVID-19

Question 14

What are variants of interest?

Answer 14

Genetic traits which predict
- Greater transmissibility
- More severe disease
- Evasion of immune system or testing

Question 15

What are variants of concern?

Answer 15

Observed to
- Have increased transmissibility
- Cause more serious infection
- Cause reinfection or infection of immunised

Question 16

What are variants of high consequence?

Answer 16

No protection from vaccines

Question 17

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Answer 17

Rhinorrhoea - runny nose
General malaise
Headache
Fever
Cough
Sore through
And lots of others

Question 18

What is a complication of COVID-19 and what are its signs?

Answer 18

Pneumonitis
- Inflammation of the lung
- CXR: white patches throughout the lung

Question 19

What are the main tests used to identify COVID-19?

Answer 19

LFT
PCR
Antibody test

Question 20

What are the benefits of LFT and how does it work?

Answer 20

Looks for antigens to see if you have the condition

Benefits:
- Simple to use
- Good when you have a high viral load (early in condition
- Cheap
- Fast result

Question 21

What are the disadvantages of LFT?

Answer 21

• When you have a high viral load there’s usually no/minimal symptoms so not likely to do a test.
• Can give false -ve

Question 22

How does PCR work and list some benefits?

Answer 22

Looks for protein of COVID-19 and amplifies it until visible.

Benefits
- Can detect protein throughout the whole illness

Question 23

What are some disadvantages of PCR?

Answer 23

Slower (6 hours at best)
Expensive
Can pick up dead virus (which is non-transmissible)

Question 24

Who was the antibody test used on?

Answer 24

Used to look at immunocompromised patients (people with cancer etc.)
No longer used in practice

Question 25

What types of treatment are available for COVID-19 patients?

Answer 25

Supportive
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-viral

Question 26

What types of supportive treatments are used?

Answer 26

Oxygen
Fluids
Paracetamol

Question 27

What types of anti-inflammatory treatments are used?

Answer 27

Steroids
Baricitinib
Tocilizumab
- Only evidence for working on very sick patients who have high markers of inflammation in their blood.

Question 28

What types of anti-viral treatments are used?

Answer 28

Remdesivir
Paxlovid

Question 29

What does immunisation do?

Answer 29

• Expose body to parts of the virus so you can build an immune response and memory for future infection.
• Reduced chance of infection
• Reduced chance of death

Question 30

What are some possible complications of COVID-19?

Answer 30

Thrombosis
Post COVID syndrome (long COVID)

Question 31

Explain thrombosis in relation to COVID.

Answer 31

Infection causes inflammation, narrowing blood vessels and leading to blockages and thickening of the blood, this leads to clots.
Incidence
- Deep vein thrombosis - 11.8%
- Pulmonary embolism - 7.8%
Treatment
- Blood thinning medication
Prevention
- Keep active/moving

Question 32

Explain post COVID syndrome in relation to COVID.

Answer 32

Consistent symptoms for 3 months after covid diagnosis that can’t be explained by something else (another illness/virus).

Question 33

Who is at risk of long COVID?

Answer 33

Elderly/very young
Females
Minority ethnic groups
The obese
Smokers
Severe clinical status (underlying health conditions)

Question 34

What are the symptoms of long COVID?

Answer 34

Persistent cough
Low grade fever
Fatigue
Myalgia
Palpitations
Headache

Question 35

How do you treat long COVID?

Answer 35

No drugs/treatments
Advice is to slowly build up activity and usual daily activities
Treat symptoms with paracetamol

Question 36

What is heard immunity?

Answer 36

The resistance to the spread of an infectious disease within a population that is based on pre-existing immunity of a high proportion of individuals as a result of previous infection or vaccination.