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What is Covid-19 ?

Last updated on Jun 16, 2022

Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus i.e. severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). First identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak to be a pandemic on 11 March, 2020.

Common Symptoms

According to the WHO, those infected with COVID can display any of the following symptoms: 

Most common Less common Serious
  • Fever
  • Dry cough
  • Tiredness
  • Aches and pains
  • Sore throat
  • Diarrhoea
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Headache
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • A rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes
  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Chest pain or pressure
  • Loss of speech or movement


Prevention MethodsIt is also possible for a person to carry the infection without displaying any symptoms. This person can still transmit the disease to someone else.

According to the WHO, to prevent infection:

  • Wash hands regularly with soap and water, or clean them with alcohol-based hand rub.
  • Maintain at least 1 metre (3.2 feet) distance from people coughing or sneezing.
  • Avoid touching the face.
  • Cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
  • Stay home if unwell.
  • Refrain from smoking and other activities that weaken the lungs.
  • Practice physical distancing by avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away from large groups of people.

Read our explainer to understand more on how Covid-19 is an epidemic as well as a notified disaster in India.

New strains of the Coronavirus1

Over time, multiple new variants of coronavirus have been identified in different parts of the world. These include:

  •  The B.1.1.7 variant in the United Kingdom
  •  The B. 1.351 variant in the South Africa 
  •  The P.1 variant in Brazil 

 

  1.  Your Health, Covid-19, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant.html[↩]

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How do you get Covid-19 vaccination in India?

The Government has allowed two Covid-19 vaccines namely Covaxin and Covishield used in a restricted manner for emergency situations.

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If someone is sharing fake news, there are several punishments they may face depending on the nature of the crime.

Is Covid-19 covered under the force majeure clause in contracts?

For COVID 19, whether a contractual obligation can be avoided on the grounds of force majeure depends upon the terms of the contract.