Here’s an explainer on all frequently used COVID-19 terms

The saying “knowledge is power” is especially true now that the whole world has been in the grip of a health crisis for months. Every existing platform has coverage for COVID-19, from television and news websites to social media. There are a lot of words that are frequently used but may have confused some of us as we gather the information we need to equip us during these highly evolving times.

Below are some terms related to the pandemic which you probably have heard at least once, along with their concise definitions.

PPE

This term has been all over the news since day one but do you know what it means? PPE stands for personal protective equipment.  A simple face mask can be considered as PPE. For healthcare workers with direct exposure to COVID-19, a typical PPE set consists of goggles or a disposable full-face shield, an N95 filtering facepiece respirator or higher, gown, gloves and shoe covers.

Asymptomatic

Some people who tested positive for COVID-19 are asymptomatic. This means that they do not show any sign or symptom of being infected with the disease.

The commonly documented symptoms of COVID-19 positive patients such as fever, dry cough, sore throat, and difficulty in breathing. Given this, we must limit exposure especially in areas that tend to be crowded because we can come into contact with individuals who may be carrying the virus but are not displaying any symptoms.

Cough etiquette

Cough etiquette is the proper way of coughing in public or in small space areas. By coughing or sneezing through a bent elbow or with your mouth and nose covered, you protect people by preventing the spread of the virus. It is important as one of the first lines of defense because vaccine and treatment for COVID-19 are yet to be discovered.

Hand hygiene

Still under the umbrella of prevention is hand hygiene. Experts tell us that we need to wash our hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand rub. We must also avoid touching our mouth, eyes or nose, most especially if we have touched dirty surfaces and hand hygiene is not possible.

Physical distancing

Also known as social distancing, physical distancing reinforces the #StayAtHome imperative by ensuring reduced physical interaction with other people. When going out for essential needs, people must maintain at least a one-meter distance or about two arms’ length from each other. This effectively reduces the chances of transmitting the virus via droplets from those who cough, sneeze or exhale and are infected.

Rapid test vs. swab test

There are two kinds of tests that are used – the rapid test and the swab test. From its name, the former gives results in less time compared to the latter. It uses a blood sample dropped into the sample well, similar to a home pregnancy test kit. It detects the presence of antibodies for the virus found in the blood.

On the other hand, the RT-PCR or real-time polymerase chain reaction test detects the presence of the virus’ genetic material in a sample taken from a nasal swab. This is why this test is also referred to as a “swab test”.

Cases classifications: Suspect, probable, and confirmed 

These classifications were recently aligned with the World Health Organization’s definitions in order to facilitate better documentation of cases of COVID-19.

Suspect cases are those who travelled to or lived in a place with documented local transmission 14 days before onset of symptoms, or had close contact with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case 14 days before onset of symptoms. You may also be a suspect case if you have symptoms like fever, cough or difficulty in breathing and are over 60 years old, with pre-existing health conditions, have a high-risk pregnancy or are a healthcare worker. If you suddenly develop a respiratory illness with severe symptoms and need hospitalization, you are also a suspect case.

A person may be considered a probable case if he or she is a suspect case and has unconfirmed test results, or his or her COVID-19 test was performed in a laboratory which is not accredited to perform an RT-PCR test.

Confirmed cases are those with positive RT-PCR test results.

Mass testing

Mass testing means testing all those who have been exposed to a confirmed positive case, not necessarily testing the entire population.

Quarantine vs. Isolation

Quarantine and isolation are both public health practices used to protect people by preventing exposure to those who are sick or may be sick. Quarantine is the separation of a sick individual from those who are not sick; while isolation is the separation and restriction of movement of a group of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. Quarantine measures are still in place in most parts of the country as we take control of the spread of the COVID-19.

Telemedicine

This is a way by which people can speak with doctors and have medical consultations at any time of the day via phone calls or online inquiries. Through this initiative, people can take care of their health while reducing their risk of contracting the virus. Telemedicine also helps our frontliners by allowing them to concentrate on managing severe cases of COVID-19. The Department of Health has a 24/7 telemedicine facility. One just needs to call 02-894-COVID (02-894-26843) or dial 1555 for subscribers of all networks.

The abundance and availability of information can easily overwhelm us daily. This is why it is crucial that we get our information only from verified sources like the Department of Health’s (DOH) Healthy Pilipinas website. Learn about prevention and protection from COVID-19, fact check data you see on social media, and be educated through clear infographics by visiting https://covid19.healthypilipinas.ph/. 

DOH also has other channels with verified updates such as their official Facebook page, and Viber community. Getting and sharing the right information is our responsibility. Let us all make sure that we do this so that together, we can #BeatCOVID19.