Immune competent (those with a functioning immune system) individuals should receive 2 doses given 8 weeks apart, whereas those with immunocompromise should receive 3 doses, with 8 weeks between each dose.Ĭhildren aged 6 months to ≤ 4 years with severe immunocompromise, disability, and those who have complex and/or multiple health conditions which increase the risk of severe COVID-19 should also receive a primary course of COVID-19 vaccination. Primary courseĪ primary course of vaccination is recommended for all individuals from 5 years of age. Strategies to reduce risk of transmission of COVID-19 disease include standard precautions such as hand hygiene, wearing a mask indoors when remaining socially distant is not possible, and ensuring good ventilation. Vaccines can reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and need for hospitalisation. Individuals with immune compromise (due to taking specific medications/therapies or due to a medical condition), advancing age (particularly > 70 years), obesity, respiratory conditions, pregnancy, heart disease, diabetes, renal disease, liver disease, neurological conditions and disability are more likely to experience severe symptoms if infected with SARS-CoV-2.Ĭertain occupations, such as working in health care, carry a greater chance of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and therefore infection. Since 2019, over 765 million infections have been reported worldwide contributing to almost 7 million deaths, with true figures likely to be much higher. People with asymptomatic disease can still infect others. Individuals are thought to be infectious up to 48 hours before symptoms appear and are most infectious in this prodromal period and the early stages of their illness. The incubation period for the disease is 1-14 days, with most individuals displaying symptoms 5-6 days after being exposed. Poorly ventilated settings can also contribute to the spread of COVID-19 as it means aerosol particles can remain suspended in the air for minutes to hours. Droplets or particles can contaminate surfaces and can be spread when a person touches these surfaces and then touches their nose, mouth or eyes. Transmission of COVID-19 is through the inhalation of virus particles which have been made airborne after an infected person coughs, sneezes, breathes, speaks or sings. Children experiencing PIMS-TS almost always require hospitalisation for treatment. It is an inflammatory condition, similar to Kawasaki disease, and is characterised by rash, fever, shock and abdominal pain. Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS), or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children associated with COVID-19 (MIS-C), is a newly described condition that has been reported in children in the first 2-6 weeks after COVID-19 infection. Long COVID is more common in people who have experienced severe COVID-19 disease, those who had underlying medical conditions prior to infection (e.g., hypertension, chronic lung disease, diabetes, obesity), and those who are unvaccinated. In addition, long COVID can have a huge impact on an individual’s quality of life, mental health, and ability to participate in work or schooling. Symptoms can include extreme fatigue, post-exertional malaise, dyspnoea, chest pain, palpitations, fever, arthralgia (joint pain), paresthesia (pins and needles), rash, hoarse voice, problems with memory and concentration (brain fog), sleep problems, changes with taste or smell, gastrointestinal symptoms, changes in menstrual cycles, weight loss and poor appetite, mood changes (depression, anxiety), and difficulty completing activities of daily living. Some individuals can experience ongoing symptoms for weeks or months after their initial diagnosis, this is known as long COVID or post-COVID conditions. Severe disease can lead to hospitalisation and mechanical ventilation, or even death.Ĭommon symptoms of acute COVID-19 infection can include fever, cough, myalgia (body aches), dyspnoea (difficulty breathing), gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting), headache, sore throat, loss of smell or taste, and rhinorrhoea (runny nose). Infections can be asymptomatic or can result in a spectrum of symptoms, from mild respiratory symptoms to more serious disease affecting multiple organs and systems. In addition to the public health implications, the economic, social and mental health effects have been and continue to be enormous. The Omicron strain is currently the most dominant variant circulating and has been shown to be more transmissible than previous variants.ĬOVID-19 disease has had vast impacts on society. Multiple strains of SARS-CoV-2 have since emerged and public health authorities continue to monitor these. COVID-19 disease is caused by the highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 virus, a type of coronavirus discovered in 2019 that spread rapidly resulting in a global pandemic.
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