What is Health?
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Three types of definition of health seem to be possible today. The first is that health is the absence of any disease or impairment. The second is that health is a state that allows the individual to adequately cope with all demands of daily life (also implying the absence of disease and impairment). The third definition states that health is a state of balance, an equilibrium that an individual has established within himself and between himself and his social and physical environment.
Modern medicine has a great contribution in the fields of infectious diseases and emergencies to aid cure. In most other fields, it is mostly control that it aims for, which is another name for palliation. Modern medicine has progressed, and we must thank the whole bunch of researchers and clinicians for it. But pathology has also progressed with it. It is not that the number of diseases has reduced, nor total quantum of distress related to it. Diseases, and it's adverse affect, are not reducing in numbers but they are only changing in type.
There is no doubt, we have increased longevity, made old age liveable, reduced infant mortality, made everyday living itself more distress-free by the numerous medicines/ procedures, but we have not reduced the number of diseases, nor found cures for many diseases except some of the infectious diseases. There are of course some remarkable successes with emergency care. In most of the other medical care, it is mainly control - slowing advance, reducing distress, minimising disability and prolonging death.
Today modern medicine is mostly palliative, and rather proud of it. Palliation means reducing or easing the severity of a pain or a disease without removing the cause or effecting a cure. Today medicine needs to propel towards cure on one hand and prevention on the other.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which may cause illness in animals or humans. In humans, several coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19 is now a pandemic affecting most of the countries globally.
Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.
The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is by keeping oneself well informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads. It can be protected by oneself and others from infection by washing the hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently and not touching the face.
The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s important to practice respiratory etiquette (for example, by coughing into a flexed elbow). Currently there are no specific vaccines or treatments for COVID-19. However, there are many ongoing clinical trials evaluating potential treatments.
We will read in next topics how to prevent ourselves from COVID-19 with strong immunity by Yoga.
References:
1. WHO (World Health Organization)
2. NCBI Resources
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