BIOLOGY

INEVSTIGATORY
PROJECT

TOPIC :-COVID-19

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 INDEX

1.INTRODUCTION
2.SYMPTOMS AND EFFECTS
3.MODES OF TRNSMISSION
3.1 RESPIRATORY DROPLETS
3.2 SURFACE TRANSMISSION
3.3 AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION
4.VARIENTS OF COVID-19 AND THEIR
NOTABILITY CRITERIA
4.1 OMICRON
4.2 ALPHA
4.3 BETA
4.4 GAMMA
4.5 DELTA
5.AFFECT OF COVID-19 ON THE WORLD
5.1 ROLE OF A DOCTOR
5.2 INTERVIEW #1
5.3 INTERVIEW #2
5.4 INTERVIEW #3
5.5 INTERVIEW #4
5.6 INTERVIEW #5
6.VACCINE
7.PREVENTIVE MEASURES
8.BIBLIOGRAPHY

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 INTRODUCTION

 Covid-19 caused by SARS-COV-2 virus is one of the most

significant global health crisis of the 21st century.

 It was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019

and quickly spread worldwide, leading to its declaration as
a pandemic by the world government called the World
Health Organization (WHO) in march 2020.

 The virus spread primarily through respiratory droplets,

direct contact and contaminated surfaces making it highly
contagious.

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 Symptoms and Effects

 COVID-19 affects every individual differently with

symptoms ranging from mild to severe.
 Common symptoms include:-
>Fever
>Cough
>Shortness of breath
>Fatigue
>Loss of taste or smell
>Muscle aches
>Sore throat
 Severe cases may even lead to pneumonia,
respiratory failure, organ damage and even death
especially in the elderly individuals and those with
underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart
disease and weakened immune systems.
 In addition to physical symptoms the pandemic has
contributed to mental health issues including stress
and anxiety due to prolonged social isolation and
economic hardships

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 Modes of Transmission
 The virus spreads mainly between people who are in close
contact with each other, for example at a conversational
distance. The virus can spread from an infected person’s
mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough,
sneeze, speak, sing or breathe.
 Another person can then contract the virus when
infectious particles that pass through the air are inhaled at
short range or if infectious particles come into direct
contact with the eyes, nose, or mouth.
 There are three modes of transmission of the virus:-
1. Respiratory droplets
2. Surface transmission
3. Airborne transmission

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 1. Respiratory Droplets

 COVID-19 is mainly transmitted when people breathe in air

contaminated by droplets/aerosols and small airborne
particles containing the virus.

 The transmission of the virus is carried out through virus-

laden fluid particles, or droplets, which are created in the
respiratory tract, and they are expelled by the mouth and
the nose.

 Droplets that are below a certain critical size, generally

thought to be <100μm diameter, evaporate faster than
they settle; due to that fact, they form respiratory aerosol
particles that remain airborne for a long period of time
over extensive distances.

 Infectious particles range in size from aerosols that remain

suspended in the air for long periods of time to
larger droplets that remain airborne briefly or fall to the
ground.

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 2. Surface Transmission

 A person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object

that has the virus on it (called a fomite), and then touching
their own mouth, nose, or eyes.

 Each contact with a surface contaminated with SARS-CoV-

2 has less than a 1 in 10,000 chance of causing an
infection.

 Various surface survival studies have found no detectable

viable virus on porous surfaces within minutes to hours,
but have found viable virus persisting on non-porous
surfaces for days to weeks.

 Fomite transmission risk is also reduced because the virus

does not transfer efficiently from the surface to the hands,
and then from the hands to the mucous membranes
(mouth, nose, and eye).

 The initial amount of virus on the surface (i.e., the viral

load in respiratory droplets) also affects fomite
transmission risk the risk of fomite transmission after a
person with COVID-19 has been in an indoor space is

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 minor after 3 days (72 hours), regardless of when it was
last cleaned
3. Airborne Transmission

 The dominant mode of transmission of the COVID-19 virus

is exposure to respiratory droplets (small liquid particles)
carrying infectious virus i.e., airborne or aerosol
transmission.

 Spread occurs when the particles are emitted from the

mouth or nose of an infected person when they breathe,
cough, sneeze, talk, or sing. Human breath forms a roughly
cone-shaped plume of air; in an infected person, the
breath carries out the virus-containing droplets.

 Breath contains many droplets that smaller than 100

micrometers in size, and these can stay suspended in the
air for at least minutes and move across a room. There is
evidence that infectious SARS-CoV-2 survives in aerosols
for a few hours.

 There is substantial evidence for transmission events

across a room (i.e., over distances larger than a meter or
two) that is associated with being indoors, particularly in
poorly ventilated spaces, although even indoor air drafts

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 driven by air conditioning systems may contribute to the
spread of respiratory sections.

Variants of COVID-19 and their Notability Criteria

 Variants of SARS-COV-2 are viruses that, while similar to

the original, have genetic changes that are of enough
significance to lead virologists to label them separately.

Notability Criteria
 Viruses generally acquire mutations over time, giving rise
to new variants. When a new variant appears to be
growing in a population, it can be labelled as an "emerging
variant". In the case of SARS-CoV-2, new lineages often
differ from one another by just a few nucleotides.
Some of the potential consequences of emerging variants are
the following:
 Increased transmissibility
 Increased morbidity
 Increased mortality
 Ability to evade detection by diagnostic tests
 Decreased susceptibility to antiviral drugs (if and when
such drugs are available)

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  Decreased susceptibility to neutralizing antibodies, either
therapeutic (e.g., convalescent plasma or monoclonal
antibodies) or in laboratory experiments
 Ability to evade natural immunity (e.g., causing
reinfections)
 Ability to infect vaccinated individuals
 Increased risk of particular conditions such as multisystem
inflammatory syndrome or long COVID.
 Increased affinity for particular demographic or clinical
groups, such as children or immunocompromised
individuals.
Variants that appear to meet one or more of these criteria may
be labelled "variants under investigation" or "variants of
interest" pending verification and validation of these
properties. The primary characteristic of a variant of interest is
that it shows evidence that demonstrates it is the cause of an
increased proportion of cases or unique outbreak clusters;
however, it must also have limited prevalence or expansion at
national levels, or the classification would be elevated to a
"variants of concern". If there is clear evidence that the
effectiveness of prevention or intervention measures for a
particular variant is substantially reduced, that variant is
termed a "variant of high consequence".

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 1. Omicron
Lineage B.1.1.529
 The Omicron variant, known as lineage B.1.1.529, was
declared a variant of concern by the World Health
Organization on 26 November 2021.
 It was found by the WHO by the network for genomic
surveillance in South Africa.
 Named Omicron by the WHO, it was identified in
November 2021 in Botswana and South Africa, one
confirmed case was identified in Israel in a traveler
returning from Malawi, along with two who returned from
South Africa and one from Madagascar.
 Symptoms:-
>Asymptomatic infection
>body ache
>fever
>nasal congestion or
running nose
>skin rash

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 2. Alpha
Lineage B1.1.1.7
 Scientists more widely took note of this variant in early
December 2020, when a phylogenetic tree showing viral
sequences from Kent, United Kingdom looked unusual.
 The variant began to spread quickly by mid-December,
around the same time as infections surged. This increase is
thought to be at least partly because of one or more
mutations in the virus spike protein.
 The variant was also notable for having more mutations
than normally seen. By January 2021, more than half of all
genomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 was carried out in the
UK. This gave rise to questions as to how many other
important variants were circulating around the world
undetected.
 Symptoms:
>Chills
>Loss of Appetite
>Headaches
>Muscles aches

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 3. Beta
Lineage B.1.351
 The Beta variant (B.1.351) was a variant of SARS-CoV-2,
the virus that causes COVID-19. One of several SARS-CoV-2
variants initially believed to be of particular importance, it
was first detected in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan
area of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa in
October 2020, which was reported by the country's health
department on 18 December 2020. Phylogeographic
analysis suggests this variant emerged in the Nelson
Mandela Bay area in July or August 2020.
 Date Reported:- July 2020 or August 2020.
 The World Health Organization labelled the variant as Beta
variant, not to replace the scientific name but as a name
for the public to
commonly refer
to. The WHO
considers it to be
a variant of
concern no longer in
circulation.

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 4. Gamma
Lineage P.1
 The Gamma variant (P.1) was one of the variants of SARS-
CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19,its variant of SARS-
CoV-2 has been named lineage P.1 and has 17 amino acid
substitutions, ten of which in its spike protein, including
these three designated to be of particular
concern: N501Y, E484K and K417T.
 It was first detected by the National Institute of Infectious
Diseases (NIID) of Japan, on 6 January 2021 in four people
who had arrived in Tokyo having visited Amazonas, Brazil,
four days earlier. It was subsequently declared to be in
circulation in
Brazil. Under the
simplified
naming scheme
proposed by
the World Health
Organization, P.1
was labeled
Gamma variant,
and was
considered
a variant of
concern until March 2022.

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 4. Delta
Lineage B.1.617.2
 The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was a variant of SARS-CoV-2,
the virus that causes COVID-19. It was first detected in
India on 5 October 2020. The Delta variant was named on
31 May 2021 and had spread to over 179 countries by 22
November 2021. The World Health Organization (WHO)
indicated in June 2021 that the Delta variant was
becoming the dominant strain globally.
 It has mutations in the gene encoding the SARS-CoV-
2 spike protein causing the substitutions
T478K, P681R and L452R, which are known to affect
transmissibility of the virus as well as whether it can be
neutralized by antibodies for previously circulating variants
of the COVID-19 virus.
 Symptoms:-
>Headache
>Fever
>Sore
throat

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Affect of COVID-19 on the World

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 1. The Role of a Doctor
During the COVID-19
pandemic, doctors played
multifaceted and critical
roles across healthcare
systems worldwide. Their
responsibilities extended
beyond clinical care,
encompassing public
health education, ethical
decision-making, and
system-level coordination.

 Frontline Clinical Care

> Doctors were at the forefront of diagnosing and
treating COVID-19 patients. They managed a spectrum of cases,
from mild symptoms to severe respiratory distress requiring
intensive care and mechanical ventilation. In some instances,
physicians like Dr. Luigi Cavanna in Italy initiated home visits to
provide early treatment and reduce hospital overload.

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  Public Health Education and Vaccine Advocacy
>Primary care physicians played a pivotal role in
educating the public about COVID-19 prevention measures and
the importance of vaccination. They addressed vaccine
hesitancy by providing accurate information on vaccine safety
and efficacy, thereby facilitating higher vaccination rates.

 Mental Health Support and Coping with Burnout

> The prolonged crisis led to significant psychological
strain on healthcare workers. Doctors faced high patient
mortality rates, long working hours, and the emotional toll of
the pandemic, leading to increased instances of burnout,
anxiety, and depression. Support systems and mental health
resources became essential to help physicians cope with these
challenges.

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 2. Interview #1

 Interviewer (I): Thank you for joining us. Could you briefly
share your experience with COVID-19?
 _________(S): Of course. I contracted COVID-19 in mid-
2020. Initially, I experienced fatigue and a persistent
cough. When I lost my sense of taste and smell, I got
tested, and it came back positive.
 I: How did the illness progress?
 S: My symptoms worsened over a few days, leading to
shortness of breath and high fever. I was hospitalized and
spent a week receiving oxygen therapy.
 I: What was your recovery like?
 S: Recovery was gradual. Even after testing negative, I
dealt with lingering fatigue and breathlessness for several
weeks.
 I: Did you face any psychological challenges?
 S: Yes, the isolation during hospitalization was tough. Post-
recovery, I experienced anxiety, but support from family
and mental health professionals helped immensely.
 I: Has this experience changed your perspective?

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 S: Absolutely. I now value health and relationships more
deeply and I wish to spend as much time with my family as
possible.

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 3.Interview #2

Interviewer (I): Thank you for speaking with us. Could you share
how COVID-19 impacted your family?
Parent (P): Of course. Our family of four contracted COVID-19 in
early 2021. While my spouse and I experienced moderate
symptoms, our eldest child developed long COVID, leading to
prolonged fatigue
I: How did this affect your daily life?
P: It was challenging. Managing work from home while caring
for a child with ongoing health issues required us to adjust our
routines significantly.
I: Were there any positive outcomes from this experience?
P: Yes, despite the hardships, our family bond strengthened.
We spent more quality time together, supported each other
through recovery, and developed a deeper appreciation for our
health and relationships.

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 4. Interview #3

Interviewer (I): Thank you for speaking with us. Could you share
how the pandemic affected your family life?
Parent (P): Absolutely. The pandemic was a challenging time.
Our family of five had to adjust to new routines, with both work
and school moving online. It was a period of uncertainty and
adaptation.
I: Were there any positive aspects that emerged during this
time?
P: Yes, despite the difficulties, we found silver linings. Spending
more time together allowed us to strengthen our family bonds.
We started new traditions, like weekly game nights and cooking
meals together, which brought us closer.
I: How did your children cope with the changes?
P: It was tough initially. They missed their friends and the
structure of school. But over time, they adapted. We focused
on open communication, ensuring they felt supported and
heard.

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I: What lessons did your family take away from this experience?
P: We learned the importance of resilience and the value of
togetherness. The pandemic taught us to cherish our time
together and to support each other through life's uncertainties.

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 5. Interview #4

Interviewer (I): Thank you for speaking with us today. Could you
share how the pandemic affected your family?
Parent (P): We lost my husband, to COVID-19 in May 2021. He
was 52, healthy, and full of life. It happened so quickly. One
week he had a mild cough, and within days, he was gone.
I: I'm so sorry for your loss. Were you able to be with him
during his final moments?
P: No. Due to hospital restrictions, we couldn't visit. We said
our goodbyes over a video call. It's a pain that lingers—the
inability to hold his hand, to comfort him.
I: How has this loss impacted your family?
P: Our children, especially our youngest, have struggled.
Birthdays, festivals, every milestone feels incomplete. The
house feels emptier, quieter.
I: What helped you navigate through this grief?

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P: Support from friends and community was crucial. Sharing
memories, seeking counseling, and leaning on each other
helped us cope.
I: Is there a message you'd like to share with others?
P: Cherish your loved ones. Don't take moments for granted.
And to those who've lost someone—it's okay to grieve, to seek
help, and to remember.

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 6. Interview #5

Interviewer (I): Thank you for joining us today. Could you share
how the pandemic affected your family?
Son (S): Of course. In April 2021, my father, who was in good
health, contracted COVID-19. Within a week, he was
hospitalized, and despite the doctors' efforts, he passed away.
I: I'm so sorry for your loss. Were you able to be with him
during his final moments?
S: Unfortunately, no. Due to hospital restrictions, we couldn't
visit. We said our goodbyes over a video call. It's a pain that
lingers—the inability to hold his hand, to comfort him.
I: How has this loss impacted your life?
S: It's been incredibly challenging. My father was my mentor
and best friend. His absence is felt every day, from the big
moments to the small daily routines.
I: What has helped you cope during this time?
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S: Support from family and friends has been crucial. I've also
sought counseling, which has provided tools to navigate the
grief.
I: Is there a message you'd like to share with others?
S: Cherish your loved ones. Don't take moments for granted.
And to those who've lost someone—it's okay to grieve, to seek
help, and to remember.

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 Vaccines
 A COVID-19 vaccine is a vaccines intended to
provide acquired immunity against severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the
virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
 Knowledge about the structure and function of
previous coronaviruses causing diseases like severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS) accelerated the development
of various vaccine platform in early 2020. In 2020, the first
COVID-19 vaccines were developed and made available to
the public through emergency authorizations and
conditional approvals. However, immunity from the
vaccines wanes over time, requiring people to get booster
doses of the vaccine to maintain protection against
COVID-19.
 The COVID-19 vaccines are widely credited for their role in
reducing the spread of COVID-19 and reducing the severity
and death caused by COVID-19.
 Common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines include
soreness, redness, rash, inflammation at the injection site,
fatigue, headache, myalgia (muscle pain), arthralgia (joint
pain), which resolve without medical treatment within a
few days. COVID-19 vaccination is safe for people who are
pregnant.

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 As of 12 August 2024, 13.53 billion COVID-19 vaccine
doses have been administered worldwide, with 70.6
percent of the global population having received at least
one dose. While 4.19 million vaccines were then being
administered daily, only 22.3 percent of people in low-
income countries had received at least a first vaccine by
September 2022, according to official reports from
national health agencies, which are collated by Our World
in Data.

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Development of the Vaccine Technologies
 The initial focus of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines was on preventing
symptomatic, often severe, illness. Most of the first
COVID-19 vaccines were two-dose vaccines, with the
exception single-dose vaccines Convidicea and the Janssen
COVID-19 vaccine, and vaccines with three-dose
schedules, Razi Cov Pars and Soberana.
 As of July 2021, at least nine different technology
platforms were under research and development to create
an effective vaccine against COVID-19. Most of the
platforms of vaccine candidates in clinical trials are
focused on the coronavirus spike protein (S protein) and
its variants as the primary antigen of COVID-19
infection, since the S
protein triggers strong
B-cell and T-cell
immune responses.
 Future generations of
COVID-19 vaccines
targeting more
conserved genomic
regions could be used
to treat future

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 variations of SARS-CoV-2, or any similar coronavirus
epidemic.

List of Authorized Vaccines

 A universal coronavirus vaccine would be effective against

all coronaviruses and possibly other viruses. The concept
was publicly endorsed by NIAID director Anthony
Fauci, virologist Jeffery K. Taubenberger, and David M.
Morens. In March 2022, the White House released the
"National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan", which
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 recommended accelerating the development of a
universal coronavirus vaccine.
 One attempt at such a vaccine is being developed at
the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. It uses a spike
ferritin-based nanoparticle (SpFN). This vaccine began a
Phase I clinical trial in April 2022. Results of this trial were
published in May 2024. Other universal vaccines that have
entered clinical trial include OVX033 (France), PanCov
(France), pEVAC-PS (UK), and VBI-2902 (Canada).
 Another strategy is to attach vaccine fragments from
multiple strains to a nanoparticle scaffold. One theory is
that a broader range of strains can be vaccinated against
by targeting the receptor-binding domain, rather than the
whole spike protein.

Adverse Effects of the Vaccines

 For most people, the side effects, also called adverse
effects, from COVID-19 vaccines are mild and can be
managed at home. The adverse effects of the COVID-19
vaccination are similar to those of other vaccines, and
severe adverse effects are rare. Side effects related to the
mild trauma associated with the procedure and the
introduction of a foreign substance into the body. These
include soreness, redness, rash, and inflammation at the
injection site.
 Other common side effects include fatigue,
headache, myalgia (muscle pain), and arthralgia (joint
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 pain), all of which generally resolve without medical
treatment within a few days. Like any other vaccine, some
people are allergic to one or more ingredients in COVID-19
vaccines.
 Typical side effects are stronger and more common in
younger people and in subsequent doses, and up to 20%
of people report a disruptive level of side effects after the
second dose of an mRNA vaccine.
 These side effects are less common or weaker
in inactivated vaccines. COVID-19 vaccination-
related enlargement of lymph nodes happens in 11.6% of
those who received one dose of the vaccine and in 16% of
those who received two doses.

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 Preventive Measures
1. Face Masks and Respiratory Hygiene
 In community and healthcare settings, the use of face
masks is intended as source control to
limit transmission of the virus and for personal protection
to prevent infection. Properly worn masks both limit
the respiratory droplets and aerosols spread by infected
individuals and help protect healthy individuals from
infection.
 Various case-control and population-based studies have
also shown that increased levels of masking in a
community reduces the spread of SARS-CoV-2
 During the public health emergency, governments widely
recommended and mandated mask-wearing, and
prominent national and intergovernmental health
agencies and their leaders recommended the use of masks
to reduce transmission, including the WHO.

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 2. Indoor ventilation and avoiding crowded indoor
spaces.
 The CDC states that avoiding crowded indoor spaces
reduces the risk of COVID-19 infection. When indoors,
increasing the rate of air change, decreasing recirculation
of air and increasing the use of outdoor air can reduce
transmission.
 The WHO recommends ventilation and air filtration in
public spaces to help clear out infectious aerosols.
 The risk of COVID-19 infection increases especially in
spaces where people engage in physical exertion or raise
their voice (e.g., exercising, shouting, singing) as this
increases exhalation of respiratory droplets. Prolonged
exposure to these conditions, typically more than 15
minutes, leads to higher risk of infection.
 Displacement ventilation with large natural inlets can
move stale air directly to the exhaust in laminar flow while
significantly reducing the concentration of droplets and
particles. Passive ventilation reduces energy consumption
and maintenance costs but may lack controllability and
heat treatment.
 Recirculation and mixing should be avoided because
recirculation prevents dilution of harmful particles and
redistributes possibly contaminated air, and mixing
increases the concentration and range of infectious
particles and keeps larger particles in the air.

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 3. Hand-washing and hygiene
 WHO also recommends that individuals wash hands often
with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, when hands
are visibly dirty, before eating.
 the CDC recommends using an alcohol-based hand
sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
 the WHO provides two formulations for local production.
In these formulations, the antimicrobial activity arises
from ethanol or isopropanol. Hydrogen peroxide is used to
help eliminate bacterial spores in the alcohol; it is "not an
active substance for hand antisepsis". Glycerol is added as
a humectant.

4. Social distancing
 Social distancing (also known as physical distancing)
includes infection control actions intended to slow the
spread of the disease by minimizing close contact between
individuals. Methods include quarantines; travel
restrictions; and the closing of schools, workplaces,
stadiums, theatres, or shopping centers. Individuals may
apply social distancing methods by staying at home,
limiting travel, avoiding crowded areas, using no-contact
greetings, and physically distancing themselves from
others.

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Bibliography
 Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19#
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_vaccine

 Chatgpt

 Official WHO website

https://www.who.int/
https://data.who.int/

 Mayoclinic.com
https://www.mayoclinic.org/

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