What Should Pakistani Students do during the COVID-19 Outbreak?

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by coronavirus. People infected with coronavirus disease experiences mild to moderate respiratory illness. Newly born, older people and people underlying medical problems like diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic respiratory disease are likely to advance serious illness. The COVID-19 is a virus that spread mainly through saliva droplets or discharge from nose when a person who is infected sneezes or cough, so making it important to practice respiratory etiquette like, by coughing into flexed elbow. As it is unstoppable virus, reaching necessary epidemiological criteria declared it to be a pandemic. Infected many, coordinated global response is essential to prepare preventive measures and health system to encounter this unprecedented challenge.

Basic protective measure against COVID-19

First know how it spreads

• It spread mainly from person to person.
• People who are in close contact (within about 6 feet) from person infected.
• Through respiratory droplets produced inside human body when an infected person sneezed or cough.  It could perhaps inhaled into lungs or droplets can land in nose or mouth of people nearby.

Take protective steps to protect yourself

	Wash your hands frequently Wash your hands with water and soap for 20 seconds after sneezing or coughing, and after you have visited any public place. In case of unavailability of water and soap, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands as once contaminated, the hand can transfer the virus to your body.
	Maintain Social Distancing Maintain at least 1 meter distance with the person who is sneezing or coughing. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
	Wear a facemask Wear a facemask if you are sick, especially when around other people in vehicle workplace or home. In case of shortage of facemask, try to save it for caregivers.
	Disinfect and clean surfaces Try to clean frequently touched surfaces like light switch, door knobs, phones, sinks, toilets, faucets or table.
	Practice respiratory hygiene etiquettes Cover your nose and mouth with bent elbow or tissue when sneeze or cough. Wash your hands and dispose of used tissue immediately.
	Contact medical care if sick Stay home if you’re sick. Seek medical attention if you have fever, flu or difficulty breathing. Follow the directions of local health provider to prevent spread of infection.
	Stay in isolation: It is better to stay at home and remain in isolation if not well, because the symptoms appear late. People who arrived from infected areas, get yourself tested for this virus and stay isolated for good 15 days to avoid spreading of COVID-19.

Global Outbreak:

The COVID-19 outbreak is pandemic, as WHO declared on 11^th March 2020 due to confirmation of the global cases surpassing 200,000 worldwide. It spread from Chinese city Wuhan in the end of January to around 15 territories and countries-affecting every continent excluding Antarctica-in one month period. Efforts are made to avert pneumonia-like illness from further spreading that has led to flight cancellations, ban on immigrants worldwide, shuttered cities and disrupted financial markets.

Although new cases in China has deescalated, containment effort have failed to reduce the rate of reported cases in many states as the virus spread globally. Countries are adopting radical measure to stop COVID-19 on their domestic front, as many cases identified were imported from somewhere else. New Zealand and Australia blocked all foreigners to enter where citizens returning from abroad have to undergo a quarantine of 14-days.In Europe, Norway and Switzerland imposed national border control-not migration but also trade.

Covid-19 seems less deadly as compared to MERS, Ebola or SARS but deadlier than seasonal influenza. There is a short supply of hand sanitizer, facemasks and cleaning items as the virus spread widely and people are prepared for the worst.

Coronavirus in US

In U.S., there are more than 40,000 diagnosed cases caused by COVID-19. At least 483 have died due to the outbreak of this disease. Measures have been taken to restrict unnecessary travelling nearby and shutdown of all no essential business.

Coronavirus in UK

In UK, there are 5683 total cases caused by COVID-19. At least 281 have died due to the outbreak of this disease. These new active cases and death toll is increasing every day. The government has suggested staying in isolation and has reapplied restriction using demand on serious care as guide.

Coronavirus in Australia

Currently, Australia has 1,609 total cases caused by COVID-19. At least 7 have died due to the outbreak of this disease. The country has handled the outbreak through shutting non essential services (gym, bars, and restaurants), schools, workplace and discouraging domestic travel. The PM Sott Morrison called to stand up for unprecedented challenge of global health crisis.

Coronavirus in Italy

Italy has reported total 59,138 COVID-19 cases with at least 5,476 deaths in the country. Italy is still unable to flatten the curve despite shutdown of non-essential business and nationwide lockdown. Italy’s social contract matrix could be a possible reason for widespread. Elder people who live by themselves are not isolated as they have intense interaction with younger population and children. For such external shock, immediate measure should be taken to isolate all.

Symptoms of COVID-19

According to WHO, people who are over 60 years old or have underlying medical problems have higher risk to develop severe illness and disease.

Common Symptoms are:

• dry cough
• tiredness
• fever

Other symptoms are:

• sore throat
• shortness of breath
• aches and pain
• only few people report nausea or diarrhea.

People with mild symptoms should immediately isolate themselves and contact medical provider.

Effective Remote Studying

As taking online classes is not usual, you may find the new environment to be somewhat challenging. You need to have an access to proper internet connection, resources or tools for remote studying and self-discipline to promote effective distant learning.

Here are few tips to make most of your remote studying:

1. Schedule particular time for learning: If your online classes are ‘asynchronous’, it can lead to perpetually procrastinate studying. Mark the reminder in your phone and set specific time for watching movies, other hobbies and to read your textbook and lecture.
2. Use digital flash cards: Make flash cards from the text and videos which could be used later when working on particular topic or learning.
3. Use collaborative study apps: You can share flashcards, and use group video conversation as a mean to fill the learning gap you are facing. In case of any point unnoticed, you peer will help you out.

How to make use of online resources

With advancement in technology and provision of digital assets, online learning is continually improved and expanded with over many top institutions providing online courses. It can be effective as face to face education with tools and resources to learn online. It is well developed and initiated for people who want to learn while being employed or enrolled in any degree. With the help of online course, you can understand how to approach entrepreneurial pursuits, interpersonal interaction and apply structural guidance. LinkedIn Learning and Udemy are among few online learning marketplaces, which host range of courses at experience level.

Due to quarantine, students can utilize their free time in most productive resources that can cater the need to develop additional skill and knowledge. A brief introduction to online learning centers are given to help you chose wisely.

LinkedIn learning gives a modern learning experience that employees can use and apply to achieve business goals. It gives an access over 15,000 courses in seven languages (English, German, Mandarin, French, Brazilian, Spanish and Portuguese). They offer micro and macro content learning through bite sized videos to employees, who want to build new skill or are in big career transition. It helps to apply new skill with practice tools by templates, quizzes and other documents to help learner apply their learning. You can learn anytime, anywhere in offline mode which makes it easier when commuting or have connection issues.

Udemy is an online learning platform that has more than 57,000 instructors in over 65 languages. Many of the company use Udemy for employee upskilling. Students usually take course as a mean of improving job skills and some as a credit towards technical certification. It is not helpful to students only, people who think they can be good instructor can also sign up on the board and earn. Courses are offered across multiple domains like arts, music, fitness, entrepreneurial, technology, health and many others. Most of the classes are in practical subjects by using cameras or excel software. Udemy also offer for businesses, enabling them to target of around 4,000 training course that can develop digital marketing tactics, programming, management and more to office productivity.

Best time to learn new skills and do online courses

The outbreak of coronavirus has set countries to lockdown. Few of the universities worldwide have made attempts to digitize courses and activities. Despite of online classes, the country-wide quarantine has involved students to indulge in various engaging activities. In regular, do you have time to learn new and trending skills? Well, this is the best time to up skill yourself through online courses without any burden on wallet.

Many international universities, including Ivy League colleges offer online courses for free. Coursera.org, a platform for massive open online courses offers 839 courses from 114 institutions. The other popular platform edX gives you an access to 2500+ online courses from 140 top institutions. The popular domains are computer science, language, data science, engineering, humanities, nosiness and management. Commit to earn a certificate upon completion of the course is charged.

Things Students can do during Isolation period

How hard the the time is, it is the time that flies. The isolation won’t last for long if intensive care will be taken to prevent the widespread of COVID-19. People who are employed have work from home whereas only few universities are conducting online classes for students. Students should use this productive time, to pull out their hidden talents and must work on their hobbies. Well, others who want to utilize their time to up skill can chose online courses of their interest and within the time they are back to normal routine, they will have a certification to subject knowledge and a skill learner.