Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic is perhaps the greatest healthcare challenge of a generation. It is a new pathogen that is highly contagious, can spread quickly, and must be considered capable of causing enormous health, economic and societal impacts in any setting. COVID-19 is caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and the disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19 has now affected several countries and has caused widespread death.⁽¹⁾

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. The disease primarily spreads via close contact of respiratory droplets generated by infected individuals. So early detection and isolation of cases is the key to control epidemic by the time vaccine or anti-viral becomes available. WHO sets its mission for COVID control as "detect, protect and treat" to break the chain of transmission of SARSCoV-2.⁽²⁾

1. Johns Hopkins University. Coronavirus Resource Center. October 9, 2020. Johns Hopkins University. https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html. Accessed October 9, 2020.
2. Timeline: WHO's COVID 19 response. Available from: https://www.who/Int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/interactive-timeline gclid=CjwKCAjwtNf6BRAwEiwAkt6UQiZuBpj903-1KLgvpAZA5zowCSie bXrZTIOpD2Efe3nWzsBUuFKFnhoCfMYQAvD_BwE#event-115.
3. Breaking Down Covid-19. A Living Textbook: Carey Kriz, Naiyer Imam, Sarah Zaidi.
4. https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/ on 9/1/2021
5. Use of chest imaging in Covid-19. Available from; http;//www.who.int/publication/i/item/use-of-chest-imaging-in-covid-19.
6. Breaking Down Covid-19. A Living Textbook: Carey Kriz, Naiyer Imam, Sarah Zaidi.
7. Therapeutic Management of Non hospitalized Adults With COVID-19 https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/ on 9/1/2021.

Dr Rajendra Tatu Nanavare

Chest Physician & Ex. MS GTB Hospitals Sewri Mumbai 15