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A prototype of robot that can disinfect surfaces using UV-C rays and automatically turns off if it detects human motion.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2). COVID-19 has affected nearly 12.2 million people and has claimed the lives of 552, 112 people from all over the world. This disease affects different people in different ways. Some people may develop mild to moderate illness and recover without special treatment or hospitalisation, while some may develop severe illness and even die. The incubation period of this virus, on average 5-6 days but it could also be up to 2 weeks. During this period, the person may not experience any symptoms but could still be contagious. The person will be a virus carrier and easily spread it when he/ she does not take any precautionary measures.

Coronavirus has spread rapidly and many countries have been affected by this pandemic. While some countries are recovering, other countries are still in lockdown and some are suffering from the second wave of coronavirus.

How does coronavirus spread?
According to the World Health Organisation, WHO, coronavirus is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. These droplets are too heavy to hang in air, so they quickly fall on the surfaces below.

A person could contract this disease if he/ she breathes in the virus while an infected person/ virus carrier within close proximity sneezes or coughs, or by touching a contaminated surface and then his/ her eyes, nose or mouth.

How can the spread of coronavirus be controlled?
As you may have read in the above section about how the virus spreads, you would be now aware of two main factors: standing in close proximity with an infected person and touching a contaminated surface.

We can curb the spread of coronavirus by taking these two important factors in account.

It is important to avoid standing in close proximity with other people because they could sometimes be a virus carrier. As I have already explained, the person could be contagious before they develop any symptoms. To prevent standing in close proximity, we are advised to practice social distancing and to prevent touching a contaminated surface and then our eyes, nose or mouth, we must wash our hands properly for at least 20 seconds.

Scientists have also discovered that UV-light can kill coronavirus.”

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