So recently apollo has been on the rise and i have shared my thoughts on the etiology and the pathophysiology of the condition, i have also included the management procedure and the need to get one's eye checked in my write up, Acute Hemorrhagic Conjunctivitis on the Rise (Apollo)
@nattybongoDo well to read for a better understanding of the condition. For this writuep however, i would be focusing on the practices that we need to adopt during this outbreak to safeguard ourselves and our eyes from catching the enterovirus that brings about this condition. I do hope that you enjoy the read and that you learn a thing or two.
Do's and Don'ts
Hand Sanitizer; you ought to get one and you have to keep it handy, and so it's advise you get one that is portable that can fit in your bagpack or handbag. Make conscious effort to use it as often as possible especially whenever you have direct contact with someone or find yourself in a crowded place and have to touch doors and other similar objects. Eg. At the mall.
Avoid Physical Contact; if possible, hugging and caressing and handshakes are some of the fastest ways to get the virus because we tend to touch our eyes unconsciously quite often and it gets worse when your attention is brought to it, you somehow just want to touch your eyes. If you do touch your eyes, and there are not viruses on the hand then you are good to go and so just to be on the safer side, let pause these activities for just a little while, the condition will pass soon enough.
Use tissue handkerchief instead; of cloth handkerchief, tissues are disposable and the tendency you may end up infecting or re-infecting yourself if you have already done so is almost nil. It safer, cheaper and more convenient, for the time been, let's go the tissue way instead of the cloth we are used to.
Get Your Eyes Check; apollo or acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis as it ought to have been known is on the rise and taking the local Ghanaian communities by storm however it doesn't necessarily mean any discomfort you are experiencing on your eye is Apollo. Get yourself checked by an Optometrist for confirmation and treatment and if it turns out not to be that, you still get to be treated and you are good to go.
Conclusion
The world is changing and new things keep coming about, including new conditions and the like and although Apollo has always been with us for years, it is good to stay abreast with the latest information out there and to be in the know.
@nattybongoDo not assume, and do not attempt to self-medicate, get the proper care needed, take your eye health seriously and everything should be well with you. It is a pleasure serving you today and thanks for your attention and for reading. Cheers!
Further Reading
Wright, P. W., Strauss, G. H., & Langford, M. P. (1992). Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis. American family physician, 45(1), 173–178..
Lévêque, N., Huguet, P., Norder, H., & Chomel, J. J. (2010). Les Enterovirus responsables de conjonctivite aiguë hémorragique [Enteroviruses responsible for acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis]. Medecine et maladies infectieuses, 40(4), 212–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medmal.2009.09.006.
Zhang, L., Zhao, N., Huang, X., Jin, X., Geng, X., Chan, T. C., & Liu, S. (2017). Molecular epidemiology of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis caused by coxsackie A type 24 variant in China, 2004-2014. Scientific reports, 7, 45202. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep45202.
Burr, S. E., Sillah, A., Joof, H., Bailey, R. L., & Holland, M. J. (2017). An outbreak of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis associated with coxsackievirus A24 variant in The Gambia, West Africa. BMC research notes, 10(1), 692. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-017-3007-9.