COVID-19: The Virus of Terror
Junho Son
As of right now (February 15, 2020), an unbeknownst contagion, commonly known as the Coronavirus, is continuing to spread throughout the world. Although exact numbers are unclear, most of the patients are from Asia, specifically China, and the death rate seems to be relatively low, fluctuating the 2~3% range.
What is COVID 19?
COVID-19 is the official name of the 2019 novel coronavirus, given by the World Health Organization. Technically, the term coronavirus, doesn’t refer to a particular infection but refers to an entire family of viruses that infects birds and mammals. There are in fact many recent examples of coronavirus. The SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus that caused the SARS outbreak of 2003 was also a variant of the coronavirus; the official name given was is SARS-CoV, CoV indicating that it’s a variation of the coronavirus. Another example of the coronavirus is MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) that caused the 2015 MERS outbreak in South Korea. The COVID-19, or 2019-nCoV, is another variant of this coronavirus, just in a newly mutated state.
COVID-19, as the name suggests, is a virus, meaning its reproductive abilities depend solely on a host. They are basically a group of genetic material, in this case, RNA, packed in a protein coat. It is not a cell, and therefore doesn’t have to ability to which contain ribosomes that give them the ability to produce new proteins, and therefore cannot replicate on their own. A random mutation allowed them to bind and essentially hijack a human cell, using one’s body’s own cells to replicate.
Symptoms and Infection
The first step towards getting infected is contact. Currently, there’s no evidence that contact with common household pets such as dogs and cats. Although the patient zero, or the first person identified to have the virus, was thought to have been infected by consuming an infected bat (although this information is unclear), the odds of experiencing a spillover, or the transfer of an animal-based virus to a human, is quite low. However, the WHO recommends avoiding consuming uncooked animal products and limiting cross-contamination. The most likely way of getting infected is through the contact of bodily fluids. This usually takes the form of coughing and sneezing. Although the filters of dust masks or surgical masks such as KF99, KF94, KF80 masks aren’t small enough to filter out the virus, its role as a physical barrier against you and the outside world is significant. Unlike the recommendations of the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, the WHO recommends “using masks only if you have respiratory symptoms (coughing or sneezing), have suspected 2019-nCoV infection with mild symptoms or are caring for someone with suspected 2019-nCoV infection” for the purposes of “avoiding unnecessary wastage of precious resources” (“Advice”).
Symptoms of the coronavirus are closely linked to those of traditional respiratory diseases such as the common flu. It includes coughing, sneezing, high fever, muscle pain, and pneumonia. These common symptoms make COVID-19 extremely hard to isolate. With the virus being able to spread during its incubation period, medical experts advise tracking your overseas travel history, specifically those in China, and reporting to medical officials if symptoms are shown.
Fear: The Virus That Tests our Breaking Point
President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself". Despite the negative press reports and seemingly fatal conditions, the death tolls are relatively modest. Unlike other variants of the coronavirus such as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, each having a death rate of ≈40% and ≈10%, the COVID-19 takes the lives of only ≈2% of those infected. Currently, the death toll of South Korea is 1, and many patients are recovering. Considering the over 56,000 people die of the common cold annually, the death tolls of COVID-19 is relatively minor. Supposed signs of paths to mortality such as high fever and muscle pain are just, in fact, an immune response that creates a hostile environment for the virus and accelerates the production of immune cells. Even with no known cure, the COVID-19 poses little threat to those with a healthy immune system. The With the attention of the global community, we’re one step closer to a cure that would accelerate the eventual eradication.
What really holds us back is ignorance. We permeate fear and terror through our media and rely on superstition and establish stereotypes, instead of dedicating our efforts to scientific approaches. An example of this is the supply chain of medical supplies, especially those regarding masks. Even with the WHO’s disapproval of masks as equipment that completely negates an individual’s chance of getting infected, and their recommendations to only use a mask when near a confirmed patient, the global demand for masks are higher than ever.
When soaked in fear and deceived by the power of terror, we often activate our psychological defense mechanism to provide us the illusion of security. A tragic, yet prime example of this is all the stereotypes, stigma, and racism coronavirus outbreak brought to China society and their culture: often linking the root causes of the virus to Chinese food culture. What empowers the virus and makes us weaker is social disunity and perilousness. The distrust and hostility in the name of sanitation and disease control must be stopped and it’s important to tackle this crisis with international cooperation.
Works Cited
“Advice for Public.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public.
“Coronavirus.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus.
“Coronavirus.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019.
“Q&A On Coronaviruses.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses.