The novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, was first detected in Wuhan, China. While the origin of the coronavirus remains a debated topic, the most commonly accepted theory is that the virus originated in a wet market in Wuhan, China. These markets often have various animals kept in close proximity, and easily allow for viruses to jump from one species to another. Due to this, it is believed that the first host of the coronavirus was a bat.
Although bats were not sold at the specific Wuhan market, bats could have easily infected animals sold in the market, and spread the disease to humans. Bats have an infamous history of carrying dangerous diseases, such as Ebola, SARS, and HIV. Since then, COVID-19 has rapidly spread through the world, inflicting pain and fear as it travels. As of March 26, there have been 69,197 cases and over 1,000 deaths in the US alone.
Here are some tips and information about the coronavirus.
1. Go to a doctor if you exhibit the symptoms.
If you exhibit the symptoms of COVID-19, and have either visited China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, or Iran OR have been in contact with someone who has, call your doctor to tell them, so that they can take proper precautions. Some common symptoms of the virus are cough, fever, exhaustion and difficulty breathing in some cases. People who have weakened or compromised immune systems such as older people and people with asthma are more vulnerable to COVID-19.
COVID-19 is transmitted through water droplets and other fluids, so if you wash your hands with soap and water frequently, and don’t touch your face, then your chance of getting the coronavirus will drop significantly. When washing your hands, make sure to rinse for at least 20 seconds. One good way to do this is by singing “Happy Birthday” twice in your head.
3. Maintain social distancing.
Stay at least six feet away from anyone who is coughing or sneezing. This is to prevent them from spraying water droplets into your nose or mouth. If you get too close, you could breathe in the droplets, some of which might be infected. Even if they don’t display any signs of infection, an individual could still be carrying the virus. For 1-14 days, the virus is in an “incubation period” where the infected do not display symptoms. In this time period, it is still very possible to transmit the disease to other people, even though the person does not appear to be infected. This is known as asymptomatic transmission.
4. Cover your mouth when sneezing.
A good habit to prevent the spread of any virus is to cover your mouth when sneezing and coughing. This is to prevent the spread of any water droplets or particles, which consequently prevents the spread of the novel coronavirus.
5. Stay alert and informed, not panicked.
Stay informed about new developments on the coronavirus, so that you can make sure that you and your family stay safe during this dangerous outbreak. Follow advice given to you by your doctor or healthcare official, because they know what is the best way to protect you.
As everyone from countries to individuals panic, and with many important events, including school closed, it is easy to forget the good news about this pandemic. Though more than 487,000 cases have been confirmed, 117,000 people have recovered. Additionally, Governor Larry Hogan has issued new legislation preventing the spread of this virus, including the closing of schools, and banning gatherings of more than 10 people. Though all of this is great news, it is important to remember that Montgomery County is a coronavirus hotspot, with more than 127 cases, and that we are only at the beginning.
In the midst of this global pandemic, there are also many controversies arising. A recent hot topic of discussion is President Donald Trump’s decision to call the coronavirus the “Chinese Virus”. Many people believe this name to be extremely racist, implying that the virus is the fault of the Chinese people which is false. However, Trump replies saying, “That’s where it’s from . . . it’s not racist.” The convention of naming diseases or viruses after their location of origin is a practice that has been seen many times in history, but has been discouraged in recent years. The World Health Organization (WHO) “officially recognized the troubling implications of naming infectious diseases based on their place of origin or ethnic population”, observing “backlash against . . . ethnic communities, create unjustified barriers to travel, commerce, and trade, and trigger needless slaughtering of food animals” as a result. Although Trump’s intentions may not be to offend or target a specific ethinic group, in this case the Chinese, but could be taken in the wrong way.
A related concern that people have about this virus is the growth of xenophobia across the world. Numerous acts of racism against Chinese-Americans have been reported across the country. For example, Allison Park, an Asian-American visiting D.C. from Brooklyn encountered someone on the Metro telling her to “Get out of here. Go back to China. I don’t want none of your swine flu here.” Later, in San Francisco, she had a similar experience, and the man eventually threatened to shoot her. This unwarranted racial prejudice is an unfortunate byproduct of this pandemic.
Although this global struggle should be a time where world leaders unite to fight their common enemy, the opposite is the case. A former Obama Administration member, Jeremy Konyndyk, stated, “There’s no attempt at global leadership from anyone right now, and we’re not going to win if ultimately we’re not working together on this.” Trump’s America First policy is forcing America to fight with other countries instead of working with them as America has in the past.
Written by Steven Wang and Christopher Jin of Takoma Park Middle School
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons