I know you are all probably sick to death of hearing about the current COVID-19 pandemic, but as a scientist, I wanted to write about this and separate some fact from fiction.. I am by no means an expert, but I am a PhD student who has read some of the literature available (which I will pop at the bottom for you to draw your own conclusions from if you wish!).
So, where to start? Well. COVID-19 is the name of the disease caused by the virus 'SARS-CoV-2' - short for 'Severe acute respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus-2'. This has been shown to be very similar to other coronaviruses (the 'umbrella term'), found in bats - which has been suggested as the likely origin of the disease.
We know the virus can spread in droplets, such as in the form of coughing, which is why face coverings are being used in some countries. This is actually not to protect the person wearing it, but to protect others, in case the person is unaware they're infected. Of course it goes without saying, but the closer you are to other people, the more likely the droplets are to reach you and the virus to spread.. This is where social distancing comes in!
As many of us know, it can cause a wide range of symptoms, mainly focussed around a high temperature and dry cough, with the incubation period of the virus thought to be around ~5days (meaning you are infected before developing any symptoms). However, there is also a proportion of the population whom don't know show symptoms, but are infected and are therefore infectious. It is because of this that the lockdown was deemed necessary - if people are infected without developing symptoms for nearly a week, or without showing symptoms at all, they can't effectively prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
All of this information explains why we are in the situation we are in... The better we are at social distancing and reducing our contact with others, the less likely it is for the virus to spread and (hopefully!) the quicker this will all be over!
I know this is a really hard time for everyone, and I just wanted to finish by highlighting the fact that it is okay to not be okay. Whether it is just a 'down day' or something more, it is so important to reach out and speak to those around you, or seek mental health services where appropriate.
Stay safe and stay strong everybody, we will get through this!
As always, any questions, queries or suggestions are gratefully received.
B x
Cevik M, Bamford C, Ho A, COVID-19 pandemic – A focused review for clinicians, Clinical Microbiology and Infection, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2020.04.023.
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