Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic
The emergence the novel coronavirus disease pandemic has disrupted normal activities and life across the world with over half of its population under some containment measures that include lockdowns, stay at home orders, curfew as well as social distancing precautions. As such, this essay discusses the emergence, history and measures taken as well as future issues about the disease.
COVID-19 in Medical Terms
COVID is the name given to the disease coming as a result of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 by the World Health Organization in early February 2020 after its emergence in a Chinese city, Wuhan. COVID-19 is the acronym which stands for Corona Virus Disease of 2019. The condition is caused by SARS-CoV2 virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) received reports from health authorities of a strange new pneumonia of unknown cause (Kaplan p1). The infections were discovered to be caused by a coronavirus that was named the 2019 coronavirus (2019-nCoV) (WHO p1). Later, WHO changed the disease’s name to severe acute respiratory syndrome 2. The disease was named SARS-CoV-2 since it is from the genetic group of coronaviruses which caused the 2002 SARS outbreak. By January 20, WHO issued a statement that the disease, whose origin may have been a wet market in Wuhan city, is zoonotic meaning that it may have been transmitted from animals, especially bats with certain coronavirus.
Emergence History in Wuhan China
According to WHO, the first case of coronavirus appeared in a Wuhan hospital when patients with pneumonia like symptoms reported health complications related to difficulties in breathing and severe aches. While unconfirmed reports assert that the first Covid-19 case occurred in November 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) received first reports in mid-December about the new coronavirus cases in Wuhan. Within few weeks, the disease had spread to major Chinese cities leading to implementation of different containment measures from the epicenter, Wuhan city in Hubei Province. By December 20, 2019, there were over sixty confirmed cases and by mi-March 2020, the disease had become an international pandemic and infected over 130,000 people across the world as well as close to 5,000 fatalities. By that time, close to half of those who had contracted the dangerous disease had recovered (Mackenzie & Smith p1). Today, COVID-19 is an international pandemic that had claimed over 150,000 lives with close to 69,000 Americans becoming fatalities. Confirmed cases of the novel virus across the world is about 3.3 million, with the U.S. accounting for over one million of the cases.
Chinese Measures to slow infections and new cases
By early April, China was reporting a significant decline in the number of new infections across its many cities, right from Wuhan the epicenter of the disease. Throughout April, China was not reporting any new local infections except imported cases of the virus because of restrictive measures adopted by the health authorities.
Among the measures was increase in testing where the health authorities enhanced capacity to conduct more tests, especially mass testing in hotspot cities like Wuhan. Secondly, the authorities imposed lockdowns to keep people away from public spaces and increased interactions to reduce the rate of transmissions and infections (Broom p1). For instance, Wuhan City was placed on lockdown for most part of February and March with restrictions easing from mid-April. However, travel restrictions from and to the city remain with stringent measures that include taking temperatures and signing consent forms when entering or leaving the city.
Further, China was keen on implementation of social distancing and increased hygiene with handwashing being emphasized. According to WHO, China reached its infection peak in February which led the Chinese authorities to execute extraordinary approaches to curb its spread by social distancing rule, quarantines; both mandatory and self, as well as hand and respiratory hygiene (Kraemer et al. p494). Other short term measures aimed at stopping the transmission to the rest of the country from Hubei included school closures, ban of public transport, social gatherings and restricting visits to grocery stores. The authorities also implemented shutdowns in workplaces to help limit the transmission of COVID-19 (WHO p1). These tough measures by the health authorities to check the spread of the virus in the initial 50 days is regarded to have prevented over 700,00 new cases as observed by a study (Gander p1). China has few new cases but mostly imported while many of the tough measures are being eased.
Symptoms & Severity
Individuals with COVID-19 have a wide range of symptoms that they report, right from mild symptom to critical situations that may require use of ventilators and being in incentive care unit (ICU). According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), signs appear between 2 and 14 days upon viral exposure. These may include cough, fever and chills, sore throat and tiredness (CDC b p1). Serious symptoms which need medical attention may include shortness of breath or having difficulties breathing, chest pain and loss of movement.
Individuals that are older or have an existing chronic conditions like lung disease, severe obesity and heart disease as well as diabetes and compromised immune system are more susceptible and at a higher risk of serious illness.
Effects on Respiratory System
COVID-19 gets into healthy cells through attachment to the ACE-2 receptor leading to the damage of cells. These receptors are common in the respiratory system, particularly the lungs. In upper respiratory system, the virus causes mild symptoms that include sneezing and dry cough. However, further advances into the lungs lead to severs symptoms that include shortness of breath and low levels of oxygen. Lung infection by the virus leads to pneumonia as it triggers excessive secretion of mucus in the airways (Mackenzie & Smith p1). The mucus affects air sacs and prevents normal exchange of gases between air and blood. The implication is that one experiences difficulties in breathing weakening the body and making it tired due to reduced oxygen levels in blood for circulation (Guite p1). Coronavirus disease has no treatment at the moment according to WHO and CDC. Treatment and management of the symptoms occurs when one is sick from the virus and in severe cases, it may require hospitalization and use of ventilators to breathe.
Latest Status on Travel as of May 1
By May 1, travel restrictions within the country continue to be enforced with Americans being urged to stay home as ordered by their respective state governments. However, partial reopening continues in many parts of the country. Across the world, travel bans are still in place in many countries, especially air transport and only cargo shipment being permitted.
Latest Testing Status
Several states have not rolled out mass testing though the number of tests per day has been increasing, especially in New York as the epicenter of U.S. coronavirus infections. More states continue to have increased resources to conduct tests (CDC p1).
Preventive Measures
Controlling the spread of infections for COVID-19 remains a public health priority. Imperatively, measures include staying at home, maintaining social distancing, hygiene measures like handwashing, self-isolation and quarantine when feeling sick and avoiding crowded areas. At the moment, no treatment exists for COVID-19 as stated by health bodies like CDC, and WHO. However, research efforts to develop a vaccine continue in many countries, including the U.S.
Economic Fallout
Major world economies, including the U.S. and Europe are projected to have economic slumps with stock markets taking a deep and production falling. The economic fallout due to coronavirus disease has been profound with millions of Americans filing for unemployment benefits.
Responses by State and Federal Governments
The state and federal governments have responded to the pandemic through economic stimulus plans aimed at cushioning impacted businesses, especially small enterprises, individuals and the unemployed. For instance, Congress passed a bill for the federal government to spend over $3 trillion to cushion Americans against the economic effects of COVID-19. Different state governments have also responded with a host of stimulus packages and other measures to cushion those adversely affected by the pandemic.
Comments & Personal Experiences
The coronavirus disease pandemic presents critical lessons on the need for personal hygiene and a change on how governments can implement public health measures. I believe that the experience from this pandemic will help us reexamine hygiene practices and have a sense of looking at things in a better way, especially cooperation with health care officials to control the spread of the disease. staying home is difficult because the virus has made it difficult to interact with many loved people and even playing.
Works Cited
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Gander, Kashmira. China May Have Prevented Over 700,000 COVID-19 Cases With Its
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Accessed from https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-03-27/what-does-covid-19-stand-for
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