Covid-19 and SARS-CoV-2

Last updated on April 24, 2020

         I’m sure you’ve heard about Covid-19 by now. If you haven’t, you’ve obviously been living under a rock — great job self-isolating! There has been a lot of misinformation and miscommunication going around about Covid-19 (also known as coronavirus). Just like the flu, there is the myth that taking antibiotics will cure/prevent coronavirus (it will not, please stop). There are various myths concerning how to protect yourself from coronavirus ranging from the asinine and ill-advised (spray yourself with disinfectant or take a really hot bath) to the downright dangerous (drinking bleach — a tactic that does kill coronavirus with the unfortunate side effect of killing you as well). Earlier in the year, the president claimed that warmer temperatures in April would “kill” coronavirus (blatantly not how viruses work, but he is an idiot, so what do you expect). So, in light of this misinformation coming from all sides, I would like to take a quick moment to talk about the real science of Covid-19.

         Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is the name given to the disease caused by the virus termed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The multiple names for the virus and disease may be confusing to some, but it is standard practice for viral diseases (think HIV versus AIDS). The name SARS-CoV-2 actually tells us a lot more about the virus than Covid-19 does, so let’s break it down a bit. SARS tells us that the virus causes acute respiratory symptoms. In fact, some of the major symptoms of Covid-19 are cough and shortness of breath. 

         The second part of the name, CoV, refers to the type of virus, coronavirus. Coronaviruses are spherical virus particles covered in protein spikes that give them a crown-like appearance. These spikes bind to specific proteins on the surface of our cells to facilitate entry of the viral genetic material into our cells. 

The final part of the virus’ name you may have noticed is the 2, indicating that it is the second strain of SARS-CoV to infect humans. The SARS-CoV-1 virus caused a global outbreak in 2003 responsible for at least 800 deaths. While Covid-19 has already significantly surpassed this number (as I write this, current global deaths are over 12,000), it is important to know that this virus isn’t as novel and out-of-left field as it often has been portrayed to be. 

The difference between the epidemic in 2003 and today is mainly the transmissibility of the disease. Not only is SARS-CoV-2 seemingly more transmissible than the 2003 virus strain, it is also infectious long before symptoms appear. Pre-symptomatic transmission is the reason why social distancing and quarantine are so important in containing the spread. On average, every person infected with the common flu only spreads it to 1.3 people. The early symptomatic onset makes it much harder for the flu to spread. You feel sick, so you stay home. On the other hand, early estimates indicate that the average person with Covid-19 infects 2-2.5 others because many individuals don’t have symptoms when they first become infectious. 

I hope you learned something new from this blog post on Covid-19; I certainly learned quite a lot in my research for it. I’d like to leave you with a quick list of important reminders for dealing with Covid-19:

1. Don’t panic — take Covid-19 seriously, but don’t treat it like the coming apocalypse. Don’t hoard essential medical equipment like face masks and alcohol wipes unless you actually need them. Stop hoarding toilet paper (I honestly still don’t know why people are buying so much toilet paper). 
2. Practice as much self-quarantining as you can. Many people in the U.S. have been transitioning to working from home while the disease is circulating. For some though, this isn’t a choice. Whatever you do, stay at home as much as you possibly can. Even if you aren’t concerned about personally contracting the virus, you run the risk of transmitting it to others even when you aren’t showing any symptoms. And the more Covid-19 spreads, the longer this crisis will continue. 
3. Practice good hygiene and social distancing if you do go out. You may need to go out either for work or for essential supplies. If you do, make sure to wash your hand regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid too much contact with surfaces (don’t just go around the store touching random items you aren’t buying, you weirdo). And maintain a distance of at least 6-ft from other people whenever possible. 
4. If you think you may be sick, call your doctor and stay home. If you have a fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath, notify your doctor over the phone and follow their advice. Only go to the emergency room if you are exhibiting severe symptoms such as chest pain or difficulty breathing. Call ahead to the emergency room or your doctor if your symptoms get more severe and follow their advice. For a complete list of recommendations, check out the CDC’s website.
5. Limit your contact with sick family members and regularly disinfect household surfaces. Use disinfectants with more than 70% alcohol or a diluted household bleach solution. Use a face mask to protect yourself from infection from a sick family member. Wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face.

For more information, the CDC has detailed recommendations for how to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and keep yourself safe. I may write more about Covid-19 or viruses in general in the coming weeks. Comment below or email me at contact@anyonecanscience.com to let me know what you think about this week’s blog post and tell me what sorts of topics you want me to cover in the future. And subscribe below for weekly science posts sent straight to your email!