In December 2019, there was a large cluster
of pneumonia cases in China.
Investigations found that it was caused by
a previously unknown virus, now named the
2019 Novel Coronavirus, or you may know it
as Covid-19.
Coronaviruses are a large group of viruses;
they consist of a core of genetic material
surrounded by an envelope of proteins covered
in spikes.
Both the typical influenza virus and the new
coronavirus use their spikes like a key to
get inside a cell in your body.
There they take over your internal machinery,
repurposing it to build the components of
new viruses.
Their spikes give them the appearance of a
crown and crown in Latin is called 'Corona'.
That's exactly how these viruses got their
names.
There are different types of coronaviruses
that cause respiratory and sometimes gastrointestinal
symptoms.
Respiratory symptoms range from the common
cold to pneumonia and in most people the symptoms
tend to be mild.
However, there are some types of coronaviruses
that can cause severe disease, leading to
possible kidney failure and even death.
These include SARS, a coronavirus first identified
in China in 2003, MERS, a coronavirus first
identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012, and finally,
a name we are all too familiar with: Covid-19.
Since first occurring in Wuhan animal markets,
the disease has quickly spread from sick individuals
to friends and family members along with healthcare
staff.So, where did the virus come from?
Well, it's known that the coronaviruses circulate
in a range of animals.
Sometimes these viruses make the jump from
animals to humans.
This is called a spillover and could be due
to a range of factors, such as mutations in
the virus.
For example, MERS came from Camels and SARS
came from civet cats.So how do we prevent
transmission of the virus?
We know that Its main way of spreading seems
to be droplets of the infection when people
cough, or if you contact someone who's ill
and then touch your face, say rubbing your
eyes or nose.
In order to lower the infection rate curve
we have to socially engineer our behaviour.
In an effort to do so, there are a number
of standard hygiene practices that have been
recommended in order to protect against infection
and further spread.
These include covering your mouth and nose
with a medical mask, tissue or flexed elbow.
Also avoid close contact with those who are
unwell.
The appropriate use of masks and personal
protective equipment is strongly recommended,
especially in the health care setting.
Washing hands with soap and water or at least
60% alcohol-based hand rub is very helpful.
It's important to stay home if you're feeling
unwell, but if you do have a fever, cough
or difficulty breathing, seek medical care
early.
On a larger level, there are quarantines,
which can mean different things, from travel
restrictions or actual orders to stay at home.
Quarantines are a difficult experience, but
they create time, crucial for researchers
working on medication and vaccinations.Thank
you for watching, I hope that you take what
you learned from this video and use it to
keep yourself safe and protect those around
you.
