Written By: Syrine Ben Ayed and Ritika Putta
COVID-19. This word has wreaked havoc in 2020. Disrupted our lives. Separated families. Taken countless lives. COVID-19 is a virus that attacks the respiratory system, and there are still many things we do not know about it…COVID-19 is thought to spread through inhaling respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, or through touching a contaminated surface and bringing the virus in the proximity of the eye or mouth. Also dubbed as coronavirus due to the crown-like spikes, the virus itself can attack any organ in the body. Harlan Krumholz, a cardiologist at Yale University and Yale-New Haven Hospital, states, "[The disease] can attack almost anything in the body with devastating consequences." However, in severe cases, the virus inflicts serious damage onto the lungs. Symptoms present themselves as the common cold: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, headaches, a new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, or diarrhea.
COVID-19 has resulted in injustice toward several people. Those who sneezed were immediately and incorrectly labeled as infected. Furthermore, coronavirus has revived racist stereotypes against Asian minorities. Asians and people with Chinese heritage have been discriminated against and mistreated as if they "have the virus" since researchers reported that a possible point of origin is Wuhan, China." If you are seen to be Asian," Wong told us," even if you are not coughing or displaying symptoms, people naturally walk away from you." COVID-19 has driven the country to act in fear, disregarding our morals. It is not acceptable to put down others at this time. This is a time for solidarity and compassion. We are all uncertain about the future and must work together to build up hope
As a precaution, officials have issued multiple social-distancing guidelines. Alameda County has allowed outdoor in-person meetings. The participants must be masked, maintain a distance of 6-feet from others, and sustain a social bubble of 12 people for three weeks. After the three weeks, you can develop a new social bubble with different people. The general public's compliance plays a leading role in flattening the curve of COVID-19 and eradicating the virus; Hence, it is of utmost importance to uphold these guidelines.
COVID-19 has rapidly affected our day to day life. It has challenged healthcare, slowed down the global economy, and overall changed social life. Healthcare wise, patients diagnosed with other diseases and medical problems have been getting neglected, the pharmaceutical supply chain has been drastically altered, and the demand for doctors and healthcare professionals, who are at very high risk, has increased tremendously. Requirements for elevated protection, such as maintaining a social distance and a social bubble of 12, have forced all non-essential public places, such as hotels, restaurants, and areas of entertainment, to close. Moreover, losses in national and international businesses have risen, and revenue growth has significantly declined.
The headline of a New York Times article reads, "Never before, scientists say, have so many of the world's researchers focused so urgently on a single topic. Nearly all other research has ground to a halt." It's clear to say that our people are eager to discover the possibilities to eliminate COVID. To our nation, COVID is one monster that has forced us to alter our way of life. The real question is, is this for the worse, or the better?
Recently, a British research team discovered a breakthrough drug called dexamethasone. When tested in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the UK's national clinical trial recovery, it was found to benefit critically ill patients. Unfortunately, studies showed that while the drug appears to help severely ill patients, it harms others.
Fortunately, another discovery was made by the head of the infectious diseases clinic at the San Martino hospital, Dr. Matteo Basseti. According to The Sunday Telegraph, the Italian doctor says that the virus appears to have become less potent, possibly due to genetic mutations. He noted that in March and early April, the patterns were completely different. Bassetti said that at first, "people were coming to the emergency department with a tough time managing illness and needed oxygen and ventilation, some developed pneumonia." However, later, in the past month, "the picture has completely changed in terms of patterns... It was like an aggressive tiger in March and April, but now it's like a wild cat." Bassetti said. Now elderly patients, aged 80 or 90, are found sitting up in bed without breathing difficulty. Those same patients would have died in two or three days when the virus first broke.
The year 2020 has been hard, but we have gotten through half of the year. Imagine telling your children, your grandchildren about the troubles and hardships you faced as a young teen. We will survive this. History is being made in these very moments.
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