For Most People, It’s Not Virus Itself That’s Dangerous, But Rather How It Overwhelms Health Systems, Communities
Most people who get the coronavirus will only develop mild symptoms. But because of the extra burden on local health systems and how the virus spreads to older, more vulnerable populations, the virus' repercussions run deeper than just mild inconvenience. In other news: we're learning more each day about the virus; kids seem to be less susceptible but they can still spread infection; the fast-moving nature of the virus makes it hard to understand and contain; the EPA releases a list of disinfectants people should be using; and more.
The New York Times:
How Worried Should You Be About The Coronavirus?
First, while global knowledge of Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, is growing every day, much remains unknown. Many cases are thought to be mild or asymptomatic, for example, making it hard to gauge how wide the virus has spread or how deadly it is. Second, much of the risk comes not from the virus itself but from how it affects the societies it hits. (Fisher, 3/5)
Stat:
We’re Learning A Lot About The Coronavirus. It Will Help Us Assess Risk
It has been two months since China announced a previously unknown virus had been identified as the cause of a new outbreak in the city of Wuhan. In the weeks since then, the coronavirus — now called SARS-CoV2 — has raced around the globe, igniting major outbreaks in Iran, South Korea, Italy, Japan and now, it seems, Seattle. There are still many, many questions about this virus and the disease it causes, Covid-19. But in a matter of mere weeks, a number of features of the disease have come into focus, through extraordinarily rapid sharing of research. (Branswell, 3/6)
CNN:
Key Things We've Learned This Week
It's been a week of dizzying coronavirus developments in the United States, with fear growing as deaths skyrocketed within days from one to 14 people nationwide. There are now 228 confirmed cases in the United States alone and that may go up as testing becomes more accessible. Here are the key things we've learned this week. (Karimi, 3/6)
Los Angeles Times:
Why Chinese Scientists Say There's A Second Coronavirus Strain
The global outbreak that has sickened nearly 100,000 people across six continents may actually be fueled by two variants of the same coronavirus: one older and less aggressive and a newer version whose mutations may have made it more contagious and more deadly, according to a controversial new study. Chinese scientists who compared the genetic sequences of 103 viral samples from patients infected with COVID-19 said their evidence suggests that the virulent version of the coronavirus — which they tagged the “L-type” version — was the dominant strain in the earliest phase of the outbreak that began in Wuhan late last year. That strain, they said, appeared to recede as the epidemic progressed. (Healy, 3/5)
Los Angeles Times:
How A Healthy-Looking Baby Might Spread The Coronavirus
First, the mother and nanny were hospitalized with pneumonia, suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus. The next day, the father fell ill with a fever and sore throat and was hospitalized too. With no one to care for him, the baby was brought to the hospital to be cared for in an isolation unit. The child — a 6-month-old boy — came to the hospital with no symptoms of COVID-19. He seemed perfectly healthy, was breathing fine and had no fever on his arrival at the hospital, medical professionals observed. (Lin, 3/5)
KQED:
Kids Are Less Susceptible To COVID-19, But It's Not Clear Why
A World Health Organization-China Joint Mission report from last month found that kids comprised only 2.4 percent of cases, and that they generally suffered less severe respiratory symptoms than adults. Most children experienced cold-like symptoms such as a fever, runny nose and cough. Vomiting and diarrhea were extremely rare. And children are, so far, not experiencing acute respiratory distress syndrome or septic shock, which is occurring in some adults. (McClurg, 3/5)
Los Angeles Times:
The Flu Has Killed Thousands. So Why All The Focus On Coronavirus?
You’ve seen it on social media, heard it at a dinner party, and maybe you’ve even said it yourself. “The flu has killed tens of thousands more people,” the line goes. “So why is everyone freaking out about the coronavirus?” It’s a reasonable question. After all, both viruses produce similar symptoms — fever, body aches, cough, fatigue — and if you live in the United States, you are currently much more likely to catch the flu than the new coronavirus that originated in China late last year. (Netburn, 3/5)
CIDRAP:
Short Time Between Serial COVID-19 Cases May Hinder Containment
A study involving 28 COVID-19 patients in Japan has shown that the virus's serial interval—the time between successive cases—is close to or shorter than its median incubation period, suggesting pre-symptomatic transmission may play a key role in the outbreak and case isolation alone might not be as effective as hoped. Also, a separate study today outlines how Hong Kong protected 413 healthcare workers from infection with the novel coronavirus as they cared for patients without contracting the disease. (Beusekom, 3/5)
CNN:
Debunking The Coronavirus Myths And Misinformation
As the novel coronavirus -- and panic about the coronavirus -- continues to spread around the world, so too are bogus claims, conspiracy theories and misinformation about the disease. There's so much inaccurate information floating around out there that the World Health Organization is calling it an "infodemic." In perhaps the clearest sign of the times, WHO has joined TikTok to help set the record straight. (Kaur, 3/5)
Reuters:
Hands Down, Men Worse At Bathroom Hygiene That Prevents Coronavirus
The spread of the new coronavirus is shining the spotlight on a little-discussed gender split: men wash their hands after using the bathroom less than women, years of research and on-the-ground observations show. Health officials around the world advise that deliberate, regular handwashing is one of the best weapons against the virus which causes a flu-like respiratory illness that can kill and has spread to around 80 countries. (3/5)
CNN:
EPA Releases List Of Disinfecting Chemicals That Can Be Used Against Coronavirus
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is arming consumers with a list of disinfectants that people can use to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus. The federal agency released a five-page list of chemicals and products Thursday that it says are strong enough to ward off "harder-to-kill" viruses than SARS-CoV-2, the virus that's responsible for the disease. (Zdanowicz, 3/5)
The New York Times:
How To Stop Touching Your Face
Now that we know that it’s bad to touch our faces, how do we break a habit that most of us didn’t know we had? Throughout the day, we touch a lot of surfaces — doorknobs, elevator buttons, subway poles — where viruses, including the new coronavirus, can linger for days. From there, microbes can piggyback on our fingertips to our noses, mouths or eyes, all of which are entry portals for the coronavirus, as well as other viruses and germs. (Gross, 3/5)
Cleveland Plain Dealer:
Homemade Hand Sanitizer To Battle Coronavirus? Don’t Use Denatured Alcohol -- Or Vodka
Denatured alcohol can be used to strip floors and make shellac, but don’t put it in your homemade hand sanitizer to fight the COVID-19 coronavirus. The Internet has exploded with homemade sanitizer recipes as it becomes harder to find Purell and other hand sanitizer brands, even in Ohio, where there are no confirmed cases of the illness. Akron-based GOJO Industries, which makes Purell, is ramping up production to try and meet demand as people stock up ahead because of coronavirus worries. (Bamforth, 3/5)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Coronavirus: How A Microbiologist Rides Atlanta MARTA Bus, Train
Lisa Casanova is a microbiologist and environmental health professor who did her Ph.D. thesis on how long some coronaviruses survive on surfaces. And every workday she commutes from her southeast Atlanta home to her Georgia State University job on MARTA, touching poles and railings with no visible concern about germs that might be lurking there. She hasn’t changed her habits since the new coronavirus emerged. (Kempner, 3/6)
Dallas Morning News:
What Should Parents Say To Kids About The Coronavirus?
With talk of the coronavirus saturating the news and social media, how should parents frame discussions with their children to hit the right notes and prevent unneeded anxiety? Here are some pointers from experts on what to say to your kids about the virus (as well as what you should avoid). (Smith, 3/5)
