Covid-19

Covid-19

April, 2022 Updates​

By Joanna Giddings

Misinformation is when false information is shared by someone who believes it is true.

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Disinformation is when false information is spread ​by someone who knows it is untrue. The purpose of disinformation is to cause conflict and division within a group of people.

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Both misinformation and disinformation have been a problem during the pandemic. Be sure to fact check before sharing a video or article.

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​Covid Pandemic

Misinformation & Disinformation

• Scientific journals, such as Nature, Science, and The New England Journal of Medicine

• .gov and .edu websites

• The CDC and WHO​

• Internationally respected ​publications for the general public, such as National Geographic, Discovery, ​Nova/PBS

​Good sources of scientific information​

​Notice that TikTok, YouTube, and other social media are not include as reliable resources. While there are many trustworthy content creators, others are purposely spreading misinformation.

This chart shows relative quality of science content, with the most reliable sources on the left.

This headline sounds sensational, but the source is National Geographic, a reliable source for scientific information.

Multiple Select

To get reliable information about Covid, which 3 resources would be the best choices of the 5 below?

• YouTube videos

• The WHO's website

• Instagram

• National Geographic

• CDC.gov

Coronaviruses have been around for a long time. The common cold is a coronavirus.

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This family ​of viruses was named coronaviruses because of the halo (crown) around them.​

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SARS COV 2, which causes Covid-19, is a novel(new) virus that was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December, 2019.​ Covid-19 is an abbreviation of "coronavirus disease 2019."

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​Covid History

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​Scientists are still studying how and where SARS COV 2 jumped from animals to humans. On 2/26/22, scientists released 2 new studies concluding that the new coronavirus was in mammals at the Wuhan wet market in late 2019.

Covid Origins

In some wet markets, live animals are slaughtered. Some cultures value freshly-killed or "warm" meat.

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Customers may come in contact with blood and other body fluids on the floor, which can be wet from washing with a hose.

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The presence of so many people and animals increase the opportunity for diseases to jump from animals to humans.

​What's a wet market?

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​Zoonotic diseases are caused by pathogens that can infect both humans and animals. Rabies is another example of a zoonotic virus.​

This diagram is from a Covid study released on 2/26/22. https://zenodo.org/record/6291628#.YhwpZxPMI8Y ​

Zoonotic transmission

Throughout the pandemic, humans have passed Covid-19 to pets and zoo animals.

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Species that have gotten Covid-19 include pet dogs and cats, lions, hyenas, hippos, and otters.

Source:​ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/more-animal-species-are-getting-covid-19-for-the-first-time?loggedin=true

​Covid-19

Zoonotic transmission​

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As of April, 2022, there is no proof that the virus causing Covid-19 came from a lab in Wuhan or elsewhere.

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The lab-leak hypothesis continues to be investigated by scientists and intelligence agencies. ​

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The lab-leak hypothesis is fully explained in a Nature article ​published in June, 2021.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01529-3​

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What about the lab-leak hypothesis?

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Multiple Choice

Zoonotic diseases like Covid 19 infect

• Humans, only

• Animals, only

• Humans and animals

Multiple Choice

Covid-19 most likely first came from

• A lab in Wuhan, China

• Human/animal contact in a market

• Human contact with animals in a forest

Multiple Choice

Hosing down floors in wet markets can help to spread diseases in body fluids.

• True

• False

Covid can spread from person to person by:

• Breathing air containing droplets or ​aerosol particles containing virus

• ​Having droplets or particles land on your nose, eyes, or mouth

• ​Touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with virus on your hands.

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Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/non-us-settings/overview/index.html

​Covid-19 transmission

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• Fever or chills​

• Cough

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

• Fatigue

• Muscle or body aches

• Headache

• New loss of taste or smell

• Sore throat

• Congestion or runny nose

• Nausea or vomiting

• Diarrhea

  Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/non-us-settings/overview/index.html​

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Some Sypmtoms of Covid-19

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• Social distance - 6 ft.

• Mask over nose and mouth

• ​Avoid crowds

• Limit time indoors

• ​Stay home if sick

• Testing

• Vaccination​

• Hand hygiene​

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/non-us-settings/overview/index.html

​Ways to stop the spread of Covid-19

The "Swiss Cheese" Model of Pandemic Protection​

Layers of protection

• Distance

• Masking

• Hand hygiene

• Stay home when sick

• Get tested

• Get vaccinated

• Avoid crowds and indoor spaces, especially during pandemic surges​

The idea of the Swiss cheese method of protection is that each layer is imperfect, but by having multiple layers of protection, the virus is less likely to get through and infect us. ​

Multiple Select

Which people are correctly wearing a mask to protect against airborne viruses?

Multiple Choice

Which of these is NOT currently considered a symptom of Covid-19?

• diarrhea

• loss of vision

• loss of taste/smell

• sore throat

• chills/fever

Multiple Choice

The distance the CDC recommends for social distancing is

• 3 feet

• 6 feet

• 10 feet

Multiple Choice

Droplets or particles breathed out by another person can enter your body through your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• True

• False

Although viruses are not truly living because they are not cells, they can mutate when a change happens to their genetic material.

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The SARS COV 2 virus​'s genetic material is RNA. Mutations to the RNA cause new variants with new traits.

SARS COV 2 Variants​

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The WHO and CDC are tracking many variants of SARS COV 2. ​

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Omicron and its sub-variants have over 50 mutations. ​These mutations make the virus especially good at attacking our upper airways (nose and mouth.) These variants are more contagious than the original virus.

Source: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/a-new-strain-of-coronavirus-what-you-should-know

SARS COV 2 Variants

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Every time the virus replicates (makes copies of its RNA), mutations are possible.

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The only way to stop new variants from appearing is to stop spreading the virus. ​

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The picture shows how easily respiratory droplets are spread in the air. Each droplet can hold millions of virus particles. ​

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How do we stop new variants from being produced?

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Multiple Choice

Viruses can develop new traits through

• sexual reproduction

• random mutations

• crossing over

Multiple Choice

Which strategy is most likely to be effective at stopping a virus from mutating?

• Ignoring it

• Hoping it stops spreading

• Actively taking steps to stop the spread

​As of April 16, 2022, Covid cases are still low, but they are rising. Some experts say we are already in the sixth surge.

Image source: CDC.gov

Current status of testing in our county

You should get tested if you have Covid symptoms.

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Antiviral treatments like Paxlovid and Remdesivir save lives and protect people from developing long Covid​, but you must have a positive test result to receive these medicines.

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Long Covid symptoms can take 6 to 12 months to develop, so it is important to have proof of the date you were sick with Covid. ​

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​Does it matter if I get tested?

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Long Covid affects about 87% of people who were hospitalized with Covid.

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People who had mild Covid can also experience Long Covid. Symptoms can appear many months after the person was ill.

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Currently, treatments for Long Covid are limited, and focus on the symptoms rather than addressing the cause of the disease.

​Long Covid

Multiple Choice

People who think they have Covid can buy antiviral medicine at the drug store without a prescription.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

A person who had a mild case of Covid can develop Long Covid months after they were sick.

• True

• False