Rastan, who specialized in biomedical visualization design, created the illustrated infographic for a general audience. She says that while there is widespread awareness of the virus, many people do not know how it affects the human body.

Rastan says that she researched the events that occur after infection to satisfy her own curiosity. "But I thought that if I was wondering this, others must be as well. As a medical illustrator, I felt responsible to act on this communication gap."

The infographic shows the journey of SARS-CoV-2 from the nose, mouth or eyes to the alveoli in the lungs. Carefully designed illustrations depict an alveolus as it transforms from healthy, to moderately, to severely infected. It also explains the body's own immune response after infection, which can lead to respiratory distress, septic shock, multi-organ failure and even death.

"I believe that understanding how COVID-19 can affect the human body empowers people to take action to protect themselves and others from getting infected," she says.