The rest of the precautions are ones that you should take if you do get sick. Cover up when you cough or sneeze. If you’d be upset with someone for spitting in your coffee, then don’t cough droplets into the air they breathe. It’s not only polite but it could save the world. Also, if you don’t feel well, stay home from work or social gatherings. If you have a fever, chills, or vomiting then call a healthcare professional and seek help. I know I like to tough it out when I get sick, but that can just lead to disease progressing to an unmanageable state.

If you do have to go out when you’re sick, please be considerate. Those silly looking masks that people wear are actually better at keeping a sick person from spreading the disease than preventing a healthy person from getting sick. If you don’t have the disease, you’ll still get the droplets on your hands and face. But if you’re sick the mask can keep any droplets from escaping you at all, protecting everyone around you. If you have to take public transport, consider how many people are within a 3-foot radius of you. Covering your face with a scarf or lower grade medical mask isn’t nearly as effective as the proper thing. If you don’t feel well and have to go out get yourself an N95 medical mask. Sure you might get stares but it’s both the polite and right thing to do.

What You Can Do to Help.

I didn’t mention this section in my introduction because I know that in these frightening times you just want to protect yourself and your loved ones. But the only way we can stop the spread of Covid 19 and other diseases is by working together hand in hand (only in spirit, don’t hold hands with people who are infected).

The first step is to remain calm. If you were in a movie theatre and someone screamed fire people would run madly for the exits. No one would be able to get out and everyone would get trampled. But if we remain calm, recognize the true danger, and act rationally we can prevent a lot of damage and save lives. This disease is terrifying, I admit it. As someone interested in microbiology, virology, and epidemiology I have long been afraid of such a pathogen. But it isn’t magic, it’s not some sort of curse, and this isn’t the middle ages, we have an arsenal of weapons at our disposal. It is a virus composed of protein, fat, and ribonucleic acid. It can be destroyed with heat, soap and water, alcohol, and antivirals. It’s spread can be halted by hand hygiene, personal hygiene, and social distancing.

The vast majority of us are already safe from it. Like most things in life those in danger are people who are already weak and susceptible. If you are immunocompromised or over 65 years old, it would be a good idea to stay at home and avoid other people. Caretakers should also treat themselves as if they are at risk. If your grandparent relies on you or if you have a family member with a disease like cancer, then treat yourself as if you were in danger. Avoid public places, avoid contact, and wash your hands religiously.

So what we need to do is keep soldiering on. If you’re not sick and have an essential job, please go to work. Stick to social gatherings under ten people, and respect social distancing and personal hygiene. Exercise is also good at combating disease. Even if Covid 19 Coronavirus spreads to every country and city the trains will still have to run, trucks will still have to deliver food, and the world will keep spinning. So remember do your part: don’t panic, educate yourself, and please wash your damn hands.

Bibliography and References:

World Health Organization Coronavirus 2019 Situation Report 63, 23rd March 2020

Bryan Lufkin, Psychology of Panic Buying, BBC,4th March 2020

Anthony R. Fehr, Stanley Perlman, Coronaviruses: An Overview of Their Replication and Pathogenesis, 6th January 2016

Interim Clinical Guidance for Management of Patients with Confirmed Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), CDC Website, 7th March 2020

Symptoms, Coronavirus 2019, CDC Website, 20th March 2020

Virology Lectures 2019, Dr. Vincent Racaniello, YouTube

Kristian G. Andersen, Andrew Rambaut, W. Ian Lipkin, Edward C. Holmes & Robert F. Garry, The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2, 17th March 2020

Lin-Fa Wang, Zhengli Shi, Shuyi Zhang, Hume Field, Peter Daszak, and Bryan T. Eaton, Review of Bats and SARS, 12th November 2006

Harrath R, Abu Duhier, Sero-prevalence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) specific antibodies in dromedary camels in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, 26th April 2018

Navin Singh Khadka, Coronavirus: China wildlife trade ban 'should be permanent', BBC, 4th February 2020