What is COVID-19?
In one of our previous articles, we discussed the covid pandemic and how to stay safe. Let us now make sure we keep the facts from fiction with some frequently asked questions.
Are Viruses Alive?
No. Viruses are not alive (with respect to bacteria that are alive), meaning they don’t have any cells, but can still cause severe illness and possibly death.
What is the Coronavirus?
With that said, coronavirus is a virus that results in an infection to your nose, sinuses, or upper throat. Most coronaviruses are common, but with the outbreak of the virus from China in 2019, it became big news across the world. This is because of the dangers this strain exhibited. It was called SARS-CoV-2 and affected the lungs of millions of people, many of who did not survive. It was a respiratory tract infection and spreads the same way other coronaviruses do by person-to-person contact.
SARS-CoV-2 represents one of seven covid types. The other coronaviruses result in colds but usually do not significantly affect the person.
Let’s Take a Closer Look of covid-19 Here
What is the Latest Strain of COVID-19?
The latest strain is the Omicron variant and it is very contagious. Fortunately, most people do not get seriously sick and usually come down with just a cold and sometimes stomach ailment, and most people who are affected by Omicron do not get any lung issues.
If You Have Been Vaccinated, Can You Still Get Infected?
The answer is Yes, but with the vaccinations, especially the booster shot, your chances of getting very sick is substantially minimized and for very healthy individuals, they might not even have systems.
In one case, a 26-year-old medical student and her 27-year-old boyfriend were infected with the SARS-CoV-2. They have been both vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and have also received the booster. The girl had symptoms consisting of a headache, stomach aches, and sinus issues, while the boyfriend had no symptoms at all. The girl, we’ll call Ana was fully recovered in about four days; however, they both quarantined for a week, as per the guidelines of their school and the CDC.
That said, you can still need to quarantine if you are infected because you can infect others.
How Many People Have Died from the SARS Varients?
As of this writing, close to 6 million people have lost their lives to covid-19 with 400 million cases worldwide.
How Can I Protect Myself from COVID-19?
There are many ways you can work to prevent being infected with the virus. The most important are hand washing frequently, wearing masks, and most importantly, wearing a mask. Additionally, as we explained in a previous article, eat healthily!
When Will This Pandemic Be Over?
There are signs of the coronavirus dissipating across the globe with many countries, including the US reducing the mandatory requirements of masks. So hand in there. We may be at the bitter end of this pandemic!