The Truth & Facts About The Corona Virus

Bob Giusti 

As the dust settles from the explosion of activity surrounding COVID-19 or the Coronavirus, we at WBOB thought it might be a good idea to try and suss out the basic facts.

First off it’s really no ones fault. As much as you would like to blame China or even in some cases President Trump, while both governments could have been more honest in admitting the seriousness of the situation, there is little that could have been done to stop this. There was not real data until there was an outbreak and by then it was too late.

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a new strain that was discovered in 2019 and has not been previously identified in humans.
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

So the bottom line is, there has to be an effort to contain the spread. That meant some pretty severe changes. First it was entire sport’s seasons being suspended, then schools and nightclubs and finally what might probably feel to some like marshall law.

But this is the faster way back to normal, because there is no vaccine or cure at this point and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is saying that’s a year out.

What we also needed was to get test kits so instead of “assuming” someone has it we could be positive. Unfortunately that hasn’t been as easy as it should sound. Early kits aside from being low in availability also presented some false tests results early on and some medical professionals had to be tested twice within a 7 day period.

Another fact to consider is that even with everything coming to a halt and people avoiding contact, the US has not reached the peak of those who have already been infected and/or have unknowingly passed it on.
Which brings us to symptoms. The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.*

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

If you do start getting symptoms DON”T PANIC. Don’t run to the ER or call for an ambulance unless you are truly unable to breathe safely. Use common sense.

​Stay home: People who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to recover at home. Do not leave, except to get medical care. Do not visit public areas.

Stay in touch with your doctor. Call before you get medical care. Be sure to get care if you feel worse or you think it is an emergency.

Avoid public transportation: Avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis.
 
Finally there is the economic impact, The stock market lost four years of gains, layoffs have just begun in sectors outside of hospitality and it may take years to get back on track.

While this is true, take comfort in the fact that everyone is in the same boat. A bi-partisan two part recovery bill was passed and signed in 48 hours! When is the last time you saw Washington move that fast?

It’s a good time to take stock of what’s important in your life. Do those around the house projects you have been putting off. Bond with your families.

​Sometimes crisis can bring us together as a country – it did with 9/11 and this could be our greatest challenge since.

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