Coronavirus: A miracle in disguise?
A third of the global population on lockdown and millions of flights canceled, this is a result of the Epidemic known as Covid-19. Many loved ones lost, the economy on the descend and possibly the start of a new era.
What does this mean for me? For my country? For my friends and family living abroad? One thing and one thing only, staying at home.
What is a Coronavirus? Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause disease in animals. There are seven known coronaviruses, including Covid-19. These viruses have made the jump from animals to humans causing mostly cold and flu-like symptoms. This new coronavirus is closely related to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) both having a higher case fatality rate(CFR) than that of Covid-19. MERS at 34.4% and SARS at 10%. Covid-19 averages out to have a case fatality rate of about 3.4%, significantly lower than the two but with a higher transmission rate (Ro) of 2.5. One person to spread the virus to 2.5 people.
The source of the Coronavirus is believed to be a wet market in Wuhan, China. Although the animal source of the virus has not yet been confirmed, the original host is likely to be considered, bats. Bats are hosts to many zoonotic viruses including Ebola, HIV, and rabies. A zoonotic disease is a very infectious disease caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites that have spread from animals to humans and have different modes of transmission.
The first-ever recorded zoonotic disease was the Justinian Plague which began in the middle of the 6th century in the Byzantine Empire now modern Istanbul. This plague estimated to have killed around 30–50 million people. Covid-19 is just over 130,000 deaths infecting more than 2 million people worldwide.
In 2015, Bill Gates made a TED talk about the next outbreak and how the world was not prepared to handle it. He had pressed forward this idea to Donald Trump when he first made office. Trump who seemed interested at that time did nothing to resolve what is now a global pandemic. Like America, most of the world who have been hit the hardest are the least prepared.
Amidst the chaos worldwide with lockdowns in place for several countries and the introduction of social distancing, we have been seeing a few interesting changes. There has been a drastic decrease in the amount of air pollution in Beijing, London and the rest of the world. It has been 22 days since the start of the lockdown here in New Zealand and within that time many people are out walking or engaged in physical activity. Younger adults have been offering help to the elderly and those in need. These are just a few examples of the positive outcomes brought about by this virus. Many of us must look at this as an opportunity. An opportunity to plan for the business you have always wanted, learn a new hobby or invest in stocks which are incredibly cheap to buy right now. This is the time to do the things you have had no time to do in the past. Do not get me wrong, the coronavirus is still a terrible thing to have happened especially at the start of a new decade. However, I believe this is the world telling is to slow down, to appreciate the little things and the true value of what we have been given with life in a modern age.
The coronavirus is exponential in growth. This means that there can be an exponential decrease in the transmission rate (Ro) if it is less than one. In simple terms, Covid-19 can finish as soon as it started. So be hopeful, focus on the present and invest some time in yourself and your physical and mental well-being. We’re all in this together. Kia Kaha from New Zealand.
