Time Capsule: COVID-19
April 14, 2020
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A brief overview of the outbreak: Coronavirus is a disease that can be transferred through little droplets that are made when one talks, sneezes or coughs. According to a Johns Hopkins article, the virus first arose in Wuhan, China, allegedly at a seafood market. This theory, of the origins coming from “bat soup” or a derivative at a market of food in Wuhan, is still not confirmed and remains a nugget of false information to be passed around. Symptoms of this disease include loss of taste and smell, headache, cough, fever, and much more. The virus has been particularly unforgiving to those with prior respiratory or other health conditions but has affected all ages on the spectrum. As of today, April 14, 2020, there have been 1,945,055 cases confirmed worldwide, 584,073 coming from the United States. The death toll has reached new heights at 123,348 worldwide, and 24,480 in the United States. Despite these unfortunate numbers, there have also been multiple stories of recovery. According to the numbers given above, there’s about a 6% death rate associated with the disease. The most effective deterrent of the disease at the moment is Social Distancing. Multiple countries around the world have put their citizens on lockdown, but for now, the United States is simply regulating the number of people in one area.
Moving away from the obvious health effects of the disease, the COVID-19 virus has now become another factor in the extreme polarization of the nation. While many have argued that public safety of the people of the country is most vital, a new argument is emerging that there should be a significant amount of attention to the economy as well. While the rates of the people affected increased, the economy pummeled. A US News article reports that “an estimated 10 million Americans filed initial unemployment claims…. Many experts believe that the current unemployment rate in the US has soared above ten percent.” These effects are projected to worsen and cause greater issues in the future. However, some people around the world have found ways to shine a light in even the darkest times.
In many places across the world, people have come together through their windows and have shown extreme support for healthcare professionals who are putting their lives on the line for the world. In other news, pollution rates have decreased significantly, and people in the state of Punjab, in India, report being able to see the Himalayan Mountains “for the first time in decades”. If you want more good news, John Krasinski has started a Youtube series, where he covers good news in the world in these troublesome times. Catch his newest episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOe_y6KKvS3PdIfb9q9pGug.
Overall, the COVID-19 outbreak has been, so far, a challenge to deal with for all nations across the world, but the humanity in people makes it all the more bearable. Stay safe!
Links to sources used in this article!
Statistics: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
Johns Hopkins: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus
India Statistics: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/himalayas-visible-lockdown-india-scli-intl/index.html
