Writer: Gabrielle Poole
Editor: Renata Daou
Graphic Designer: Pat Sevikul
It is painfully obvious by now that COVID-19 has taken over the world by a storm. A plethora of countries are now on their 4th lockdown in just the time span of 2 years. This illness continues to grow and spread as new variants are discovered. Currently, there are 219 million cases worldwide, with a total death count of 4.54 million people. COVID-19, or Coronavirus, is a highly infectious disease that mainly attacks our lungs. When people get infected, they will most likely experience mild to moderate respiratory illness. This is why older citizens or people with various other underlying health issues often develop a more serious illness. Those health issues include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer.
Looking at the timeline of the outbreak, it all started January 9th 2020, when the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a mysterious coronavirus-related pneumonia in Wuhan, China. Many thought this was just a hoax at first, and it would not transform into a more serious problem. Initially, 59 cases were detected, and as January progressed, COVID-19 started to escalate. On January 23rd, Wuhan shut down after 13 people had died and 300 more were infected. China made the executive decision to quarantine Wuhan to prevent further spread. Finally, on the last day of January, the 31st, WHO proclaimed a global health emergency. On February 10th, China's COVID-19 deaths exceeded those of the SARS crisis, and as the month inched forward officials said the illness would be heading towards a pandemic status. From then, the situation continued to exacerbate globally causing several lockdowns, quarantines, and shutting down of schools, restaurants, recreational activities, and other establishments.
With Covid on the rise, it’s immensely important that people educate themselves about the side effects and testing methods. It’s essential that communities do their part and research if/when/and where they can receive their first vaccine. The following link can help you search for one closest to you, (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/How-Do-I-Get-a-COVID-19-Vaccine.html)
As the vaccines were developed, many had negative responses. Anti-vaxers, especially in the U.S., are adamant on not getting the vaccine because they believe the government has implanted a chip into it. These accusations have caused citizens to be weary of getting the vaccine. Actions such as this prevent areas from decreasing the amount of cases and deaths. Additionally, when people get the vaccine, some believe they are instantaneously immune to the virus. It’s important to note that even after getting the vaccine, you are still able to catch COVID-19 again. The objective of the vaccine is to make it so people who catch Covid have a lesser chance of dying from the disease. This is why it’s important to get vaccinated because it can help prevent more lethal outcomes from occurring. However, keep in mind that you can still get infected once you are vaccinated so make sure to continue to stay safe by practicing good hygiene and wearing masks. To help further educate on the issue, there are links below that provide more information on what you can do to help lower your risk of getting infected.
To sum up, it’s very important to stay aware of the current situation and do everything we can to make sure that COVID-19 eventually becomes less of a drastic problem. To do so, make sure to get vaccinated (if possible) and always wear your mask. Even though you might be uncomfortable, it's to help prevent more spread. Others might not have as strong of an immune system, or the financial capabilities to fight COVID-19. Thus, we must all make sure that we are doing everything we can to a be respectful individuals and wear our masks, wash our hands, social distance, and get vaccinated if you can.
( How to protect yourself and others https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html#:~:text=Wash%20your%20hands%20often%20with,Before%20touching%20your%20face )
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