General

COVID-19: a new case of mass hysteria

March 7, 2020 /

Up until the 31st of January 2020, I would wake up every morning to news about the –then-upcoming Brexit. Sadly, this is now a done deal. A bloody done deal, as half of the Brits would say. I live in London, England, and I listen to the news on BBC Radio 3 (in case you’re wondering, BBC stands for British Broadcasting Corporation, and Radio 3 is one of the many radio stations operated by the BBC, but mostly playing classical music). Come February, and most mornings I have been waking up to updates on the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) first reported from Wuhan, China, on the 31st of December 2019. In all fairness, on a few occasions, these daily updates were relevant to the UK. On most occasions, however, they sounded highly irrelevant. 

The cynical in me had the answer: this was propaganda to divert the public attention (and panic) away from the catastrophic consequences of Brexit, a political plot capitalizing on a new type of an old virus. A political plot causing a new case of mass hysteria, for over-reaction is too soft a word. As the disease spread on a global level, so did the fear and the panic.

Keep Calm and Carry On
Keep Calm and Carry On

My political views aside, and in view of the fact that there has now be a fatality in the UK, I would now like to offer a balanced view, as well as accurate and reliable information on the coronavirus. For that, I am using the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites as my main sources.

What is the coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, known to medics for a long time now. In humans, these viruses cause respiratory tract infections that are typically mild, such as the common cold. However, in the last 20 years, some coronaviruses have caused outbreaks of more serious illnesses, such as the Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002-3, and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), also known as camel flu, in 2012.

In 2019, a new type of coronavirus was discovered. This new type was called ‘Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)’. It causes an illness known as Coronavirus disease 2019, or simply COVID-19.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

According to the World Health Organization, the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild. 

Some people who become infected are asymptomatic. This means that they do not develop any symptoms and therefore don’t feel unwell. 

Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. 

This is thanks to our wonderful immune system, the role of which is to provide resistance to infection and toxins.

However, around 1 out of every 6 people who get COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Those who are immunocompromised and those with underlying medical problems (such as high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes) are more likely to develop serious illness. Older people are also at increased risk. 

How deadly is COVID-19?

According to WHO, about 2% of people with COVID-19 have died. To use some medical terminology, the mortality (or fatality) rate has been estimated to about 2%. In other words, around 1 out of every 50 people who get COVID-19 dies of the disease. 

This mortality rate is relatively low compared to other virus outbreaks. For example, the mortality rate for SARS is much higher – around 10%, whereas the fatality rate for MERS is even higher – around 35%. Ebola virus disease (caused by the Ebola virus, a very different type of virus) has a mortality rate that has been reported to be as high as 90%. 

But, how does the COVID-19 morality rate compare with that for the flu? In the US, according to the CDC, there have been 32 and 45 million flu illnesses from 1st October 2019 until 22nd February 2020. During the same period, the number of flu deaths has been estimated between 18,000 and 46,000. So, the mortality rate for the flu appears to be about 20 times lower than that for the COVID-19. 

How can you protect yourself and prevent the spread of the disease?

According to the CDC, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can spread from person to person 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. The transmission occurs between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 2 meters).

With that in mind, the WHO advises the following measures to protect yourself and prevent the spread of the disease:

  1. Wash your hands.

  2. Maintain at least 1-meter distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

  3. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.

  4. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

  5. Self-isolate (stay home), if you feel unwell. 

  6. If you develop a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention. 

Now these are all basic hygiene measures, not rocket science. They are by no means specific to the coronavirus, and as such, we should all follow them anyway (to protect ourselves and prevent the spread of many other infectious diseases).

But, how about wearing a mask? 

WHO advises us to use a mask only if we have respiratory symptoms (coughing or sneezing), have suspected COVID-19 infection with mild symptoms, or are caring for someone with suspected COVID-19 infection. 

Is there a vaccine and/or treatment?

The simple answer is no and no. There is neither a vaccine (to this date) nor treatment for COVID-19. Remember that antibiotics only work on bacterial infections; since they do not work against viruses, they should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment of COVID-19. 

Should you cancel your trip?

CDC recommends ‘travelers avoid all nonessential travel to destinations with level 3 travel notices because of the risk of getting COVID-19’. At present, destinations with level 3 travel notices are:

If your travel is essential, then make sure you follow the afore-mentioned measures to protect yourself and prevent the spread of the disease.

Further reading

Here are some useful and interesting articles offering balanced views on the topic:

How to avoid the spread of coronavirus when travelling

Coronavirus: Don’t worry about the politicians, the experts are in charge

Why don’t we treat the climate crisis with the same urgency as coronavirus?

Coronavirus, Spanish flu, and the dark history of ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’

Keep Calm and Carry On!

Alex

(the Traveling Psychiatrist)

P.S. Meanwhile, let’s remind ourselves that it’s ‘No Time To Die’ yet. At the end of the day, the release of the new James Bond film ‘No Time To Die’ has now been postponed until November (due to the Coronavirus outbreak). In the words of Billie Eilish, ‘there’s just no time to die’.