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Urbanology
HARLEM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS URBANOLOGY What you Should Know About COVID-19
By: W.A.Rogers O n February 11, 2020 The World Health O r g a n i z a t i o n (WHO) officially named a new type of Coronavirus COVID-19. This new Coronavirus strain was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan last December 2019 and has at this point infected close to 4,565 people and has caused over 100 deaths. Although Chinese officials have enacted a quarantine and restricted air travel, COVID-19 has spread to Germany, Australia, Japan, Thailand, France, South Korea, Vietnam, Canada and the United States.
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The five reported cases reported in America were developed from infected patients who had recently traveled to Wuhan China, where the first outbreak was reported. According to (WHO) coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause a range of illnesses from a common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002 and 2003 an outbreak of a (SARS) coronavirus was detected in China and caused over 700 deaths around the world, but most coronaviruses are not harmful.
This COVID-19 coronavirus strain has never been seen before, it affects the respiratory system and can lead to pneumonia, but it acts differently than other upper respiratory tract illnesses. It is accompanied by a fever, cough, and shortness of breath, but unlike other known upper respiratory tract illnesses it does not cause sneezing or a runny nose.
The early symptoms of COVID-19 include a dry cough and fever, some people have also experienced headaches, fatigue, diarrhea and after about 5 to 6 days shortness of breath can develop. While the symptoms of this new coronavirus can
appear the same as the flu or a bad cold, you should not panic if you are experiencing these symptoms.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest only screening for people who recently traveled to Wuhan or a person who has had prolonged contact with an infected person. You should, however, check with your doctor if your flu symptoms continue to get worse after a few days.
Unlike other viruses that have been studied for years, little is known about COVID-19 and how it works. Scientist have yet to develop a vaccine or medication to target it. The CDC maintains that the threat of infection in the United States is low, but it
has been confirmed that human to human transmission is possible. Coronaviruses originate in animals and are usually not transmissible to humans, but occasionally this type of virus can mutate and pass from animals to humans and like in COVID-19 from human to human.
Many researchers believe that COVID-19 may have come from bats, which is ironic because according to the Chinese zodiac calendar 2020 is the year of the Rat. The people most vulnerable are the elderly and those with weak immune systems.
For now the best way to protect yourself from being infected by coronavirus is to wash your hands as much as possible; try not to put unwashed hands on your face nose, mouth or in your eyes, especially after riding the subway; and avoid touching public objects. Any bacteria or virus can survive on your hands and enter your body through these vulnerable locations.
The CDC does not recommend wearing a facemask for people who are well, but if you are ill you should. Carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at lease 60% alcohol. I also suggest not to allow the media hype to create fear which will weaken your immune system. You can also call 646-329-6727 to make an appointment to visit the Ki Wellness Center and learn how to reduce stress and strengthen your immune system naturally.
Answers to Puzzle on page 20
Dr. George Williams
