1. Introduction
Imagine starring in a cheesy, high school romance movie. As avid romcom lovers might now, a single brush past or glance is enough to start a budding romance. Unfortunately, that is also all it takes to transmit a virus. Currently, many people around the globe are feeling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, while the terms coronavirus and COVID-19 are thrown out a lot, a large population is quite unaware of the science viruses and COVID-19 in general.
2. What Is A Virus?
Simply put, a virus is a microscopically small particle made up of genetic material (usually RNA or DNA). It exists in the uncomfortable realm between living and nonliving as it is only able to replicate within a host organism.
A virus particle -- virion, if you’re feeling fancy -- always consists of a surrounding protein shell, or capsid, to keep the genetic material safe. Some viruses also have a lipid envelope that resembles the barrier surrounding our very own cells, probably because the envelopes are typically made up of fragments of the host cell membranes (think of it as collecting a souvenir from every place you’ve visited).
To enter the cell, the virus lands on its surface and binds to a specific receptor. Receptors are proteins on the surface of cells that act like locks and unfortunately, virion envelopes have the key. It can then enter the cell through a process called endocytosis, where the cell membrane surrounds and swallows the virus inside. Some enveloped viruses are even luckier; they can diffuse through a cell as soon as the envelope attaches with the membrane because both cell membranes and viral envelopes are made up of lipids. The job is pretty straightforward once inside. The virus releases its own genetic material and tricks the host cell into generating multiple copies of the virion. These copies then go on to affect countless other healthy cells. But the tragedy doesn’t end here. Oftentimes, viruses leaving the cell bust holes through the cell’s membrane, effectively killing the entity that did all their dirty work.
Another important thing to keep in mind when thinking of viruses and how they spread is the pathogen pyramid:
Level 1 refers to humans being exposed to a particular virus, one that has most likely been introduced to the host's body through other mammals or birds. Level 2 is the infection state. This means that the pathogen has been able to overcome the biological differences of humans and infect us. Level 3, transmission, implies that the virus can not only infect a human but also be transferred to others. This stage reflects the virus’s ability to access transmission routes to exit the host’s body (for instance: mucus membranes or the urinary tract). About 50% of the viruses that infect humans can also be transmitted to others as well (Level 3). Level 4 represents viruses that can be transmitted quickly and successfully to many individuals from a single host. This results in major outbreaks and is something individuals all around the globe are experiencing in 2020 with the coronavirus pandemic.
3. COVID-19
The coronavirus has been around for a long time. The term coronavirus essentially refers to a series of viruses known for causing respiratory complications. What we’re dealing with now, during our pandemic, is the novel coronavirus, a new virus strain that most likely originated in Wuhan’s seafood market in late 2019. This novel coronavirus, or more accurately SARS-CoV-2, causes the disease we know as COVID-19 (short for "coronavirus disease 2019"). This disease has spread to many countries at rapid rates and has thus been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
The COVID-19 coronavirus’s main route of transmission is through the air: small droplets are released when an infected person sneezes or coughs. It can also be transmitted when someone touches their eyes, nose, or mouth (which happens often, people love faces) after touching a contaminated surface. Once inside the host, the coronavirus latches on the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors (ACE2 to its buddies). By latching onto the receptor, the virus can gain entry to the host cell, where it is free to replicate and produce more copies of itself.
Under normal conditions, the ACE2 receptor -- which exists on the surface of many cells -- is responsible for cutting up the protein angiotensin into smaller bits that help regulate blood pressure. ACE2 is usually found in the lungs, kidneys, heart, and gut cells. ACE2 receptors have also been discovered on the cells in oral and nasal mucuses. As the coronavirus takes over, this receptor is no longer able to function normally, which may explain the cases of pneumonia and bronchitis in patients with severe COVID-19 infections. Other, more common, symptoms include cough, fever or fatigue, shortness of breath, etc.
4. What Happens When You Wash Your Hands
A global pandemic is scary; the lack of control we have over this situation is scary. We can’t stay holed in our houses forever. Communities are opening up and people have once again begun venturing in the great outdoors. And unfortunately, we can’t control who the people in our lives interact with and what they touch. What we can control, however, is our hands and their hygiene.
It all comes down to one thing: soap. As mentioned earlier, viruses are covered in a fatty envelope. Well, soap is composed of molecules with two polar opposite ends (no pun intended), one end is hydrophilic—water-loving—and the other is hydrophobic—water-hating, which is attracted to fats and oils. So, soap molecules are able to sink their claws into the virus envelope and break the particle apart. These harmless pieces are then ushered down the drain by good ole water.
It is recommended that people wash their hands for 20 seconds. After all, skin is not smooth; it has a myriad of wrinkles, ridges, and folds that dirt and possible virus particles may reside in. It takes time for soap to get into all the crevices and demolish the virus. Think about it, soap is doing all the hard work and asks for nothing but a bit of extra time, it would be insensitive to deny it that. Also, to put it into perspective, it takes about 20 seconds to sing happy birthday twice. Another option to pass this time is to simply just imagine the battlefield that is your hands as soap slowly but surely annihilates all the germs.
5.Testing
People experiencing mild symptoms usually don’t need any special treatment or hospital care to recover. You may also call your doctor who can prescribe you a test for the Covid-19 virus based on your symptoms. There are two types of tests available: a viral and antibody test. A viral test is used to check if someone has a current infection; it either detects the presence of the virus’ genetic material or the presence of specific proteins on the surface of the virus. According to the CDC, this test is carried out by examining respiratory samples, such as a nasal or throat swab. On the other hand, the antibody test looks for antibodies -- proteins that are produced by the body’s immune system in order to fight off an antigen (a foreign substance, such as a virus) -- in one’s blood and can determine whether someone has had a past infection from Covid-19. Antibodies offer long-term immunity against a certain virus; however, medical professionals are not certain about how long this immunity lasts in the case of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Also, it is important to note that it can take the human body about 1-3 weeks to start generating antibodies after coming in contact with the virus. If you are concerned about being infected currently, the viral test will be more helpful.
6. Works Cited
Commissioner, Office of the. “Coronavirus Testing Basics.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/coronavirus-testing-basics.
Goldman, Author Bruce, et al. “What's a Virus, Anyway? Part 1: The Bare-Bones Basics.” Scope, Logo Left ContentLogo Right Content 10,000+ Posts Scope Stanford University School of Medicine Blog, 9 May 2020, https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2020/04/02/whats-a-virus-anyway-part-1-the-bare-bones-basics/
“Testing for COVID-19.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html.
Woolhouse, Mark, et al. “Human Viruses: Discovery and Emergence.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, The Royal Society, 19 Oct. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3427559/.
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