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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGood Explanation for Virus
My SiL is a ER nurse at a level I trauma center in Virginia. She sent this on from what they got as a general, non-medical kind of explanation of the how and why this novel coronavirus is so dangerous and should be taken seriously. Have not idea where it originated so it obviously could be a just from some other source but it is a scientifically sound rundown:
"Feeling confused as to why Coronavirus is a bigger deal than Seasonal flu? Here it is in a nutshell. I hope this helps. Feel free to share this to others who dont understand...
It has to do with RNA sequencing.... I.e. genetics.
Seasonal flu is an all human virus. The DNA/RNA chains that make up the virus are recognized by the human immune system. This means that your body has some immunity to it before it comes around each year... you get immunity two ways...through exposure to a virus, or by getting a flu shot.
Novel viruses, come from animals.... the WHO tracks novel viruses in animals, (sometimes for years watching for mutations). Usually these viruses only transfer from animal to animal (pigs in the case of H1N1) (birds in the case of the Spanish flu). But once, one of these animal viruses mutates, and starts to transfer from animals to humans... then its a problem, Why? Because we have no natural or acquired immunity.. the RNA sequencing of the genes inside the virus isnt human, and the human immune system doesnt recognize it so, we cant fight it off.
Now.... sometimes, the mutation only allows transfer from animal to human, for years its only transmission is from an infected animal to a human before it finally mutates so that it can now transfer human to human... once that happens..we have a new contagion phase. And depending on the fashion of this new mutation, thats what decides how contagious, or how deadly its gonna be..
H1N1 was deadly....but it did not mutate in a way that was as deadly as the Spanish flu. Its RNA was slower to mutate and it attacked its host differently, too.
Fast forward.
Now, here comes this Coronavirus... it existed in animals only, for nobody knows how long...but one day, at an animal market, in Wuhan China, in December 2019, it mutated and made the jump from animal to people. At first, only animals could give it to a person... But here is the scary part.... in just TWO WEEKS it mutated again and gained the ability to jump from human to human. Scientists call this quick ability, slippery
This Coronavirus, not being in any form a human virus (whereas we would all have some natural or acquired immunity). Took off like a rocket. And this was because, Humans have no known immunity...doctors have no known medicines for it.
And it just so happens that this particular mutated animal virus, changed itself in such a way the way that it causes great damage to human lungs..
Thats why Coronavirus is different from seasonal flu, or H1N1 or any other type of influenza.... this one is slippery AF. And its a lung eater...And, its already mutated AGAIN, so that we now have two strains to deal with, strain s, and strain L....which makes it twice as hard to develop a vaccine.
We really have no tools in our shed, with this. History has shown that fast and immediate closings of public places has helped in the past pandemics. Philadelphia and Baltimore were reluctant to close events in 1918 and they were the hardest hit in the US during the Spanish Flu.
Factoid: Henry VIII stayed in his room and allowed no one near him, till the Black Plague passed...(honestly...I understand him so much better now). Just like us, he had no tools in his shed, except social isolation...
And let me end by saying....right now its hitting older folks harder... but this genome is so slippery...if it mutates again (and it will). Who is to say, what it will do next.
Be smart folks... acting like youre unafraid is so not sexy right now.
#flattenthecurve.
Stay home folks... and share this to those that just are not catching on.
EDIT as a sidenote:
Chinese govt has made "wet markets" live wild animal markets, illegal as of December 2019. Hopefully this will help prevent or limit the possibility in the future.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)Other than that, I think your OP is spot on, and I appreciate the fact that you took the time to write all of that and share it. Thank you.
-Laelth
cilla4progress
(24,738 posts)rebalancing population with earth's carrying capacity?
Sure seems like it.
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)Nature is a random operator, always working within the basic laws of physics and chemistry. It is not an entity. It just is.
cilla4progress
(24,738 posts)The point is, is this a natural process, brought about by too much population for the planet to carry? Too much concentration of populations, too close together? Seems to be a theme over time.