COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Most people who fall sick with COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms and recover without special treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention.

HOW IT SPREADS

The virus can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe. These particles range from larger respiratory droplets to smaller aerosols. You can be infected by breathing in the virus if you are near someone who has COVID-19, or by touching a contaminated surface and then your eyes, nose or mouth. The virus spreads more easily indoors and in crowded settings.

FAQ.

Is COVID-19 worse than flu?

COVID-19 has a higher rate of severe disease and mortality in nearly every age group, compared with influenza (flu).
John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reported that “COVID-19 has killed more people in the US than flu has in the last five years.”
In the UK, data revealed that between January-August, COVID-19 killed 3.4 times as many people in 2020 than flu and pneumonia combined.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that in the United States flu has resulted in “between 12,000-61,000 deaths annually since 2010.” COVID-19 has resulted in more than 304,000 deaths in the US.

How does COVID-19 compare to other public health threats?

- This depends very much on where people live and how old they are, with some parts of the world hit harder than others, and some age groups being affected more, such as older people. However, even in countries where the COVID-19 death rate seems relatively low, the indirect impact on reduced health services, vaccine supply shortages, and reluctance to seek medical treatment for fear of infection is having a drastic impact and putting tens of millions of people at risk – including children and newborns.
- Even though COVID-19 appears to directly affect children less than adults, it can have indirect impacts. Modelling studies have predicted that COVID-19 could amplify neonatal deaths. For instance, research published by the Guttmacher Institute in April estimated that even a 10% decrease in pregnancy-related and neonatal health care could result in an extra 168,000 neonatal and 28,000 maternal deaths globally, as well as 2.5 million newborns experiencing major medical complications.
- When COVID cases peaked in Europe, it killed almost twice as many Europeans as cancer which is the biggest killer under normal circumstances.

How effective are masks and do they also need to cover my nose?

- Mask wearing is a very simple and effective way to reduce transmission and save lives. The degree of protection depends on the type of mask, how well they worn and on other factors such as the behaviour of people wearing them and the behaviour of air droplets in different settings.
- Masks alone are not enough to fully protect someone from the virus, but they still have an essential role to play in protecting high risk individuals, such as frontline health care workers. For most people the greatest benefit lies not in protecting the wearer, but those around them. When combined with other safety measures like physical distancing and practicing good hygiene, they are a very effective tool with little to no disruption to normal life.
- COVID-19 is predominantly spread via respiratory droplets that are released when someone that has been infected coughs, sneezes or talks. Breathing those droplets in through your nose can lead to infection. Masks act as a barrier preventing people from spreading these potentially infectious droplets.
- Using a mask to just cover the mouth and not the nose only addresses part of risk, and so could defeat the whole purpose of wearing one in the first place. Similarly, eye protection can also be important, particularly when physical distancing isn’t possible.

Would it be possible to achieve herd immunity without vaccines?

Would it be possible to achieve herd immunity without vaccines?
- Historically, the most successful way to achieve herd immunity is actually through mass vaccination. This is a much safer route as the alternative is for roughly 60% of the population to be infected with COVID-19 which essentially means leaving the virus unchecked.
- Attempting to achieve natural herd immunity through infection will lead to a rise in cases, and a surge in the number of deaths. Moreover, natural immunity to coronaviruses usually only lasts for up to a couple of years. As Kristian Andersen, an immunologist at the Scripps Research Institute in California warned, this approach could “lead to unacceptable and unnecessary untold human death and suffering.”

COVID-19.

FAQ.

Is COVID-19 worse than flu?

How does COVID-19 compare to other public health threats?

How effective are masks and do they also need to cover my nose?

Would it be possible to achieve herd immunity without vaccines?

Would it be possible to achieve herd immunity without vaccines?

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