introduction of covid 19 essay in english

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Covid 19 Essay in English

Essay on Covid -19: In a very short amount of time, coronavirus has spread globally. It has had an enormous impact on people's lives, economy, and societies all around the world, affecting every country. Governments have had to take severe measures to try and contain the pandemic. The virus has altered our way of life in many ways, including its effects on our health and our economy. Here are a few sample essays on ‘CoronaVirus’.

100 Words Essay on Covid 19

200 words essay on covid 19, 500 words essay on covid 19.

COVID-19 or Corona Virus is a novel coronavirus that was first identified in 2019. It is similar to other coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, but it is more contagious and has caused more severe respiratory illness in people who have been infected. The novel coronavirus became a global pandemic in a very short period of time. It has affected lives, economies and societies across the world, leaving no country untouched. The virus has caused governments to take drastic measures to try and contain it. From health implications to economic and social ramifications, COVID-19 impacted every part of our lives. It has been more than 2 years since the pandemic hit and the world is still recovering from its effects.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the world has been impacted in a number of ways. For one, the global economy has taken a hit as businesses have been forced to close their doors. This has led to widespread job losses and an increase in poverty levels around the world. Additionally, countries have had to impose strict travel restrictions in an attempt to contain the virus, which has resulted in a decrease in tourism and international trade. Furthermore, the pandemic has put immense pressure on healthcare systems globally, as hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients suffering from the virus. Lastly, the outbreak has led to a general feeling of anxiety and uncertainty, as people are fearful of contracting the disease.

My Experience of COVID-19

I still remember how abruptly colleges and schools shut down in March 2020. I was a college student at that time and I was under the impression that everything would go back to normal in a few weeks. I could not have been more wrong. The situation only got worse every week and the government had to impose a lockdown. There were so many restrictions in place. For example, we had to wear face masks whenever we left the house, and we could only go out for essential errands. Restaurants and shops were only allowed to operate at take-out capacity, and many businesses were shut down.

In the current scenario, coronavirus is dominating all aspects of our lives. The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc upon people’s lives, altering the way we live and work in a very short amount of time. It has revolutionised how we think about health care, education, and even social interaction. This virus has had long-term implications on our society, including its impact on mental health, economic stability, and global politics. But we as individuals can help to mitigate these effects by taking personal responsibility to protect themselves and those around them from infection.

Effects of CoronaVirus on Education

The outbreak of coronavirus has had a significant impact on education systems around the world. In China, where the virus originated, all schools and universities were closed for several weeks in an effort to contain the spread of the disease. Many other countries have followed suit, either closing schools altogether or suspending classes for a period of time.

This has resulted in a major disruption to the education of millions of students. Some have been able to continue their studies online, but many have not had access to the internet or have not been able to afford the costs associated with it. This has led to a widening of the digital divide between those who can afford to continue their education online and those who cannot.

The closure of schools has also had a negative impact on the mental health of many students. With no face-to-face contact with friends and teachers, some students have felt isolated and anxious. This has been compounded by the worry and uncertainty surrounding the virus itself.

The situation with coronavirus has improved and schools have been reopened but students are still catching up with the gap of 2 years that the pandemic created. In the meantime, governments and educational institutions are working together to find ways to support students and ensure that they are able to continue their education despite these difficult circumstances.

Effects of CoronaVirus on Economy

The outbreak of the coronavirus has had a significant impact on the global economy. The virus, which originated in China, has spread to over two hundred countries, resulting in widespread panic and a decrease in global trade. As a result of the outbreak, many businesses have been forced to close their doors, leading to a rise in unemployment. In addition, the stock market has taken a severe hit.

Effects of CoronaVirus on Health

The effects that coronavirus has on one's health are still being studied and researched as the virus continues to spread throughout the world. However, some of the potential effects on health that have been observed thus far include respiratory problems, fever, and coughing. In severe cases, pneumonia, kidney failure, and death can occur. It is important for people who think they may have been exposed to the virus to seek medical attention immediately so that they can be treated properly and avoid any serious complications. There is no specific cure or treatment for coronavirus at this time, but there are ways to help ease symptoms and prevent the virus from spreading.

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How to write an essay on coronavirus (COVID-19)

(Last updated: 10 November 2021)

Since 2006, Oxbridge Essays has been the UK’s leading paid essay-writing and dissertation service

We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.

With the coronavirus pandemic affecting every aspect of our lives for the last 18 months, it is no surprise that it has become a common topic in academic assignments. Writing a COVID-19 essay can be challenging, whether you're studying biology, philosophy, or any course in between.

Your first question might be, how would an essay about a pandemic be any different from a typical academic essay? Well, the answer is that in many ways it is largely similar. The key difference, however, is that this pandemic is much more current than usual academic topics. That means that it may be difficult to rely on past research to demonstrate your argument! As a result, COVID-19 essay writing needs to balance theories of past scholars with very current data (that is constantly changing).

In this post, we are going to give you our top tips on how to write a coronavirus academic essay, so that you are able to approach your writing with confidence and produce a great piece of work.

1. Do background reading

Critical reading is an essential component for any essay, but the question is – what should you be reading for a coronavirus essay? It might seem like a silly question, but the choices that you make during the reading process may determine how well you actually do on the paper. Therefore, we recommend the following steps.

First, read (and re-read) the assignment prompt that you have been given by the instructor. If you write an excellent essay, but it is off topic, you’ll likely be marked down. Make notes on the words that explain what is being asked of you – perhaps the essay asks you to “analyse”, “describe”, “list”, or “evaluate”. Make sure that these same words actually appear in your paper.

Second, look for specific things you have been instructed to do. This might include using themes from your textbook or incorporating assigned readings. Make a note of these things and read them first. Remember to take good notes while you read.

Once you have done your course readings, the question then becomes: what types of external readings are you going to need? Typically, at this point, you are going to be left with newspapers/websites, and a few scholarly articles (books on coronavirus might not be readily available at this stage, but could still be useful!). If it is a research essay, you are likely going to need to rely on a variety of sources as you work through this assignment. This might seem different than other academic writing where you would typically focus on only peer-reviewed articles or books. With coronavirus essays, there is a need for a more diverse set of sources, including;

Newspaper articles and websites

Just like with academic articles, not all newspaper articles and/or websites are created equal. Further, there are likely to be a variety of different statistics released, as the way that countries calculate coronavirus cases, deaths, and other components of the virus are not always the same.

Try to pick sources that are reputable. This might be reports done by key governmental organisations or even the World Health Organisation. If you are reading through an article and can identify obvious areas of bias, you may need to find alternate readings for your paper.

Academic articles

You may be surprised to discover the variety of articles published so far on COVID-19 - a lot can be achieved over multiple lockdowns! The research that has been done has been fairly extensive, covering a broad range of topics. Therefore, when preparing to write your academic essay, make sure to check the literature frequently as new publications are being released all the time.

If you do a search and you cannot find anything on the coronavirus specifically, you will have to widen your search. Think about the topic more widely. Are there theories that you have learned about in your classes that you can link to academic articles? Surely the answer must be yes! Just because there is limited research on this topic does not mean that you should avoid academic articles all together. Relying solely on websites or newspapers can lead you to a biased piece of writing, which usually is not what an academic essay is all about.

2. Plan your essay

Brainstorming.

Taking the time to brainstorm out your ideas can be the first step in a super successful essay. Brainstorming does not have to take a lot of time, and can be done in about 20 minutes if you have already done some background reading on the topic.

First, figure out how many points you need to identify. Each point is likely to equate to one paragraph of your paper, so if you are writing a 1500-word essay (and you use 300 words for the introduction and conclusion) you will be left with 1200 words, which means you will need between 5-6 paragraphs (and 5-6 points).

Start with a blank piece of paper. In the middle of the paper write the question or statement that you are trying to answer. From there, draw 5 or 6 lines out from the centre. At the end of each of these lines will be a point you want to address in your essay. From here, write down any additional ideas that you have.

It might look messy, but that’s OK! This is just the first step in the process and an opportunity for you to get your ideas down on paper. From this messiness, you can easily start to form a logical and linear outline that will soon become the template for your essay.

Creating an outline

Once you have a completed brainstorm, the next step is to put your ideas into a logical format The first step in this process is usually to write out a rough draft of the argument you are attempting to make. In doing this, you are then able to see how your subsequent paragraphs are addressing this topic (and if they are not addressing the topic, now is the time to change this!).

Once you have a position/argument/thesis statement, create space for your body paragraphs, but numbering each section. Then, write a rough draft of the topic sentence that you think will fit well in that section. Once you have done this, pull up the coronavirus articles, data, and other reports that you have read. Determine where each will fit best in your paper (and exclude the ones that do not fit well). Put a citation of the document in each paragraph section (this will make it easier to construct your reference list at the end).

Once every paragraph is organised, double check to make sure they are all still on track to address your main thesis. At this point you are ready to write an excellent and well-organised COVID-19 essay!

3. Structure your paragraphs

When structuring an academic essay on COVID-19, there will be a need to balance the news, evidence from academic articles, and course theory. This adds an extra layer of complexity because there are just so many things to juggle.

One strategy that can be helpful is to structure all your paragraphs in the same way. Now, you might be thinking, how boring! In reality, it is likely that the reader will appreciate the fact that you have carefully thought out your process and how you are going to approach this essay.

How to design your essay paragraphs

• Create a topic sentence. A topic sentence is a sentence that presents the main idea for the paragraph. Usually it links back to your thesis, argument, or position.
• Start to introduce your evidence. Use the next sentence in your introduction as a bridge between the topic sentence and the evidence/data you are going to present.
• Add evidence. Take 2-4 sentences to give the reader some good information that supports your topic sentence. This can be statistics, details from an empirical study, information from a news article, or some other form of information.
• Give some critical thought. It is essential to make a connection for the reader between your evidence and your topic sentence. Tell the reader why the information you have presented is important.
• Provide a concluding sentence. Make sure you wrap up your argument or transition to the next one.

4. Write your essay

Keep it academic.

There is a lot of information available about the coronavirus, but because much of it is coming from newspaper articles, the evidence that you might use for your paper can be skewed. In order to keep your paper academic, it is best to maintain a professional and academic style.

Present statistics from reputable sources (like the World Health Organisation), rather than those that have been selected by third parties. Furthermore, if you are writing a COVID-19 essay that is about a specific region (e.g. the United Kingdom), make sure that your statistics and evidence also come from this region.

Use up-to-date sources

The information on coronavirus is constantly changing. By now, everyone has seen the exponential curve of cases reoccurring all over the world at different times. Therefore, what was true last month may not necessarily be the case now. This can be challenging when you are planning an essay, because your outline from a previous week may need to be modified.

There are a number of ways you can address this. One way is, obviously, to continue going back and refreshing the data. Another way, which can be equally useful, is to outline the scope of the problem in your paper, writing something like, “data on COVID-19 is constantly changing, but the data presented was accurate at the time of writing”.

Avoid personal bias or opinion (unless asked!)

Everybody has an opinion – this opinion can often relate to how you or your family members have been affected by the pandemic (and the government response to this). People have lost jobs, have had to avoid family/friends, or have lost someone as a result of this pandemic. Life, for many, is very different.

While all of this is extremely important, it may not necessarily be relevant for an academic essay. One of the more challenging components of this type of academic paper is to try and remove yourself from the evidence you are providing. Now… there are exceptions. If you are writing a COVID-19 reflective essay, then it is your responsibility to include your opinion; otherwise, do your best to remain objective.

Avoid personal pronouns

Along the same lines as avoiding bias, it is also a good idea to avoid personal pronouns in your academic essay (except in a reflection, of course). This means avoiding words like “I, we, our, my”. While you may agree (or disagree) with the sentiment you are presenting, try and present your information from a distanced perspective.

Proofread carefully

Finally (and this is true of any essay), make sure that you take the time to proofread your essay carefully. Is it free from spelling errors? Have you checked the grammar? Have you made sure that your references are correct and in order? Have you carefully reviewed the submission requirements of your instructor (e.g. font, margins, spacing, etc.)? If the answer is yes, it sounds as if you are finally ready to submit your essay.

Final thoughts

Writing an essay is not easy. Writing an essay on a pandemic while living in that same pandemic is even more difficult.

A good essay is appropriately structured with a clear purpose and is presented according to the recommended guidelines. Unless it is a personal reflection, it attempts to present information as if it were free from bias.

So before you start to panic about having to write an essay about a pandemic, take a breath. You can do this. Take all the same steps as you would in a conventional academic essay, but expand your search to include relevant and up-to-date information that you know will make your essay a success. Once you have done this, make sure to have your university writing centre or an academic at Oxbridge Essays check it over and make suggestions! Now, stop reading and get writing! Good luck.

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How to Write About Coronavirus / COVID-19 In Your College Essay & Application

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Option 2: the slightly more creative way, how to use narrative structure to describe your pandemic experience if you want it to be all of your essay, should i write about coronavirus/ covid-19 in my college essay.

This year, the Common App is including a special 250-word section allowing students to describe the impacts of COVID-19 on their lives. Here’s the official word from the Common App website: 

We want to provide colleges with the information they need, with the goal of having students answer COVID-19 questions only once while using the rest of the application as they would have before to share their interests and perspectives beyond COVID-19.

Below is the question applicants will see:

Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts. Colleges care about the effects on your health and well-being, safety, family circumstances, future plans, and education, including access to reliable technology and quiet study spaces.

Do you wish to share anything on this topic? Y/N

Please use this space to describe how these events have impacted you.

The question will be optional and will appear in the Additional Information section of the application. The response length will be limited to 250 words.

It’s worth reading from the Common App website directly , which also notes that counselors will have 500 words to detail impacts that their schools have experienced based on the pandemic. 

Note: If you’re applying via the Coalition Application, you’ll also have an opportunity to add information. Learn the details here . And the advice below will apply!

So should you write about coronavirus?  

On this webinar at the 14:00 mark, I asked Rick Clark, Director of Admission at Georgia Tech, this very question. His response: “How could they not!” In other words: You totally have permission to write about this.

But it also kinda’ depends on your pandemic experience. 

Which of the following best describes what the pandemic has been like for you? 

It’s been okay . Online school wasn’t as good as real school, but I adapted, played video games maybe a little more than usual (so my sleeping schedule was weird), and hung out with my family a little more. TBH, though, things haven’t changed (or didn’t change) too much for me.

Very negative. Coronavirus rocked my world—and not in a good way. The pandemic has led to serious hardships for my family and me. It’s been incredibly stressful, and we’re still living with some uncertainty.

Very positive. And I feel weird saying that because I know so many people have been negatively impacted. But I’ve learned some new things/felt inspired/maybe even started a new project and (maybe even) I’ve even shifted the way I’m thinking about my future! 

It’s been a roller coaster (so 2 and 3). In some ways, it’s been really difficult, but in other ways, it’s been productive, and I’m learning a lot. 

Do a quick self-scan: Which feels most like your experience? 

And if your experience has been way too complex to fit into one of these (admittedly) overly-simplistic and reductive categories, read on. 

But based on these broad categories, I’d say ... 

If your life hasn’t changed too much (so A), no need to write about it.

If the pandemic has been either very negative (B), very positive (C), or like a roller coaster (D), maybe do write about it. 

The questions are: Where should you write about it in your application, and how?

You’ve got options.

Where to Write About COVID-19/ Coronavirus on Your College Application?

If the school you’re applying to is on the Common App, your options include:

The special COVID-19 question (250 words)

The Additional Information section (650 words) 

Your main personal statement (650 words)

Below, I’ll offer tips on how to write each one. And if the school you’re applying to is not on the Common App, check out that school’s particular application.

There’s an old saying in the musical theater world that goes something like this: If what you want to say is so important that mere words can’t capture it, you sing it. And if not even singing can capture those feelings, you dance it. (More commonly: “If you can’t say it, sing it. If you can’t sing it, dance it.”)

That’s pretty much my advice when it comes to writing about coronavirus/COVID-19 on your college application. 

How to Write About COVID-19/ Coronavirus on Your College Application

More specifically, if you feel as though you need to address your pandemic experience in your college application, I’d say:

If you can fit your pandemic experiences into the 250-word COVID-19 section, do it. 

If you need more space, use the 650-word Additional Information section. 

If a) your pandemic experience was one of the most important things that’s ever happened to you and there’s no way it could fit in both of the sections named above, b) you believe that describing your pandemic experience is the best way to demonstrate the values/skills/qualities that you’ll bring with you to a college campus, and c) you’ve spent at least an hour exploring other topics using high-quality brainstorming exercises with a partner and still haven’t come up with any other ideas, then you might consider using the 650-word personal statement. 

But keep in mind that if you do write about the pandemic in your personal statement, then you can’t use the 250-word COVID-specific section for anything else. On the other hand, if you write about the pandemic in the COVID-specific space, you can use your personal statement for …. whatever you want.

Also note that the Common App is kind of hinting that you should use the 250-word COVID-19 section so that you can use the rest of your application for other things: “ We want to provide colleges with the information they need, with the goal of having students answer COVID-19 questions only once while using the rest of the application as they would have before to share their interests and perspectives beyond COVID-19.”

Again, I’m going to show you how to write something in each section, but can you sense which way I’m nudging you?

And btw, if you’re unsure what else to write your personal statement on, keep reading—I’ll share brainstorming exercises below.

How to Write About Coronavirus Using the Special COVID-19 (250-Word) Section on the Common App

Here again is the question you’ll see on the Common App:

Option 1: The Straightforward Way

If you did face significant challenges during the pandemic, one way to write about your pandemic experience is by using this structure: 

a) Challenges Faced + Impacts on Me

b) What I Did about It

c) What I Learned

Below is an example of what this might look like. (It’s not an actual example, but was written by a former student to illustrate how you can write yours)

Example 1 (faced significant challenges):

Living in rural North Carolina, I have limited access to a consistent, high-speed internet connection. During the pandemic, my family did not have the means to upgrade to a higher internet speed and were working hard around the house trying to make ends meet. This meant I was often unable to access the internet in time to turn in assignments when they were due. It was also difficult to concentrate because our house is very small and everyone was working in close proximity. 

Although I found it hard to focus on schoolwork, I communicated these problems to my family so that we could work together. I organized a rotating schedule for my parents and my older sister. We marked off the blocks of time during which we would need to be online and created a system in which only two family members would be on the internet at the same time. The people who were not busy would stay quiet indoors or go outside to talk. This made it so that the internet was faster and there was less noise inside the house.

I am proud to say that I used what I had at my disposal to make the best out of a difficult situation. The unusual conditions instilled in me the value of organization and clear communication. I found ways of adapting my work to fit new time constraints and will bring this knowledge with me to college.  (240 words)

Quick Notes + Tips:

This kind of straightforward and factual tone is fine. In fact, some readers will prefer it.

Notice how the example above devotes one bullet point to each of the elements I mentioned: a) Challenges Faced + Impacts on Me, b) What I Did about It, c) What I Learned. And yes, bullet points are OK in this section.

Notice how, in the third bullet point, the author demonstrates a few values that will serve them in college and beyond: adaptability, organization, communication. For a list of values, click here .

Example 2 (did not face significant challenges): 

I live in Marfa, Texas, where an important part of the local economy is the restaurant industry. Many businesses in the area were forced to shut down or operate in a more limited capacity. To support these people and their contributions to our community, I started an online blog to write reviews about the takeout my family and I ate during quarantine. I made sure to include details about how food could be ordered and what options they had for different dietary restrictions. As someone who has a very restrictive diet, I understand the importance of finding food that is healthy, delicious, and conscious of different dietary needs. I also wanted to encourage people to support their local businesses.

In addition, to keep myself physically active despite limited mobility, I created a makeshift gym in my house. I fashioned “dumbbells” out of old milk cartons filled with dirt and took an online class about weight training to build a balanced workout schedule. I even got my parents to join me once a week!

I stayed connected with friends during weekly sessions on Zoom and Discord. We often spent hours playing online board games like Bananagrams and Codenames. Because I enjoyed bonding over these games and being intellectually stimulated by the puzzles they posed, I ended up taking an online course in Python and am working on coding my first video game. (231 words)

Quick Notes + Tips: 

Notice how in this example, which is not a real example either but was written for illustrative purposes, the author chooses three specific aspects of the pandemic and devotes one bullet point to each. 

The author begins by describing a particular need (supporting local businesses) and what they did about it (started a blog). This demonstrates the values of leadership and entrepreneurialism—even without naming the values explicitly, which is fine.

The second bullet point addresses a separate value (health), and the author gives evidence that the impact went beyond themselves—to their parents!

Finally, the author demonstrates the value of what I like to call “curiosity with legs” (i.e., being interested in something—then doing something about it). Again, the tone is straightforward, which works well.

If this kind of straightforward, factual tone isn’t your thing, you could start with something that grabs our attention. Like this:

Example 3 (faced significant challenges):

“Jose, turn down the TV. MOM, THE STOVE WON’T TURN ON! Be quiet, I’m on a call. Zuli, have you seen the scissors anywhere?!” Life in quarantine was actually four lives squished together. The pandemic forced my parents, my older sister, and I into a space that wasn’t built for all of our preferences and professions. Living in a small, one-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles meant that internet speed was often slow and privacy was minimal. We were constantly yelling, stepping on each other’s toes. Although I was discouraged, I knew that the tension in our house came mostly from fear of uncertainty, not a lack of love. I kept a level head and called a family meeting. Together, we organized a rotating schedule, marking off when we needed to be online. With this information, we created a system in which only two family members would be on the internet at any time. The people who were not busy would keep quiet or go outside to talk. In a matter of days, the internet was faster and the noise had gone down. I did what I could to make the best out of a difficult situation. The unusual conditions instilled in me the value of organization and clear communication. And I learned how to hit pause when things got intense. We’re still squished, but our love is louder than our yelling. (231 words)

Quick Notes + Tips:  

Using a slightly more creative approach is also fine. In fact, some readers may find it refreshing. But note that the “slightly more creative” opening is really just 24 words long. The rest is pretty straightforward. So don’t spend too much time obsessing over this. The information you share is what’s most important here.

Notice how, in this example, the author takes the framework of the first example essay and bends it into a more cohesive narrative. It still follows the same path (i.e., identifying the challenges/effects, how you dealt with them, what you learned), but smooths the edges between those sections. It also gets a bit more creative with the intro, hooking readers with some intriguing sentence fragments. If you want to do something a little unconventional, this is a good framework you can use. 

Also notice that the author still keeps all the relevant information here. It’s still crucial for her to communicate that the internet speed was slow and the house was crowded because that’s essentially the answer to the prompt. Those are challenges that will help admissions officers contextualize the author’s transcript. Remember, important information like that should be included no matter which of these formats you use.

How to Brainstorm Content for Your Own COVID-19 Response:

Use this Values List to identify 3-5 values you gained (or strengthened) during the pandemic. 

Brainstorm examples to demonstrate each value (e.g., to show the value of “health” the example might be “I built a makeshift gym and designed a workout schedule”).

Write one bullet point per value. Keep it succinct, as in the examples above.

Here’s a simple Google doc template where you can brainstorm the ideas above.

How to Write About Coronavirus Using the (650-Word) Additional Information Section

First, here’s a comprehensive guide that describes what students typically use this section for. Know that writing about coronavirus in this section is also totally fine. 

Next, ask yourself, “Am I sure I can’t fit everything into the 250-word Coronavirus/COVID-19 section described above?” The reason I ask that is that it’s tough for me to imagine a scenario in which your pandemic experience(s) would not fit into the space above. I suppose if you created a project that was so large in scope that you have lots of details that wouldn’t fit into 250 words, but I imagine this will apply to fewer than 5% of students. But if that’s you, then by all means, use this section. 

If you do use this section, here are some general tips: 

When you’re ready to brainstorm content for that section, use the simple three-step process described above where it says, “How to Brainstorm Content for Your Own COVID-19 Response.”

Probably keep the tone straightforward and factual. Value content over poetry. This is, after all, the Additional Information section. 

Probably don’t write a whole 650-word essay on your coronavirus experience. Why? 

a) What can be communicated in a 650-word essay can probably be communicated in 250 words in the coronavirus-specific section (see above).

b) It’s likely to be a very common essay topic (more on that below), so writing a full-length essay may lead to blending in more than standing out. 

c) Again, this is the additional information (and not the additional essay) section.

Note that I say probably in the bullet points above. Could there be an exception to these tips? Something I’m not thinking about? Absolutely. If you are that exception, rock on. (In fact, email me and let me know if you feel you’re the exception, and please share with me what you wrote: [email protected] )

Again, here’s some guidance on how to use the Additional Information section in general.

How to Write About Coronavirus in Your College Essay (i.e., Your 650-Word Personal Statement)

Quick recap in case you skipped straight to this section: 

Probably use the coronavirus-specific 250-word section on the Common App. That may be enough space to say what you want to say. Read the section above to see if that might be true for you.

Whatever doesn’t fit there, you can probably fit into the Additional Info section.

If you’ve read both of the sections above and you’re still feeling like you want to write about your pandemic experience in your personal statement, ask yourself if you want to devote: 

Part of your personal statement to your pandemic experience (maybe because it connects to a topic you were considering anyway) or

All of your personal statement to your pandemic experience (maybe because you’ve faced extraordinary challenges)

If the answer is part (because you don’t want to potentially be defined by your pandemic experience in your reader’s eyes), I’d recommend using the Montage Structure and devoting a paragraph of your essay to your pandemic experience. 

In other words, think of it as a chapter in your life as opposed to the whole book.

If the answer is all (maybe because you’ve faced significant challenges), I’d recommend the Narrative Structure . 

Here’s how to write both of these, beginning with ...

How to Use Montage Structure to Describe Your Pandemic Experience in Part of Your Essay

Before you start writing about the pandemic, I’d recommend first brainstorming a variety of topics that might show different values/skills/qualities that you’ll bring with you to a college campus. You can do that using the exercises on this page in the section called “My favorite resources for brainstorming everything you'll need for your college application.” Each exercise will take you 5-20 minutes but will set you up for your entire application. In fact, you may want to bookmark that link because a) I’ll refer to it a couple of times below, plus b) the resources on that page will probably answer a lot of other college application questions you’ll have.

Once you’ve found a great non-pandemic-related topic that captures some of the magic of who you are, ask yourself ...

What was my main take-away from the pandemic?

A simple way to figure that out is to look at this List of Needs and identify 1-2 main needs that became more apparent to you during the pandemic. 

Example: Maybe you realized how much you needed community . Or structure . Or contribution . 

Whatever need(s) you identify, next answer: How did I work to meet that need during the pandemic?

In other words: How did you meet your need for community? Or structure? Or contribution? (Or whatever value you’ve picked.) What did you actually do ? 

Once you’ve identified that, answer: What did I learn? Or how did I grow?

A great way to figure out what you learned or how you grew is to pick from this List of Values .

Try to identify 1-3 values you connected with more deeply as a result of your work to meet your needs. 

Example Brainstorm: 

Needs: Community + contribution

How I tried to meet these needs: Hosted a virtual open mic with my class where my peers took turns reading and sharing their pandemic experiences 

What I learned: Some of my friends are really creative (or) that vulnerability can create closeness even when we can’t be together in person (or) you get the idea ...

Again, here’s a simple Google doc template where you can brainstorm the ideas above.

A Quick Word of Advice on How to Stand Out If You’re Writing About Coronavirus

Once you’ve identified a few potential (ideally, uncommon!) values, ask yourself: How could I work this idea or these ideas into the topic I’ve already thought of?

Again, make this just one part of the larger story of your life.

First, as I mentioned above, COVID-19 is likely to be a common topic this year. And while that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t write about it, I do think it’s going to be a lot harder to stand out with this topic. So, if possible, brainstorm other possible ideas using the resources above before you commit to this as your topic. 

Second, check in with yourself: Are you choosing this because some part of you believes, or someone told you, that it’s “better” to write about a challenge for your college essay? BECAUSE IT’S NOT TRUE. :) You’ll find many examples of amazing essays written by students who do not discuss significant challenges. (To see some, click this link and scroll down to the “Personal Statement Examples” link.)

Having said all this, if you still feel that describing your pandemic experience is The Best Way to Show Who You Are, then I recommend this structure: 

Challenge(s) I faced based on the pandemic + their impact on me

What I did about it/them

What I learned/How I grew from the experience

Important: Make sure that only the start of your essay describes the challenges and their impact on you, then most of your essay is devoted to describing what you did about it and what you learned from the experience. Why? Because your goal with the personal statement is to demonstrate skills, qualities, values, and interests. If you’re committing to COVID-19 as a topic, you’re basically saying that you feel this is the best way to show the many sides of who you are. Is that true? Is this your deepest story?

If you’re not sure, complete this Feelings and Needs exercise . You’ll find out in about 15 minutes.

If you’re certain if this is your deepest story, still do the Feelings and Needs exercise . It’ll help you create an outline that you can use to write your personal statement.

That’s what I’ve got.

Feel free to email to share examples of what you’re working on with [email protected] , as I’ll likely publish a follow-up once we get deeper into the fall.

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

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The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the disease and how the virus spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by staying at least 1 metre apart from others, wearing a properly fitted mask, and washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently. Get vaccinated when it’s your turn and follow local guidance.

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Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

A novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China. This is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans.

This course provides a general introduction to COVID-19 and emerging respiratory viruses and is intended for public health professionals, incident managers and personnel working for the United Nations, international organizations and NGOs.

As the official disease name was established after material creation, any mention of nCoV refers to COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus.

Please note that the content of this course is currently being revised to reflect the most recent guidance. You can find updated information on certain COVID-19-related topics in the following courses: Vaccination: COVID-19 vaccines channel IPC measures: IPC for COVID-19 Antigen rapid diagnostic testing: 1) SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid diagnostic testing ; 2) Key considerations for SARS-CoV-2 antigen RDT implementation

Please note: These materials were last updated on 16/12/2020.

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Emerging respiratory viruses, including covid-19: introduction:, module 1: introduction to emerging respiratory viruses, including covid-19:, module 2: detecting emerging respiratory viruses, including covid-19: surveillance:, module 3: detecting emerging respiratory viruses, including covid-19: laboratory investigations:, module 4: risk communication :, module 5 : community engagement:, module 6: preventing and responding to an emerging respiratory virus, including covid-19:, enroll me for this course, certificate requirements.

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Writing about COVID-19 in a college admission essay

by: Venkates Swaminathan | Updated: September 14, 2020

Print article

For students applying to college using the CommonApp, there are several different places where students and counselors can address the pandemic’s impact. The different sections have differing goals. You must understand how to use each section for its appropriate use.

The CommonApp COVID-19 question

First, the CommonApp this year has an additional question specifically about COVID-19 :

Community disruptions such as COVID-19 and natural disasters can have deep and long-lasting impacts. If you need it, this space is yours to describe those impacts. Colleges care about the effects on your health and well-being, safety, family circumstances, future plans, and education, including access to reliable technology and quiet study spaces. Please use this space to describe how these events have impacted you.

This question seeks to understand the adversity that students may have had to face due to the pandemic, the move to online education, or the shelter-in-place rules. You don’t have to answer this question if the impact on you wasn’t particularly severe. Some examples of things students should discuss include:

• The student or a family member had COVID-19 or suffered other illnesses due to confinement during the pandemic.
• The candidate had to deal with personal or family issues, such as abusive living situations or other safety concerns
• The student suffered from a lack of internet access and other online learning challenges.
• Students who dealt with problems registering for or taking standardized tests and AP exams.

Jeff Schiffman of the Tulane University admissions office has a blog about this section. He recommends students ask themselves several questions as they go about answering this section:

• Are my experiences different from others’?
• Are there noticeable changes on my transcript?
• Am I aware of my privilege?
• Am I specific? Am I explaining rather than complaining?
• Is this information being included elsewhere on my application?

If you do answer this section, be brief and to-the-point.

Counselor recommendations and school profiles

Second, counselors will, in their counselor forms and school profiles on the CommonApp, address how the school handled the pandemic and how it might have affected students, specifically as it relates to:

• Grading scales and policies
• Graduation requirements
• Instructional methods
• Schedules and course offerings
• Testing requirements
• Your academic calendar
• Other extenuating circumstances

Students don’t have to mention these matters in their application unless something unusual happened.

Writing about COVID-19 in your main essay

Write about your experiences during the pandemic in your main college essay if your experience is personal, relevant, and the most important thing to discuss in your college admission essay. That you had to stay home and study online isn’t sufficient, as millions of other students faced the same situation. But sometimes, it can be appropriate and helpful to write about something related to the pandemic in your essay. For example:

• One student developed a website for a local comic book store. The store might not have survived without the ability for people to order comic books online. The student had a long-standing relationship with the store, and it was an institution that created a community for students who otherwise felt left out.
• One student started a YouTube channel to help other students with academic subjects he was very familiar with and began tutoring others.
• Some students used their extra time that was the result of the stay-at-home orders to take online courses pursuing topics they are genuinely interested in or developing new interests, like a foreign language or music.

Experiences like this can be good topics for the CommonApp essay as long as they reflect something genuinely important about the student. For many students whose lives have been shaped by this pandemic, it can be a critical part of their college application.

Want more? Read 6 ways to improve a college essay , What the &%$! should I write about in my college essay , and Just how important is a college admissions essay? .

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Persuasive Essay About Covid19

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Are you looking to write a persuasive essay about the Covid-19 pandemic?

Writing a compelling and informative essay about this global crisis can be challenging. It requires researching the latest information, understanding the facts, and presenting your argument persuasively.

But don’t worry! with some guidance from experts, you’ll be able to write an effective and persuasive essay about Covid-19.

In this blog post, we’ll outline the basics of writing a persuasive essay . We’ll provide clear examples, helpful tips, and essential information for crafting your own persuasive piece on Covid-19.

Read on to get started on your essay.

• 1. Steps to Write a Persuasive Essay About Covid-19
• 2. Examples of Persuasive Essay About COVID-19
• 3. Examples of Persuasive Essay About COVID-19 Vaccine
• 4. Examples of Persuasive Essay About COVID-19 Integration
• 5. Examples of Argumentative Essay About Covid 19
• 6. Examples of Persuasive Speeches About Covid-19
• 7. Tips to Write a Persuasive Essay About Covid-19
• 8. Common Topics for a Persuasive Essay on COVID-19 

Steps to Write a Persuasive Essay About Covid-19

Here are the steps to help you write a persuasive essay on this topic, along with an example essay:

Step 1: Choose a Specific Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement should clearly state your position on a specific aspect of COVID-19. It should be debatable and clear. For example:

Step 2: Research and Gather Information

Collect reliable and up-to-date information from reputable sources to support your thesis statement. This may include statistics, expert opinions, and scientific studies. For instance:

• COVID-19 vaccination effectiveness data
• Information on vaccine mandates in different countries
• Expert statements from health organizations like the WHO or CDC

Step 3: Outline Your Essay

Create a clear and organized outline to structure your essay. A persuasive essay typically follows this structure:

• Introduction
• Background Information
• Body Paragraphs (with supporting evidence)
• Counterarguments (addressing opposing views)

Step 4: Write the Introduction

In the introduction, grab your reader's attention and present your thesis statement. For example:

Step 5: Provide Background Information

Offer context and background information to help your readers understand the issue better. For instance:

Step 6: Develop Body Paragraphs

Each body paragraph should present a single point or piece of evidence that supports your thesis statement. Use clear topic sentences , evidence, and analysis. Here's an example:

Step 7: Address Counterarguments

Acknowledge opposing viewpoints and refute them with strong counterarguments. This demonstrates that you've considered different perspectives. For example:

Step 8: Write the Conclusion

Summarize your main points and restate your thesis statement in the conclusion. End with a strong call to action or thought-provoking statement. For instance:

Step 9: Revise and Proofread

Edit your essay for clarity, coherence, grammar, and spelling errors. Ensure that your argument flows logically.

Step 10: Cite Your Sources

Include proper citations and a bibliography page to give credit to your sources.

Remember to adjust your approach and arguments based on your target audience and the specific angle you want to take in your persuasive essay about COVID-19.

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Examples of Persuasive Essay About COVID-19

When writing a persuasive essay about the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to consider how you want to present your argument. To help you get started, here are some example essays for you to read:

Here is another example explaining How COVID-19 has changed our lives essay:

Let’s look at another sample essay:

Check out some more PDF examples below:

Persuasive Essay About Covid-19 Pandemic

Sample Of Persuasive Essay About Covid-19

Persuasive Essay About Covid-19 In The Philippines - Example

If you're in search of a compelling persuasive essay on business, don't miss out on our “ persuasive essay about business ” blog!

Examples of Persuasive Essay About COVID-19 Vaccine

Covid19 vaccines are one of the ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but they have been a source of controversy. Different sides argue about the benefits or dangers of the new vaccines. Whatever your point of view is, writing a persuasive essay about it is a good way of organizing your thoughts and persuading others.

A persuasive essay about the COVID-19 vaccine could consider the benefits of getting vaccinated as well as the potential side effects.

Below are some examples of persuasive essays on getting vaccinated for Covid-19.

Covid19 Vaccine Persuasive Essay

Persuasive Essay on Covid Vaccines

Interested in thought-provoking discussions on abortion? Read our persuasive essay about abortion blog to eplore arguments!

Examples of Persuasive Essay About COVID-19 Integration

Covid19 has drastically changed the way people interact in schools, markets, and workplaces. In short, it has affected all aspects of life. However, people have started to learn to live with Covid19.

Writing a persuasive essay about it shouldn't be stressful. Read the sample essay below to get an idea for your own essay about Covid19 integration.

Persuasive Essay About Working From Home During Covid19

Searching for the topic of Online Education? Our persuasive essay about online education is a must-read.

Examples of Argumentative Essay About Covid 19

Covid-19 has been an ever-evolving issue, with new developments and discoveries being made on a daily basis.

Writing an argumentative essay about such an issue is both interesting and challenging. It allows you to evaluate different aspects of the pandemic, as well as consider potential solutions.

Here are some examples of argumentative essays on Covid19.

Argumentative Essay About Covid19 Sample

Argumentative Essay About Covid19 With Introduction Body and Conclusion

Looking for a persuasive take on the topic of smoking? You'll find it all related arguments in out Persuasive Essay About Smoking blog!

Examples of Persuasive Speeches About Covid-19

Do you need to prepare a speech about Covid19 and need examples? We have them for you!

Persuasive speeches about Covid-19 can provide the audience with valuable insights on how to best handle the pandemic. They can be used to advocate for specific changes in policies or simply raise awareness about the virus.

Check out some examples of persuasive speeches on Covid-19:

Persuasive Speech About Covid-19 Example

Persuasive Speech About Vaccine For Covid-19

You can also read persuasive essay examples on other topics to master your persuasive techniques!

Tips to Write a Persuasive Essay About Covid-19

Writing a persuasive essay about COVID-19 requires a thoughtful approach to present your arguments effectively. 

Here are some tips to help you craft a compelling persuasive essay on this topic:

• Choose a Specific Angle: Narrow your focus to a specific aspect of COVID-19, like vaccination or public health measures.
• Provide Credible Sources: Support your arguments with reliable sources like scientific studies and government reports.
• Use Persuasive Language: Employ ethos, pathos, and logos , and use vivid examples to make your points relatable.
• Organize Your Essay: Create a solid persuasive essay outline and ensure a logical flow, with each paragraph focusing on a single point.
• Emphasize Benefits: Highlight how your suggestions can improve public health, safety, or well-being.
• Use Visuals: Incorporate graphs, charts, and statistics to reinforce your arguments.
• Call to Action: End your essay conclusion with a strong call to action, encouraging readers to take a specific step.
• Revise and Edit: Proofread for grammar, spelling, and clarity, ensuring smooth writing flow.
• Seek Feedback: Have someone else review your essay for valuable insights and improvements.

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

Common Topics for a Persuasive Essay on COVID-19 

Here are some persuasive essay topics on COVID-19:

• The Importance of Vaccination Mandates for COVID-19 Control
• Balancing Public Health and Personal Freedom During a Pandemic
• The Economic Impact of Lockdowns vs. Public Health Benefits
• The Role of Misinformation in Fueling Vaccine Hesitancy
• Remote Learning vs. In-Person Education: What's Best for Students?
• The Ethics of Vaccine Distribution: Prioritizing Vulnerable Populations
• The Mental Health Crisis Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
• The Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 on Healthcare Systems
• Global Cooperation vs. Vaccine Nationalism in Fighting the Pandemic
• The Future of Telemedicine: Expanding Healthcare Access Post-COVID-19

In search of more inspiring topics for your next persuasive essay? Our persuasive essay topics blog has plenty of ideas!

To sum it up,

You have read good sample essays and got some helpful tips. You now have the tools you needed to write a persuasive essay about Covid-19. So don't let the doubts stop you, start writing!

If you need professional writing help, don't worry! We've got that for you as well.

MyPerfectWords.com is a professional persuasive essay writing service that can help you craft an excellent persuasive essay on Covid-19. Our experienced essay writer will create a well-structured, insightful paper in no time!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good title for a covid-19 essay.

A good title for a COVID-19 essay should be clear, engaging, and reflective of the essay's content. Examples include:

• "The Impact of COVID-19 on Global Health"
• "How COVID-19 Has Transformed Our Daily Lives"
• "COVID-19: Lessons Learned and Future Implications"

How do I write an informative essay about COVID-19?

To write an informative essay about COVID-19, follow these steps:

• Choose a specific focus: Select a particular aspect of COVID-19, such as its transmission, symptoms, or vaccines.
• Research thoroughly: Gather information from credible sources like scientific journals and official health organizations.
• Organize your content: Structure your essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Present facts clearly: Use clear, concise language to convey information accurately.
• Include visuals: Use charts or graphs to illustrate data and make your essay more engaging.

How do I write an expository essay about COVID-19?

To write an expository essay about COVID-19, follow these steps:

• Select a clear topic: Focus on a specific question or issue related to COVID-19.
• Conduct thorough research: Use reliable sources to gather information.
• Create an outline: Organize your essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Explain the topic: Use facts and examples to explain the chosen aspect of COVID-19 in detail.
• Maintain objectivity: Present information in a neutral and unbiased manner.
• Edit and revise: Proofread your essay for clarity, coherence, and accuracy.

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Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.

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Essay On Covid-19: 100, 200 and 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Apr 30, 2024

COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus, is a global pandemic that has affected people all around the world. It first emerged in a lab in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 and quickly spread to countries around the world. This virus was reportedly caused by SARS-CoV-2. Since then, it has spread rapidly to many countries, causing widespread illness and impacting our lives in numerous ways. This blog talks about the details of this virus and also drafts an essay on COVID-19 in 100, 200 and 300 words for students and professionals. 

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay On COVID-19 in English 100 Words
• 2 Essay On COVID-19 in 200 Words
• 3 Essay On COVID-19 in 300 Words
• 4 Short Essay on Covid-19

Essay On COVID-19 in English 100 Words

COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, is a global pandemic. It started in late 2019 and has affected people all around the world. The virus spreads very quickly through someone’s sneeze and respiratory issues.

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on our lives, with lockdowns, travel restrictions, and changes in daily routines. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, we should wear masks, practice social distancing, and wash our hands frequently. 

People should follow social distancing and other safety guidelines and also learn the tricks to be safe stay healthy and work the whole challenging time. 

Also Read: National Safe Motherhood Day 2023

Essay On COVID-19 in 200 Words

COVID-19 also known as coronavirus, became a global health crisis in early 2020 and impacted mankind around the world. This virus is said to have originated in Wuhan, China in late 2019. It belongs to the coronavirus family and causes flu-like symptoms. It impacted the healthcare systems, economies and the daily lives of people all over the world. 

The most crucial aspect of COVID-19 is its highly spreadable nature. It is a communicable disease that spreads through various means such as coughs from infected persons, sneezes and communication. Due to its easy transmission leading to its outbreaks, there were many measures taken by the government from all over the world such as Lockdowns, Social Distancing, and wearing masks. 

There are many changes throughout the economic systems, and also in daily routines. Other measures such as schools opting for Online schooling, Remote work options available and restrictions on travel throughout the country and internationally. Subsequently, to cure and top its outbreak, the government started its vaccine campaigns, and other preventive measures. 

In conclusion, COVID-19 tested the patience and resilience of the mankind. This pandemic has taught people the importance of patience, effort and humbleness. 

Also Read : Essay on My Best Friend

Essay On COVID-19 in 300 Words

COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, is a serious and contagious disease that has affected people worldwide. It was first discovered in late 2019 in Cina and then got spread in the whole world. It had a major impact on people’s life, their school, work and daily lives. 

COVID-19 is primarily transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets produced and through sneezes, and coughs of an infected person. It can spread to thousands of people because of its highly contagious nature. To cure the widespread of this virus, there are thousands of steps taken by the people and the government. 

Wearing masks is one of the essential precautions to prevent the virus from spreading. Social distancing is another vital practice, which involves maintaining a safe distance from others to minimize close contact.

Very frequent handwashing is also very important to stop the spread of this virus. Proper hand hygiene can help remove any potential virus particles from our hands, reducing the risk of infection. 

In conclusion, the Coronavirus has changed people’s perspective on living. It has also changed people’s way of interacting and how to live. To deal with this virus, it is very important to follow the important guidelines such as masks, social distancing and techniques to wash your hands. Getting vaccinated is also very important to go back to normal life and cure this virus completely.

Also Read: Essay on Abortion in English in 650 Words

Short Essay on Covid-19

Please find below a sample of a short essay on Covid-19 for school students:

Also Read: Essay on Women’s Day in 200 and 500 words

to write an essay on COVID-19, understand your word limit and make sure to cover all the stages and symptoms of this disease. You need to highlight all the challenges and impacts of COVID-19. Do not forget to conclude your essay with positive precautionary measures.

Writing an essay on COVID-19 in 200 words requires you to cover all the challenges, impacts and precautions of this disease. You don’t need to describe all of these factors in brief, but make sure to add as many options as your word limit allows.

The full form for COVID-19 is Corona Virus Disease of 2019.

Related Reads

Hence, we hope that this blog has assisted you in comprehending with an essay on COVID-19. For more information on such interesting topics, visit our essay writing page and follow Leverage Edu.

Simran Popli

An avid writer and a creative person. With an experience of 1.5 years content writing, Simran has worked with different areas. From medical to working in a marketing agency with different clients to Ed-tech company, the journey has been diverse. Creative, vivacious and patient are the words that describe her personality.

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Editor in Chief's Introduction to Essays on the Impact of COVID-19 on Work and Workers

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 was a global pandemic, indicating significant global spread of an infectious disease ( World Health Organization, 2020 ). At that point, there were 118,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in 110 countries. China had been the first country with a widespread outbreak in January, and South Korea, Iran and Italy following in February with their own outbreaks. Soon, the virus was in all continents and over 177 countries, and as of this writing, the United States has the highest number of confirmed cases and, sadly, the most deaths. The virus was extremely contagious and led to death in the most vulnerable, particularly those older than 60 and those with underlying conditions. The most critical cases led to an overwhelming number being admitted into the intensive care units of hospitals, leading to a concern that the virus would overwhelm local health care systems. Today, in early May 2020, there have been nearly 250,000 deaths worldwide, with over 3,500,000 confirmed cases ( Hopkins, 2020 ). The human toll is staggering, and experts are predicting a second wave in summer or fall.

As the deaths rose from the virus that had no known treatment or vaccine countries shut their borders, banned travel to other countries and began to issue orders for their citizens to stay at home, with no gatherings of more than 10 individuals. Schools and universities closed their physical locations and moved education online. Sporting events were canceled, airlines cut flights, tourism evaporated, restaurants, movie theaters and bars closed, theater productions canceled, manufacturing facilities, services, and retail stores closed. In some businesses and industries, employees have been able to work remotely from home, but in others, workers have been laid off, furloughed, or had their hours cut. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that there was a 4.5% reduction in hours in the first quarter of 2020, and 10.5% reduction is expected in the second quarter ( ILO, 2020a ). The latter is equivalent to 305 million jobs ( ILO, 2020a ).

Globally, over 430 million enterprises are at risk of disruption, with about half of those in the wholesale and retail trades ( ILO, 2020a ). Much focus in the press has been on the impact in Europe and North America, but the effect on developing countries is even more critical. An example of the latter is the Bangladeshi ready-made-garment sector ( Leitheiser et al., 2020 ), a global industry that depends on a supply chain of raw material from a few countries and produces those garments for retail stores throughout North America and Europe. But, in January 2020, raw material from China was delayed by the shutdown in China, creating delays and work stoppages in Bangladesh. By the time Bangladeshi factories had the material to make garments, in March, retailers in Europe and North American began to cancel orders or put them on hold, canceling or delaying payment. Factories shut down and workers were laid off without pay. Nearly a million people lost their jobs. Overall, since February 2020, the factories in Bangladesh have lost nearly 3 billion dollars in revenue. And, the retail stores that would have sold the garments have also closed. This demonstrates the ripple effect of the disruption of one industry that affects multiple countries and sets of workers, because consider that, in turn, there will be less raw material needed from China, and fewer workers needed there. One need only multiply this example by hundreds to consider the global impact of COVID-19 across the world of work.

The ILO (2020b) notes that it is difficult to collect employment statistics from different countries, so a total global unemployment rate is unavailable at this time. However, they predict significant increase in unemployment, and the number of individuals filing for unemployment benefits in the United States may be an indicator of the magnitude of those unemployed. In the United States, over 30 million filed for unemployment between March 11 and April 30 ( Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020 ), effectively this is an unemployment rate of 18%. By contrast, in February 2020, the US unemployment rate was 3.5% ( Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020 ).

Clearly, COVID-19 has had an enormous disruption on work and workers, most critically for those who have lost their employment. But, even for those continuing to work, there have been disruptions in where people work, with whom they work, what they do, and how much they earn. And, as of this writing, it is also a time of great uncertainty, as countries are slowly trying to ease restrictions to allow people to go back to work--- in a “new normal”, without the ability to predict if they can prevent further infectious “spikes”. The anxieties about not knowing what is coming, when it will end, or what work will entail led us to develop this set of essays about future research on COVID-19 and its impact on work and workers.

These essays began with an idea by Associate Editor Jos Akkermans, who noted to me that the global pandemic was creating a set of career shocks for workers. He suggested writing an essay for the Journal . The Journal of Vocational Behavior has not traditionally published essays, but these are such unusual times, and COVID-19 is so relevant to our collective research on work that I thought it was a good idea. I issued an invitation to the Associate Editors to submit a brief (3000 word) essay on the implications of COVID-19 on work and/or workers with an emphasis on research in the area. At the same time, a group of international scholars was coming together to consider the effects of COVID-19 on unemployment in several countries, and I invited that group to contribute an essay, as well ( Blustein et al., 2020 ).

The following are a set of nine thoughtful set of papers on how the COVID-19 could (and perhaps will) affect vocational behavior; they all provide suggestions for future research. Akkermans, Richardson, and Kraimer (2020) explore how the pandemic may be a career shock for many, but also how that may not necessarily be a negative experience. Blustein et al. (2020) focus on global unemployment, also acknowledging the privileged status they have as professors studying these phenomena. Cho examines the effect of the pandemic on micro-boundaries (across domains) as well as across national (macro) boundaries ( Cho, 2020 ). Guan, Deng, and Zhou (2020) drawing from cultural psychology, discuss how cultural orientations shape an individual's response to COVID-19, but also how a national cultural perspective influences collective actions. Kantamneni (2020) emphasized the effects on marginalized populations in the United States, as well as the very real effects of racism for Asians and Asian-Americans in the US. Kramer and Kramer (2020) discuss the impact of the pandemic in the perceptions of various occupations, whether perceptions of “good” and “bad” jobs will change and whether working remotely will permanently change where people will want to work. Restubog, Ocampo, and Wang (2020) also focused on individual's responses to the global crisis, concentrating on emotional regulation as a challenge, with suggestions for better managing the stress surrounding the anxiety of uncertainty. Rudolph and Zacher (2020) cautioned against using a generational lens in research, advocating for a lifespan developmental approach. Spurk and Straub (2020) also review issues related to unemployment, but focus on the impact of COVID-19 specifically on “gig” or flexible work arrangements.

I am grateful for the contributions of these groups of scholars, and proud of their ability to write these. They were able to write constructive essays in a short time frame when they were, themselves, dealing with disruptions at work. Some were home-schooling children, some were worried about an absent partner or a vulnerable loved one, some were struggling with the challenges that Restubog et al. (2020) outlined. I hope the thoughts, suggestions, and recommendations in these essays will help to stimulate productive thought on the effect of COVID-19 on work and workers. And, while, I hope this research spurs to better understand the effects of such shocks on work, I really hope we do not have to cope with such a shock again.

• Akkermans J., Richardson J., Kraimer M. The Covid-19 crisis as a career shock: Implications for careers and vocational behavior. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 2020; 119 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Blustein D.L., Duffy R., Ferreira J.A., Cohen-Scali V., Cinamon R.G., Allan B.A. Unemployment in the time of COVID-19: A research agenda. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 2020; 119 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020). Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey. Retrieved May 6, 2020 from https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/surveymost .
• Cho E. Examining boundaries to understand the impact of COVID-19 on vocational behaviors. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 2020; 119 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Guan Y., Deng H., Zhou X. Understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on career development: Insights from cultural psychology. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 2020; 119 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Johns Hopkins (2020) Coronavirus Outbreak Mapped: Retrieved May 5, 2020 from https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html .
• International Labor Organization ILO monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work. Third edition updated estimates and analysis. 2020. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@dcomm/documents/briefingnote/wcms_743146.pdf Retrieved May 5, 2020 from:
• International Labor Organization (2020b) COVID-19 impact on the collection of labour market statistics. Retrieved May 6, 2020 from: https://ilostat.ilo.org .
• Kantamneni, N. (2020). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marginalized populations in the United States: A research agenda. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 119 . [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Kramer A., Kramer K.Z. The potential impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on occupational status, work from home, and occupational mobility. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 2020; 119 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Leitheiser, E., Hossain, S.N., Shuvro, S., Tasnim, G., Moon, J., Knudsen, J.S., & Rahman, S. (2020). Early impacts of coronavirus on Bangladesh apparel supply chains. https://www.cbs.dk/files/cbs.dk/risc_report_-_impacts_of_coronavirus_on_bangladesh_rmg_1.pdf .
• Restubog S.L.D., Ocampo A.C., Wang L. Taking control amidst the Chaos: Emotion regulation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 2020; 119 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Rudolph C.W., Zacher H. COVID-19 and careers: On the futility of generational explanations. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 2020; 119 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Spurk D., Straub C. Flexible employment relationships and careers in times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 2020; 119 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• World Health Organization (2020). World Health Organization Coronavirus Update. Retrieved May 5, 2020 from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 .

I Thought We’d Learned Nothing From the Pandemic. I Wasn’t Seeing the Full Picture

M y first home had a back door that opened to a concrete patio with a giant crack down the middle. When my sister and I played, I made sure to stay on the same side of the divide as her, just in case. The 1988 film The Land Before Time was one of the first movies I ever saw, and the image of the earth splintering into pieces planted its roots in my brain. I believed that, even in my own backyard, I could easily become the tiny Triceratops separated from her family, on the other side of the chasm, as everything crumbled into chaos.

Some 30 years later, I marvel at the eerie, unexpected ways that cartoonish nightmare came to life – not just for me and my family, but for all of us. The landscape was already covered in fissures well before COVID-19 made its way across the planet, but the pandemic applied pressure, and the cracks broke wide open, separating us from each other physically and ideologically. Under the weight of the crisis, we scattered and landed on such different patches of earth we could barely see each other’s faces, even when we squinted. We disagreed viciously with each other, about how to respond, but also about what was true.

Recently, someone asked me if we’ve learned anything from the pandemic, and my first thought was a flat no. Nothing. There was a time when I thought it would be the very thing to draw us together and catapult us – as a capital “S” Society – into a kinder future. It’s surreal to remember those early days when people rallied together, sewing masks for health care workers during critical shortages and gathering on balconies in cities from Dallas to New York City to clap and sing songs like “Yellow Submarine.” It felt like a giant lightning bolt shot across the sky, and for one breath, we all saw something that had been hidden in the dark – the inherent vulnerability in being human or maybe our inescapable connectedness .

More from TIME

Read More: The Family Time the Pandemic Stole

But it turns out, it was just a flash. The goodwill vanished as quickly as it appeared. A couple of years later, people feel lied to, abandoned, and all on their own. I’ve felt my own curiosity shrinking, my willingness to reach out waning , my ability to keep my hands open dwindling. I look out across the landscape and see selfishness and rage, burnt earth and so many dead bodies. Game over. We lost. And if we’ve already lost, why try?

Still, the question kept nagging me. I wondered, am I seeing the full picture? What happens when we focus not on the collective society but at one face, one story at a time? I’m not asking for a bow to minimize the suffering – a pretty flourish to put on top and make the whole thing “worth it.” Yuck. That’s not what we need. But I wondered about deep, quiet growth. The kind we feel in our bodies, relationships, homes, places of work, neighborhoods.

Like a walkie-talkie message sent to my allies on the ground, I posted a call on my Instagram. What do you see? What do you hear? What feels possible? Is there life out here? Sprouting up among the rubble? I heard human voices calling back – reports of life, personal and specific. I heard one story at a time – stories of grief and distrust, fury and disappointment. Also gratitude. Discovery. Determination.

Among the most prevalent were the stories of self-revelation. Almost as if machines were given the chance to live as humans, people described blossoming into fuller selves. They listened to their bodies’ cues, recognized their desires and comforts, tuned into their gut instincts, and honored the intuition they hadn’t realized belonged to them. Alex, a writer and fellow disabled parent, found the freedom to explore a fuller version of herself in the privacy the pandemic provided. “The way I dress, the way I love, and the way I carry myself have both shrunk and expanded,” she shared. “I don’t love myself very well with an audience.” Without the daily ritual of trying to pass as “normal” in public, Tamar, a queer mom in the Netherlands, realized she’s autistic. “I think the pandemic helped me to recognize the mask,” she wrote. “Not that unmasking is easy now. But at least I know it’s there.” In a time of widespread suffering that none of us could solve on our own, many tended to our internal wounds and misalignments, large and small, and found clarity.

Read More: A Tool for Staying Grounded in This Era of Constant Uncertainty

I wonder if this flourishing of self-awareness is at least partially responsible for the life alterations people pursued. The pandemic broke open our personal notions of work and pushed us to reevaluate things like time and money. Lucy, a disabled writer in the U.K., made the hard decision to leave her job as a journalist covering Westminster to write freelance about her beloved disability community. “This work feels important in a way nothing else has ever felt,” she wrote. “I don’t think I’d have realized this was what I should be doing without the pandemic.” And she wasn’t alone – many people changed jobs , moved, learned new skills and hobbies, became politically engaged.

Perhaps more than any other shifts, people described a significant reassessment of their relationships. They set boundaries, said no, had challenging conversations. They also reconnected, fell in love, and learned to trust. Jeanne, a quilter in Indiana, got to know relatives she wouldn’t have connected with if lockdowns hadn’t prompted weekly family Zooms. “We are all over the map as regards to our belief systems,” she emphasized, “but it is possible to love people you don’t see eye to eye with on every issue.” Anna, an anti-violence advocate in Maine, learned she could trust her new marriage: “Life was not a honeymoon. But we still chose to turn to each other with kindness and curiosity.” So many bonds forged and broken, strengthened and strained.

Instead of relying on default relationships or institutional structures, widespread recalibrations allowed for going off script and fortifying smaller communities. Mara from Idyllwild, Calif., described the tangible plan for care enacted in her town. “We started a mutual-aid group at the beginning of the pandemic,” she wrote, “and it grew so quickly before we knew it we were feeding 400 of the 4000 residents.” She didn’t pretend the conditions were ideal. In fact, she expressed immense frustration with our collective response to the pandemic. Even so, the local group rallied and continues to offer assistance to their community with help from donations and volunteers (many of whom were originally on the receiving end of support). “I’ve learned that people thrive when they feel their connection to others,” she wrote. Clare, a teacher from the U.K., voiced similar conviction as she described a giant scarf she’s woven out of ribbons, each representing a single person. The scarf is “a collection of stories, moments and wisdom we are sharing with each other,” she wrote. It now stretches well over 1,000 feet.

A few hours into reading the comments, I lay back on my bed, phone held against my chest. The room was quiet, but my internal world was lighting up with firefly flickers. What felt different? Surely part of it was receiving personal accounts of deep-rooted growth. And also, there was something to the mere act of asking and listening. Maybe it connected me to humans before battle cries. Maybe it was the chance to be in conversation with others who were also trying to understand – what is happening to us? Underneath it all, an undeniable thread remained; I saw people peering into the mess and narrating their findings onto the shared frequency. Every comment was like a flare into the sky. I’m here! And if the sky is full of flares, we aren’t alone.

I recognized my own pandemic discoveries – some minor, others massive. Like washing off thick eyeliner and mascara every night is more effort than it’s worth; I can transform the mundane into the magical with a bedsheet, a movie projector, and twinkle lights; my paralyzed body can mother an infant in ways I’d never seen modeled for me. I remembered disappointing, bewildering conversations within my own family of origin and our imperfect attempts to remain close while also seeing things so differently. I realized that every time I get the weekly invite to my virtual “Find the Mumsies” call, with a tiny group of moms living hundreds of miles apart, I’m being welcomed into a pocket of unexpected community. Even though we’ve never been in one room all together, I’ve felt an uncommon kind of solace in their now-familiar faces.

Hope is a slippery thing. I desperately want to hold onto it, but everywhere I look there are real, weighty reasons to despair. The pandemic marks a stretch on the timeline that tangles with a teetering democracy, a deteriorating planet , the loss of human rights that once felt unshakable . When the world is falling apart Land Before Time style, it can feel trite, sniffing out the beauty – useless, firing off flares to anyone looking for signs of life. But, while I’m under no delusions that if we just keep trudging forward we’ll find our own oasis of waterfalls and grassy meadows glistening in the sunshine beneath a heavenly chorus, I wonder if trivializing small acts of beauty, connection, and hope actually cuts us off from resources essential to our survival. The group of abandoned dinosaurs were keeping each other alive and making each other laugh well before they made it to their fantasy ending.

Read More: How Ice Cream Became My Own Personal Act of Resistance

After the monarch butterfly went on the endangered-species list, my friend and fellow writer Hannah Soyer sent me wildflower seeds to plant in my yard. A simple act of big hope – that I will actually plant them, that they will grow, that a monarch butterfly will receive nourishment from whatever blossoms are able to push their way through the dirt. There are so many ways that could fail. But maybe the outcome wasn’t exactly the point. Maybe hope is the dogged insistence – the stubborn defiance – to continue cultivating moments of beauty regardless. There is value in the planting apart from the harvest.

I can’t point out a single collective lesson from the pandemic. It’s hard to see any great “we.” Still, I see the faces in my moms’ group, making pancakes for their kids and popping on between strings of meetings while we try to figure out how to raise these small people in this chaotic world. I think of my friends on Instagram tending to the selves they discovered when no one was watching and the scarf of ribbons stretching the length of more than three football fields. I remember my family of three, holding hands on the way up the ramp to the library. These bits of growth and rings of support might not be loud or right on the surface, but that’s not the same thing as nothing. If we only cared about the bottom-line defeats or sweeping successes of the big picture, we’d never plant flowers at all.

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• http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1512-4471 Emily Long 1 ,
• Susan Patterson 1 ,
• Karen Maxwell 1 ,
• Carolyn Blake 1 ,
• http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7342-4566 Raquel Bosó Pérez 1 ,
• Ruth Lewis 1 ,
• Mark McCann 1 ,
• Julie Riddell 1 ,
• Kathryn Skivington 1 ,
• Rachel Wilson-Lowe 1 ,
• http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4409-6601 Kirstin R Mitchell 2
• 1 MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK
• 2 MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Institute of Health & Wellbeing , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK
• Correspondence to Dr Emily Long, MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G3 7HR, UK; emily.long{at}glasgow.ac.uk

This essay examines key aspects of social relationships that were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses explicitly on relational mechanisms of health and brings together theory and emerging evidence on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to make recommendations for future public health policy and recovery. We first provide an overview of the pandemic in the UK context, outlining the nature of the public health response. We then introduce four distinct domains of social relationships: social networks, social support, social interaction and intimacy, highlighting the mechanisms through which the pandemic and associated public health response drastically altered social interactions in each domain. Throughout the essay, the lens of health inequalities, and perspective of relationships as interconnecting elements in a broader system, is used to explore the varying impact of these disruptions. The essay concludes by providing recommendations for longer term recovery ensuring that the social relational cost of COVID-19 is adequately considered in efforts to rebuild.

• inequalities

Data availability statement

Data sharing not applicable as no data sets generated and/or analysed for this study. Data sharing not applicable as no data sets generated or analysed for this essay.

This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to copy, redistribute, remix, transform and build upon this work for any purpose, provided the original work is properly cited, a link to the licence is given, and indication of whether changes were made. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2021-216690

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Introduction

Infectious disease pandemics, including SARS and COVID-19, demand intrapersonal behaviour change and present highly complex challenges for public health. 1 A pandemic of an airborne infection, spread easily through social contact, assails human relationships by drastically altering the ways through which humans interact. In this essay, we draw on theories of social relationships to examine specific ways in which relational mechanisms key to health and well-being were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Relational mechanisms refer to the processes between people that lead to change in health outcomes.

At the time of writing, the future surrounding COVID-19 was uncertain. Vaccine programmes were being rolled out in countries that could afford them, but new and more contagious variants of the virus were also being discovered. The recovery journey looked long, with continued disruption to social relationships. The social cost of COVID-19 was only just beginning to emerge, but the mental health impact was already considerable, 2 3 and the inequality of the health burden stark. 4 Knowledge of the epidemiology of COVID-19 accrued rapidly, but evidence of the most effective policy responses remained uncertain.

The initial response to COVID-19 in the UK was reactive and aimed at reducing mortality, with little time to consider the social implications, including for interpersonal and community relationships. The terminology of ‘social distancing’ quickly became entrenched both in public and policy discourse. This equation of physical distance with social distance was regrettable, since only physical proximity causes viral transmission, whereas many forms of social proximity (eg, conversations while walking outdoors) are minimal risk, and are crucial to maintaining relationships supportive of health and well-being.

The aim of this essay is to explore four key relational mechanisms that were impacted by the pandemic and associated restrictions: social networks, social support, social interaction and intimacy. We use relational theories and emerging research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic response to make three key recommendations: one regarding public health responses; and two regarding social recovery. Our understanding of these mechanisms stems from a ‘systems’ perspective which casts social relationships as interdependent elements within a connected whole. 5

Social networks

Social networks characterise the individuals and social connections that compose a system (such as a workplace, community or society). Social relationships range from spouses and partners, to coworkers, friends and acquaintances. They vary across many dimensions, including, for example, frequency of contact and emotional closeness. Social networks can be understood both in terms of the individuals and relationships that compose the network, as well as the overall network structure (eg, how many of your friends know each other).

Social networks show a tendency towards homophily, or a phenomenon of associating with individuals who are similar to self. 6 This is particularly true for ‘core’ network ties (eg, close friends), while more distant, sometimes called ‘weak’ ties tend to show more diversity. During the height of COVID-19 restrictions, face-to-face interactions were often reduced to core network members, such as partners, family members or, potentially, live-in roommates; some ‘weak’ ties were lost, and interactions became more limited to those closest. Given that peripheral, weaker social ties provide a diversity of resources, opinions and support, 7 COVID-19 likely resulted in networks that were smaller and more homogenous.

Such changes were not inevitable nor necessarily enduring, since social networks are also adaptive and responsive to change, in that a disruption to usual ways of interacting can be replaced by new ways of engaging (eg, Zoom). Yet, important inequalities exist, wherein networks and individual relationships within networks are not equally able to adapt to such changes. For example, individuals with a large number of newly established relationships (eg, university students) may have struggled to transfer these relationships online, resulting in lost contacts and a heightened risk of social isolation. This is consistent with research suggesting that young adults were the most likely to report a worsening of relationships during COVID-19, whereas older adults were the least likely to report a change. 8

Lastly, social connections give rise to emergent properties of social systems, 9 where a community-level phenomenon develops that cannot be attributed to any one member or portion of the network. For example, local area-based networks emerged due to geographic restrictions (eg, stay-at-home orders), resulting in increases in neighbourly support and local volunteering. 10 In fact, research suggests that relationships with neighbours displayed the largest net gain in ratings of relationship quality compared with a range of relationship types (eg, partner, colleague, friend). 8 Much of this was built from spontaneous individual interactions within local communities, which together contributed to the ‘community spirit’ that many experienced. 11 COVID-19 restrictions thus impacted the personal social networks and the structure of the larger networks within the society.

Social support

Social support, referring to the psychological and material resources provided through social interaction, is a critical mechanism through which social relationships benefit health. In fact, social support has been shown to be one of the most important resilience factors in the aftermath of stressful events. 12 In the context of COVID-19, the usual ways in which individuals interact and obtain social support have been severely disrupted.

One such disruption has been to opportunities for spontaneous social interactions. For example, conversations with colleagues in a break room offer an opportunity for socialising beyond one’s core social network, and these peripheral conversations can provide a form of social support. 13 14 A chance conversation may lead to advice helpful to coping with situations or seeking formal help. Thus, the absence of these spontaneous interactions may mean the reduction of indirect support-seeking opportunities. While direct support-seeking behaviour is more effective at eliciting support, it also requires significantly more effort and may be perceived as forceful and burdensome. 15 The shift to homeworking and closure of community venues reduced the number of opportunities for these spontaneous interactions to occur, and has, second, focused them locally. Consequently, individuals whose core networks are located elsewhere, or who live in communities where spontaneous interaction is less likely, have less opportunity to benefit from spontaneous in-person supportive interactions.

However, alongside this disruption, new opportunities to interact and obtain social support have arisen. The surge in community social support during the initial lockdown mirrored that often seen in response to adverse events (eg, natural disasters 16 ). COVID-19 restrictions that confined individuals to their local area also compelled them to focus their in-person efforts locally. Commentators on the initial lockdown in the UK remarked on extraordinary acts of generosity between individuals who belonged to the same community but were unknown to each other. However, research on adverse events also tells us that such community support is not necessarily maintained in the longer term. 16

Meanwhile, online forms of social support are not bound by geography, thus enabling interactions and social support to be received from a wider network of people. Formal online social support spaces (eg, support groups) existed well before COVID-19, but have vastly increased since. While online interactions can increase perceived social support, it is unclear whether remote communication technologies provide an effective substitute from in-person interaction during periods of social distancing. 17 18 It makes intuitive sense that the usefulness of online social support will vary by the type of support offered, degree of social interaction and ‘online communication skills’ of those taking part. Youth workers, for instance, have struggled to keep vulnerable youth engaged in online youth clubs, 19 despite others finding a positive association between amount of digital technology used by individuals during lockdown and perceived social support. 20 Other research has found that more frequent face-to-face contact and phone/video contact both related to lower levels of depression during the time period of March to August 2020, but the negative effect of a lack of contact was greater for those with higher levels of usual sociability. 21 Relatedly, important inequalities in social support exist, such that individuals who occupy more socially disadvantaged positions in society (eg, low socioeconomic status, older people) tend to have less access to social support, 22 potentially exacerbated by COVID-19.

Social and interactional norms

Interactional norms are key relational mechanisms which build trust, belonging and identity within and across groups in a system. Individuals in groups and societies apply meaning by ‘approving, arranging and redefining’ symbols of interaction. 23 A handshake, for instance, is a powerful symbol of trust and equality. Depending on context, not shaking hands may symbolise a failure to extend friendship, or a failure to reach agreement. The norms governing these symbols represent shared values and identity; and mutual understanding of these symbols enables individuals to achieve orderly interactions, establish supportive relationship accountability and connect socially. 24 25

Physical distancing measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 radically altered these norms of interaction, particularly those used to convey trust, affinity, empathy and respect (eg, hugging, physical comforting). 26 As epidemic waves rose and fell, the work to negotiate these norms required intense cognitive effort; previously taken-for-granted interactions were re-examined, factoring in current restriction levels, own and (assumed) others’ vulnerability and tolerance of risk. This created awkwardness, and uncertainty, for example, around how to bring closure to an in-person interaction or convey warmth. The instability in scripted ways of interacting created particular strain for individuals who already struggled to encode and decode interactions with others (eg, those who are deaf or have autism spectrum disorder); difficulties often intensified by mask wearing. 27

Large social gatherings—for example, weddings, school assemblies, sporting events—also present key opportunities for affirming and assimilating interactional norms, building cohesion and shared identity and facilitating cooperation across social groups. 28 Online ‘equivalents’ do not easily support ‘social-bonding’ activities such as singing and dancing, and rarely enable chance/spontaneous one-on-one conversations with peripheral/weaker network ties (see the Social networks section) which can help strengthen bonds across a larger network. The loss of large gatherings to celebrate rites of passage (eg, bar mitzvah, weddings) has additional relational costs since these events are performed by and for communities to reinforce belonging, and to assist in transitioning to new phases of life. 29 The loss of interaction with diverse others via community and large group gatherings also reduces intergroup contact, which may then tend towards more prejudiced outgroup attitudes. While online interaction can go some way to mimicking these interaction norms, there are key differences. A sense of anonymity, and lack of in-person emotional cues, tends to support norms of polarisation and aggression in expressing differences of opinion online. And while online platforms have potential to provide intergroup contact, the tendency of much social media to form homogeneous ‘echo chambers’ can serve to further reduce intergroup contact. 30 31

Intimacy relates to the feeling of emotional connection and closeness with other human beings. Emotional connection, through romantic, friendship or familial relationships, fulfils a basic human need 32 and strongly benefits health, including reduced stress levels, improved mental health, lowered blood pressure and reduced risk of heart disease. 32 33 Intimacy can be fostered through familiarity, feeling understood and feeling accepted by close others. 34

Intimacy via companionship and closeness is fundamental to mental well-being. Positively, the COVID-19 pandemic has offered opportunities for individuals to (re)connect and (re)strengthen close relationships within their household via quality time together, following closure of many usual external social activities. Research suggests that the first full UK lockdown period led to a net gain in the quality of steady relationships at a population level, 35 but amplified existing inequalities in relationship quality. 35 36 For some in single-person households, the absence of a companion became more conspicuous, leading to feelings of loneliness and lower mental well-being. 37 38 Additional pandemic-related relational strain 39 40 resulted, for some, in the initiation or intensification of domestic abuse. 41 42

Physical touch is another key aspect of intimacy, a fundamental human need crucial in maintaining and developing intimacy within close relationships. 34 Restrictions on social interactions severely restricted the number and range of people with whom physical affection was possible. The reduction in opportunity to give and receive affectionate physical touch was not experienced equally. Many of those living alone found themselves completely without physical contact for extended periods. The deprivation of physical touch is evidenced to take a heavy emotional toll. 43 Even in future, once physical expressions of affection can resume, new levels of anxiety over germs may introduce hesitancy into previously fluent blending of physical and verbal intimate social connections. 44

The pandemic also led to shifts in practices and norms around sexual relationship building and maintenance, as individuals adapted and sought alternative ways of enacting sexual intimacy. This too is important, given that intimate sexual activity has known benefits for health. 45 46 Given that social restrictions hinged on reducing household mixing, possibilities for partnered sexual activity were primarily guided by living arrangements. While those in cohabiting relationships could potentially continue as before, those who were single or in non-cohabiting relationships generally had restricted opportunities to maintain their sexual relationships. Pornography consumption and digital partners were reported to increase since lockdown. 47 However, online interactions are qualitatively different from in-person interactions and do not provide the same opportunities for physical intimacy.

Recommendations and conclusions

In the sections above we have outlined the ways in which COVID-19 has impacted social relationships, showing how relational mechanisms key to health have been undermined. While some of the damage might well self-repair after the pandemic, there are opportunities inherent in deliberative efforts to build back in ways that facilitate greater resilience in social and community relationships. We conclude by making three recommendations: one regarding public health responses to the pandemic; and two regarding social recovery.

Recommendation 1: explicitly count the relational cost of public health policies to control the pandemic

Effective handling of a pandemic recognises that social, economic and health concerns are intricately interwoven. It is clear that future research and policy attention must focus on the social consequences. As described above, policies which restrict physical mixing across households carry heavy and unequal relational costs. These include for individuals (eg, loss of intimate touch), dyads (eg, loss of warmth, comfort), networks (eg, restricted access to support) and communities (eg, loss of cohesion and identity). Such costs—and their unequal impact—should not be ignored in short-term efforts to control an epidemic. Some public health responses—restrictions on international holiday travel and highly efficient test and trace systems—have relatively small relational costs and should be prioritised. At a national level, an earlier move to proportionate restrictions, and investment in effective test and trace systems, may help prevent escalation of spread to the point where a national lockdown or tight restrictions became an inevitability. Where policies with relational costs are unavoidable, close attention should be paid to the unequal relational impact for those whose personal circumstances differ from normative assumptions of two adult families. This includes consideration of whether expectations are fair (eg, for those who live alone), whether restrictions on social events are equitable across age group, religious/ethnic groupings and social class, and also to ensure that the language promoted by such policies (eg, households; families) is not exclusionary. 48 49 Forethought to unequal impacts on social relationships should thus be integral to the work of epidemic preparedness teams.

Recommendation 2: intelligently balance online and offline ways of relating

A key ingredient for well-being is ‘getting together’ in a physical sense. This is fundamental to a human need for intimate touch, physical comfort, reinforcing interactional norms and providing practical support. Emerging evidence suggests that online ways of relating cannot simply replace physical interactions. But online interaction has many benefits and for some it offers connections that did not exist previously. In particular, online platforms provide new forms of support for those unable to access offline services because of mobility issues (eg, older people) or because they are geographically isolated from their support community (eg, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) youth). Ultimately, multiple forms of online and offline social interactions are required to meet the needs of varying groups of people (eg, LGBTQ, older people). Future research and practice should aim to establish ways of using offline and online support in complementary and even synergistic ways, rather than veering between them as social restrictions expand and contract. Intelligent balancing of online and offline ways of relating also pertains to future policies on home and flexible working. A decision to switch to wholesale or obligatory homeworking should consider the risk to relational ‘group properties’ of the workplace community and their impact on employees’ well-being, focusing in particular on unequal impacts (eg, new vs established employees). Intelligent blending of online and in-person working is required to achieve flexibility while also nurturing supportive networks at work. Intelligent balance also implies strategies to build digital literacy and minimise digital exclusion, as well as coproducing solutions with intended beneficiaries.

Recommendation 3: build stronger and sustainable localised communities

In balancing offline and online ways of interacting, there is opportunity to capitalise on the potential for more localised, coherent communities due to scaled-down travel, homeworking and local focus that will ideally continue after restrictions end. There are potential economic benefits after the pandemic, such as increased trade as home workers use local resources (eg, coffee shops), but also relational benefits from stronger relationships around the orbit of the home and neighbourhood. Experience from previous crises shows that community volunteer efforts generated early on will wane over time in the absence of deliberate work to maintain them. Adequately funded partnerships between local government, third sector and community groups are required to sustain community assets that began as a direct response to the pandemic. Such partnerships could work to secure green spaces and indoor (non-commercial) meeting spaces that promote community interaction. Green spaces in particular provide a triple benefit in encouraging physical activity and mental health, as well as facilitating social bonding. 50 In building local communities, small community networks—that allow for diversity and break down ingroup/outgroup views—may be more helpful than the concept of ‘support bubbles’, which are exclusionary and less sustainable in the longer term. Rigorously designed intervention and evaluation—taking a systems approach—will be crucial in ensuring scale-up and sustainability.

The dramatic change to social interaction necessitated by efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 created stark challenges but also opportunities. Our essay highlights opportunities for learning, both to ensure the equity and humanity of physical restrictions, and to sustain the salutogenic effects of social relationships going forward. The starting point for capitalising on this learning is recognition of the disruption to relational mechanisms as a key part of the socioeconomic and health impact of the pandemic. In recovery planning, a general rule is that what is good for decreasing health inequalities (such as expanding social protection and public services and pursuing green inclusive growth strategies) 4 will also benefit relationships and safeguard relational mechanisms for future generations. Putting this into action will require political will.

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Twitter @karenmaxSPHSU, @Mark_McCann, @Rwilsonlowe, @KMitchinGlasgow

Contributors EL and KM led on the manuscript conceptualisation, review and editing. SP, KM, CB, RBP, RL, MM, JR, KS and RW-L contributed to drafting and revising the article. All authors assisted in revising the final draft.

Funding The research reported in this publication was supported by the Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00022/1, MC_UU_00022/3) and the Chief Scientist Office (SPHSU11, SPHSU14). EL is also supported by MRC Skills Development Fellowship Award (MR/S015078/1). KS and MM are also supported by a Medical Research Council Strategic Award (MC_PC_13027).

Competing interests None declared.

Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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Essay on Coronavirus and Coronavirus Symptoms

500+ words essay on  coronavirus and coronavirus symptoms.

Coronavirus refers to a virus that leads to respiratory illness in human beings. It derives its name ‘corona’ from having crown-like spikes on its surface. Some examples of this disease that causes humans to fall ill are SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), and more. China reported the new strain of this virus, COVID-19 in 2019. Ever since the virus went on to spread in all the continents over the world except for Antarctica. Let us learn about Coronavirus and Coronavirus symptoms through this essay.

Origin of Coronavirus and Coronavirus Symptoms

The city of Wuhan in China was the one that first reported the case of COVID-19 in December 2019. Further, the WHO (World Health Organization) declared the outbreak of this disease as a pandemic in March 2020.

Due to this outbreak, a lot of countries all over the world announced a nationwide lockdown. This was done as a preventive measure against the pandemic. Ultimately, it limited the movement of billions of people all over the world.

Consequently, all commercial establishments including schools and colleges were shut down. In addition to this, international and intra-state travel also saw a ban. Similarly, many of the countries suspended tourist visas to avoid the outbreak of this disease.

In countries like India, people from underprivileged backgrounds had to suffer greatly. Even to date, many have not been able to earn a proper livelihood. Shortage of food, loss of income, and more have become a common phenomenon for some.

Similarly, industries like pharmaceuticals, tourism, the power sector, and more are also suffering losses after the Coronavirus outbreak. All in all, it has an impact on the global economy as well as our daily lives.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Symptoms of Coronavirus

Coronavirus and coronavirus symptoms are something everyone is looking for. As per the CDC, you may have coronavirus if you are experiencing symptoms like:

• Difficulty in breathing
• New loss of smell or taste
• Sore throat

Other than that, there are additional symptoms that may possibly happen to anyone. It depends on the individual. Further, the symptoms will start appearing between two to fourteen days after you have been exposed to the virus.

In children, symptoms can be milder when we compare them to adults. On the other hand, people who have serious underlying conditions such as heart disease or diabetes and older people will be at a greater risk of complications.

One must immediately get medical attention if one is having trouble breathing. Other warning signs include persistent pain or pressure in the chest. Further, if one cannot seem to wake up from their sleep or their lips or face start to turn blue, they must get medical attention instantly.

With that being said, if a person is experiencing these symptoms, they must contact a medical professional. They will be able to better help the individual with their particular case.

Therefore, governments and health organizations all over the world are constantly working to limit the outbreak of coronavirus and coronavirus symptoms. Similarly, our healthcare professionals are facing various difficulties to protect others’ lives. We must work together as one and be responsible on our part to safeguard our lives as well as others.

FAQ on Essay on Coronavirus and Coronavirus Symptoms

Question 1: What was the origin of Coronavirus?

Answer 1: The city of Wuhan in China was the one that first reported the case of COVID-19 in December 2019. Further, the WHO (World Health Organization) declared the outbreak of this disease as a pandemic in March 2020.

Question 2: What are Coronavirus and coronavirus symptoms?

Answer 2: The symptoms of Coronavirus include fever, chills, cough, fatigue, headache, runny throat, difficulty in breathing, congestion, body ache, and more

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On December 31, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) contacted China about media reports of a cluster of viral pneumonias in Wuhan, later attributed to a coronavirus, now named SARS-CoV-2 . By January 30, 2020, scarcely a month later, WHO declared the virus to be a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)—the highest alarm the organization can sound. Thirty days more and the pandemic was well underway; the coronavirus had spread to more than seventy countries and territories on six continents, and there were roughly ninety thousand confirmed cases worldwide of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over and could yet evolve in unanticipated ways, but one of its most important lessons is already clear: preparation and early execution are essential in detecting, containing, and rapidly responding to and mitigating the spread of potentially dangerous emerging infectious diseases. The ability to marshal early action depends on nations and global institutions being prepared for the worst-case scenario of a severe pandemic and ready to execute on that preparedness The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over and could yet evolve in unanticipated ways, but one of its most important lessons is already clear: preparation and early execution are essential in detecting, containing, and rapidly responding to and mitigating the spread of potentially dangerous emerging infectious diseases. The ability to marshal early action depends on nations and global institutions being prepared for the worst-case scenario of a severe pandemic and ready to execute on that preparedness before that worst-case outcome is certain.

The rapid spread of the coronavirus and its devastating death toll and economic harm have revealed a failure of global and U.S. domestic preparedness and implementation, a lack of cooperation and coordination across nations, a breakdown of compliance with established norms and international agreements, and a patchwork of partial and mishandled responses. This pandemic has demonstrated the difficulty of responding effectively to emerging outbreaks in a context of growing geopolitical rivalry abroad and intense political partisanship at home.

Pandemic preparedness is a global public good. Infectious disease threats know no borders, and dangerous pathogens that circulate unabated anywhere are a risk everywhere. As the pandemic continues to unfold across the United States and world, the consequences of inadequate preparation and implementation are abundantly clear. Despite decades of various commissions highlighting the threat of global pandemics and international planning for their inevitability, neither the United States nor the broader international system were ready to execute those plans and respond to a severe pandemic. The result is the worst global catastrophe since World War II.

The lessons of this pandemic could go unheeded once life returns to a semblance of normalcy and COVID-19 ceases to menace nations around the globe. The United States and the world risk repeating many of the same mistakes that exacerbated this crisis, most prominently the failure to prioritize global health security, to invest in the essential domestic and international institutions and infrastructure required to achieve it, and to act quickly in executing a coherent response at both the national and the global level.

The goal of this report is to curtail that possibility by identifying what went wrong in the early national and international responses to the coronavirus pandemic and by providing a road map for the United States and the multilateral system to better prepare and execute in future waves of the current pandemic and when the next pandemic threat inevitably emerges. This report endeavors to preempt the next global health challenge before it becomes a disaster.

A Rapid Spread, a Grim Toll, and an Economic Disaster

On January 23, 2020, China’s government began to undertake drastic measures against the coronavirus, imposing a lockdown on Wuhan, a city of ten million people, aggressively testing, and forcibly rounding up potential carriers in makeshift quarantine centers. 1 In the subsequent days and weeks, the Chinese government extended containment to most of the country, sealing off cities and villages and mobilizing tens of thousands of health workers to contain and treat the disease. By the time those interventions began, however, the disease had already spread well beyond the country’s borders.

SARS-CoV-2 is a highly transmissible emerging infectious disease for which no highly effective treatments or vaccines currently exist and against which people have no preexisting immunity. Some nations have been successful so far in containing its spread through public health measures such as testing, contact tracing, and isolation of confirmed and suspected cases. Those nations have managed to keep the number of cases and deaths within their territories low.

More than one hundred countries implemented either a full or a partial shutdown in an effort to contain the spread of the virus and reduce pressure on their health systems. Although these measures to enforce physical distancing slowed the pace of infection, the societal and economic consequences in many nations have been grim. The supply chain for personal protective equipment (PPE), testing kits, and medical equipment such as oxygen treatment equipment and ventilators remains under immense pressure to meet global demand.

If international cooperation in response to COVID-19 has been occurring at the top levels of government, evidence of it has been scant, though technical areas such as data sharing have witnessed some notable successes. Countries have mostly gone their own ways, closing borders and often hoarding medical equipment. More than a dozen nations are competing in a biotechnology arms race to find a vaccine. A proposed international arrangement to ensure timely equitable access to the products of that biomedical innovation has yet to attract the necessary support from many vaccine-manufacturing nations, and many governments are now racing to cut deals with pharmaceutical firms and secure their own supplies.

As of August 31, 2020, the pandemic had infected at least twenty-five million people worldwide and killed at least 850,000 (both likely gross undercounts), including at least six million reported cases and 183,000 deaths in the United States. Meanwhile, the world economy had collapsed into a slump rivaling or surpassing the Great Depression, with unemployment rates averaging 8.4 percent in high-income economies. In the second quarter of 2020, the U.S gross domestic product (GDP) fell 9.5 percent, the largest quarterly decline in the nation’s history. 2

Already in May 2020, the Asia Development Bank estimated that the pandemic would cost the world $5.8 to 8.8 trillion, reducing global GDP in 2020 by 6.4 to 9.7 percent. The ultimate financial cost could be far higher. 3

The United States is among the countries most affected by the coronavirus, with about 24 percent of global cases (as of August 31) but just 4 percent of the world’s population. While many countries in Europe and Asia succeeded in driving down the rate of transmission in spring 2020, the United States experienced new spikes in infections in the summer because the absence of a national strategy left it to individual U.S. states to go their own way on reopening their economies. In the hardest-hit areas, U.S. hospitals with limited spare beds and intensive care unit capacity have struggled to accommodate the surge in COVID-19 patients. Resource-starved local and state public health departments have been unable to keep up with the staggering demand for case identification, contract tracing, and isolation required to contain the coronavirus’s spread.

A Failure to Heed Warnings

• Institute of Medicine, Microbial Threats to Health (1992)
• National Intelligence Estimate, The Global Infectious Disease Threat and Its Implications ...

This failing was not for any lack of warning of the dangers of pandemics. Indeed, many had sounded the alarm over the years. For nearly three decades, countless epidemiologists, public health specialists, intelligence community professionals, national security officials, and think tank experts have underscored the inevitability of a global pandemic of an emerging infectious disease. Starting with the Bill Clinton administration, successive administrations, including the current one, have included pandemic preparedness and response in their national security strategies. The U.S. government, foreign counterparts, and international agencies commissioned multiple scenarios and tabletop exercises that anticipated with uncanny accuracy the trajectory that a major outbreak could take, the complex national and global challenges it would create, and the glaring gaps and limitations in national and international capacity it would reveal.

The global health security community was almost uniformly in agreement that the most significant natural threat to population health and global security would be a respiratory virus—either a novel strain of influenza or a coronavirus that jumped from animals to humans. 4 Yet, for all this foresight and planning, national and international institutions alike have failed to rise to the occasion.

• National Intelligence Estimate, The Global Infectious Disease Threat and Its Implications for the United States (2000)
• Launch of the U.S. Global Health Security Initiative (2001)
• Institute of Medicine, Microbial Threats to Health: Emergence, Detection, and Response (2003)
• Revision of the International Health Regulations (2005)
• World Health Organization, Global Influenza Preparedness Plan (2005)
• Homeland Security Council, National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza (2005)
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Health Security Strategy of the United States of America (2009)
• U.S. Director of National Intelligence, Worldwide Threat Assessments (2009–2019)
• World Health Organization, Report of Review Committee on the Functioning of the International Health Regulations (2005) in Relation to Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (2011)
• Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2013
• Launch of the Global Health Security Agenda (2014)
• Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense (now Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense) (2015)
• National Security Strategy (2017)
• National Biodefense Strategy (2018)
• Crimson Contagion Simulation (2019)
• Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, A Work at Risk: Annual Report on Global Preparedness for Health Emergencies (2019)
• CSIS Commission, Ending the Cycle of Crisis and Complacency in U.S. Global Health Security (2019)
• U.S. National Health Security Strategy, 2019–2022 (2019)
• Global Health Security Index (2019)

Further Reading

Health-Systems Strengthening in the Age of COVID-19

By Angela E. Micah , Katherine Leach-Kemon , Joseph L Dieleman August 25, 2020

What Is the World Doing to Create a COVID-19 Vaccine?

By Claire Felter Aug 26, 2020

What Does the World Health Organization Do?

By CFR.org Editors Jun 1, 2020

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• Coronavirus Essays

Coronavirus Essays (Examples)

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COVID-19 Coronavirus

COVID-19 Coronavirus Abstract First appearing in China in late 2019, the novel Coronavirus COVID-19 has become the most significant global pandemic event in a century.  As of October 28, 2020 the total number of cases worldwide was 44 million with 1.17 million deaths.  The United States has had an extremely politicized response to the virus, and despite having less than five percent of the world’s population, the U.S. has had more than 20 percent of the world’s COVID-19 cases with 8.85 million cases and 227 thousand deaths.  Currently, it seems unlikely that COVID-19 will be under control and people able to resume their normal lives until late 2021.  In this essay, we discuss what Coronavirus is, what COVID-19 is, where it originated, the health impact of the disease, risk factors, efforts to contain the spread of the disease, the economic impact of the disease, and how COVID-19 may be impacting the 2020…...

mla References Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).  “Herd Immunity.  APIC.org.  3 September 2020.  Accessed 17 October 2020.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  “People at Increased Risk.”  CDC.  11 September 2020.   https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fneed-extra-precautions%2Fpeople-at-increased-risk.html . Accessed 17 October 2020. Cucinotta, D. and Vanelli, M.  “WHO Declares COVID-19 a Pandemic.”  Acta Biomed, 91(1):157-160. 19 March 2020.  doi 10.23750/abm.v91i1.9397.   https://www.mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/actabiomedica/article/view/9397 .  Accessed 17 October 2020.   DeMarco, C.  “COVID-19 and the Flu Vaccine: What You Need to Know.”  MD Anderson Cancer Center.  20 August 2020.   https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/should-you-get-the-flu-vaccine-during-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic.h00-159384312.html .  Accessed 17 October 2020.  Kelly, C.  “White House Listing Ending COVID-19 Pandemic as an Accomplishment Despite Cases Spiking to Record Levels.”  CNN.  28 October 2020.   https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/27/politics/white-house-ending-covid-19-pandemic-accomplishment-record-cases-spike/index.html .  Accessed 28 October 2020.  Meyer, R.  “The Coronavirus Surge that Will Define the Next Four Years.”  The Atlantic.  22 October 2020.  https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/10/coronavirus-election-day-surge/616822/ .  Accessed 28 October 2020.  Rods, D.  “When WWI, Pandemic, and Slump Ended, Americans Sprung into the Roaring Twenties.”  History.  24 April 2020.   https://www.history.com/news/pandemic-world-war-i-roaring-twenties .  Accessed 17 October 2020.  Viglione, G.  “How Many People Has the Coronavirus Killed?”  Nature.  1 September 2020.   https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02497-w .  Accessed 17 October 2020.   https://apic.org/monthly_alerts/herd-immunity/. 

COVID 19 From Epidemiology to Treatment and Cure

COVID-19 Background The novel coronavirus spreading the COVID 19 disease first appeared in Wuhan, China, in 2019 and quickly spread around the world. The infectious disease is a new form of a previous severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS) and has led to nationwide lockdowns from the East to the West. Coronavirus-19 Severe Acute Respitory Syndrome Coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2)n is a Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Primarily lung problem. Autopsy results showed on 12 people that most common pre-existing conditions making them susceptible to dying were coronary heart disease and asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease making them more vulnerable to the disease/death (Hansen, 2020). Etiology The etiology of COVID 19 is still unknown. It was initially suspected that animal to human transfer took place at a Wuhan wet market in China (BMJ, 2020). However, scientists have since come to suspect that coronavirus may have escaped from a biological weapons lab in Wuhan (Baier & Re, 2020).…...

mla References Baier, B. & Re,G. (2020). Retrieved from BMJ. (2020). COVID 19. Retrieved from  https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-us/3000168/aetiology  Chen, N., Zhou, M., Dong, X., Qu, J., Gong, F., Han, Y., ... & Yu, T. (2020). Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study. The Lancet, 395(10223), 507-513. Hansen, M. (2020). 12 Autopsy Cases Reveal TRUTH About How Patients Die From Coronavirus. Retrieved from  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6h8TIxeg1g  Herman, S. (2020). Trump Defends Use of Hydroxychloroquine. Retrieved from  https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/trump-defends-use-hydroxychloroquine  National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2015). Improving diagnosis in health care. National Academies Press. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/coronavirus-wuhan-lab-china-compete-us-sources

Should Mask Mandates be Given by the Federal Government

Biomedical Ethics: Should There be a Mask Mandate? Introduction In ethics there are three major ethical systems that serve as the main approaches for viewing the morality of actions. These are virtue ethics, duty ethics or deontology, and utilitarianism (Cahn & Markie, 2011). Virtue ethics is associated with the philosophies of Aristotle and Confucius and has a universal characteristic to it—meaning that virtue is defined universally and exists as an objective fact. Duty ethics posits that one’s actions are moral insofar as they correspond to the duty that the person is meant to perform. Utilitarianism posits that one’s actions are moral insofar as they promote the greatest common good of society (Holmes, 2007). In today’s world of COVID panic, the most common approach to the issue of a mask mandate is the utilitarian approach. People generally believe that the mask promotes the greatest common good. For others, the mask is a symbol…...

mla References Cahn, S. & Markie, P. (2011). Ethics: History, Theory and Contemporary Issues, 5th Edition. UK: Oxford University Press. Durden, T. (2020). Top Pathologist Claims COVID-19 Is “The Greatest Hoax Ever Perpetrated On An Unsuspecting Public.” Retrieved from   Holmes, A. (2007). Ethics: Approaching moral decisions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Velasquez, M., Andre, C., Shanks, T. & Meyer, M. (2020). Justice and fairness. Retrieved from  https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/justice-and-fairness/  https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/top-pathologist-claims-covid-19-greatest-hoax-ever-perpetrated-unsuspecting-public 

Corona Viruses Are the Largest

The CoV was responsible for the spread of respiratory illness during 2002-03. Phylogenetic analysis revealed multiple incongruent association linkages between the phylogenies of rhinolophid bats and their CoVs which indicated that hosts shifts have happened in the new evolutionary history of this group. These shifts might be because of either virus biological traits or host behavioral traits. These revelations "have insinuations for the emergence of SAS and also for the potential forthcoming outbreak of SAS- CoVs or associated viruses." (Cui; Han; Streicker; Li, et. al, 2007) SAS CoVs was identified as the etiological agent. These incidents and the identification of SAS-CoVs in animals linked with the wildlife trade in southern China have resulted in revival of interest in CoVs of different types. This revival resulted in the finding of 2 new human CoVs and presence of CoVs like SAS in horseshoe bats. (Cui; Han; Streicker; Li, et. al, 2007) Exhibit…...

mla References Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina. (2007) "Virology: Corona Viruses, Colds and SARS" Retrieved 8 December, 2007 at   http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/virol/coronaviruses.htm  Cavanagh, Dave. (2005, Dec) "Corona Viruses in Poultry and other birds" Avian Pathology, vol. 34, www.informaworld.comno. 6, pp: 439-448. Compton, S.R; Barthold, S. W; Smith, A.L. (1993, Feb) "The cellular and molecular pathogenesis of coronaviruses: Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven" Lab Animal Science, vol. 43, no. 1, pp: 15-28.

Coronavirus

Mock Research Proposal Coronavirus had redefined the way people now live, work, and socialize. For this reason, people had to strictly follow safety measures so that pandemic ends soon, which has forced them to stay at home and rethink how they should spend their lives with the sources of earning they used to have. The purpose of this report is to propose a method for reusing the office buildings that have been standing empty since the advent of the current pandemic due to increased working from home. Recently, the pandemic has changed the way our lives operate. A survey of the precious flu spreads in the world conducted in 2016 suggested that virus spreads occur mostly in offices among well-developed strong adults (Richtel, 2020). It has already been predicted that when the pandemic is over, the workers would be allowed to work from home, making the office buildings only the meeting places…...

mla References Berg, N. (2020, July 17). Coronavirus had emptied out office buildings. Could they help solve the housing crisis? Fast Company. Retrieved from   Bergold, J. & Thomas, S. (2012). Participatory research methods: A methodological approach in motion. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 13(1).   http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1201302  Day, N. (2020, July 29). Unused buildings will make good housing in the world of Covid-19. The Conversation. Retrieved from  https://theconversation.com/unused-buildings-will-make-good-housing-in-the-world-of-covid-19-142897  Fairfax County. (2017, December 6). Converting empty office buildings into new uses. Retrieved from https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news2/converting-empty-office-buildings-into-new-uses/ Harrison, H., Birjs, M., Franklin, R. & Mills, J. (2017). Case study research: Foundations and methodological orientations. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 18(1).  http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1701195 . Humberd, B. Salon, D. & Latham, S.F. (2020, July 24). The office is dead! Long live the office in a post-pandemic world. The Conversation. Retrieved from  https://theconversation.com/the-office-is-dead-long-live-the-office-in-a-post-pandemic-world-138499  Jamshed, S. (2014). Qualitative research method- interviewing and observation. Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacy, 5(4), 87-88. DOI: 10.4103/0976-0105.141942 Kaur-Gill, S. & Dutta, M.J. (2017). Digital ethnography. In C.S. Davis & R.F. Potter. The international encyclopedia of communication research methods (pp. 1-10). New Jersey: Wiley. https://www.fastcompany.com/90528263/coronavirus-has-emptied-out-office-buildings-could-they-help-solve-americas-housing-crisis 

Scientific Research on Coronavirus Vaccine

Connection Between Class Learning and an Article The development of a COVID-19 vaccine is considered critical in curbing the spread of this virus and dealing with the global pandemic. Companies like Moderna have embarked on efforts to develop an effective coronavirus vaccine. The development process involves conducting extensive research through clinical trials. These clinical trials involves using different concepts of scientific research to ensure the effectiveness of the vaccines. Grady (2020) published an article on the effectiveness of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine based on early data. One of the connections between the article and lessons learnt in the classroom is the use of two groups of study participants i.e. an experimental group and a control group. In this regard, the study employed a between-participants design for the experimentation to determine the difference between conditions among people who contracted the virus. The experimental group of five people were vaccinated while the control group of…...

mla Reference Grady, D. (2020, November 16). Early Data Shows Moderna’s Coronavirus Vaccine Is 94.5% Effective. The New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/16/health/Covid-moderna-vaccine.html

How Does Covid-19 Affect Healthcare Economically

Abstract This paper discusses the economic effect of COVID-19 on healthcare. It shows that COVID-19 had caused much damage in both the health and economic sectors. As of March 28, 2020, the disease had contributed to the loss of 10 million jobs, and this data was for just two weeks. The damage that had happened before the two weeks was not captured in this duration. During the second quarter, the United States economy will shrink by 10% to 25%. The economy's slow growth is already happening in the USA, with main economic activities being affected. Economy damage is occurring worldwide, with the health sector being the most hit. Financial markets that depend on other sectors, including health, are also losing huge profits daily. All these damages put together are expected to cause a loss of approximately $1 trillion in the world economy by the end of the year 2020. This recession's…...

mla References Blumenthal, D., Fowler, E., Abrams, M., & Collins, S. (2020). Covid-19-Implications for the health care system. N Engl J Med, 383, 1483-1488. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMsb2021088. Brodeur, A., Gray, D., Islam, A., & Bhuiyan, S. (2020). A literature review of the economics of COVID-19. Discussion Paper Series. Institute of Labor Economics. Chudik, A., Mohaddes, K., Pesaran, H., Raissi, M., Rebucci, A. (2020). Economic consequences of Covid-19: A counterfactual multi-country analysis. VOXEU. Retrieved from   Cutler, D. (2020). How will COVID-19 Affect the health care economy? JAMA, 323(22), 2237-2238. DOI: 10.1001/JAMA.2020.7308 Donthu, N., & Gustafsson, A. (2020). Effects of COVID-19 on business and research. Journal of Business Research, 117, 284-289.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.06.008  Gopalan, H., & Misra, A. (2020). COVID-19 pandemic and challenges for socio-economic issues, healthcare, and National Health Programs in India. Diabetes Metab Syndr, 14(5), 757-759. DOI: 10.1016/j.dsx.2020.05.041 Hashmi, P., Pidani, A., Momin, S., Khamiso, R., Aftab, N., & Noordin, S. (2020). Socio-economic impact of Covid-19 pandemic on outpatient healthcare services of musculoskeletal and sports medicine services in LMIC. Journal of Hospital and Healthcare Administration. Kabir, M., Afzal, M., Khan, A., & Ahmed, H. (2020). COVID-19 pandemic and economic cost; impact on forcibly displaced people. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 35. DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101661 https://voxeu.org/article/economic-consequences-covid-19-multi-country-analysis 

Fed Funds Rate and Inflation in the US

The Financial Markets and the CoronavirusIntroductionThe Coronavirus is a pandemic that has swept the globe, causing widespread panic and financial instability. The virus originated in China and quickly spread to other countries, resulting in a significant death toll. Hospitals have been overwhelmed with patients and governments have implemented strict measures to contain the virus. The pandemic has also caused severe damage to the global economy, with stock markets plunging and businesses shutting down. Markets recovered and soared to new highs, however, as central banks around the world intervened with trillions in new liquidity. Now, interest rates are rising to combat soaring inflation, and the situation is still very much evolving. It remains to be seen how the world and financial markets will recover from this crisis.Impact on the Economy & Stock MarketThe Coronavirus pandemic has had a profound impact on the economy and stock market. The S&P 500 index, which…...

mla ReferencesBLS. (2022). Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey. Retrieved from   J. (2020). The Day Coronavirus Nearly Broke the Financial Markets. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-day-coronavirus-nearly-broke-the-financial-markets-11589982288?mod=hp_lead_pos5 Davidson, K. & Timiraos, N. (2020). Small business lending program? Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-preparing-to-purchase-new-small-business-payroll-loans-11586194588?mod=hp_lead_pos4 Deloitte. (2020). CARES Act Still Scattering Seeds of Recovery. Retrieved from  https://deloitte.wsj.com/articles/cares-act-still-scattering-seeds-of-recovery-01588705325 Dougherty, D. & Morath, E. (2020). Pandemic Reshapes U.S. Employment, Speeding Changes Across Industries. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/pandemic-reshapes-u-s-employment-speeding-changes-across-industries-11609243204 Hoffman, L. (2020). Diary of a crazy week in the markets. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/diary-of-a-crazy-week-in-the-markets-11584143715?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1 Langley, K. et al. (2020). Stocks Rise Sharply in Volatile Trading. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-futures-rise-as-asia-markets-gyrate-11584413763 Milstein, E. & Wessel, D. (2021). What did the Fed do in response to the COVID-19 crisis? Retrieved from  https://www.brookings.edu/research/fed-response-to-covid19/ Osipovich, A. et al. (2020). Dow Soars More Than 11% In Biggest One-Day Jump Since 1933. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/global-stock-markets-dow-update-3-24-2020-11585012632?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=3 Sider, A. & Davidson, K. (2020). Airlines and Treasury Agree on Coronavirus Aid? Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/treasury-airlines-reach-agreement-on-aid-11586898079?mod=hp_lead_pos4 St. Louis Federal Reserve. (2022). GDP. Retrieved from  https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GDP Torry, H. (2020a). U.S. Economy Shrank at 4.8% Pace in First Quarter. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/first-quarter-gdp-us-growth-coronavirus-11588123665?mod=article_inline Torry, H. (2020b). U.S. Economy Contracted at Record Rate Last Quarter; Jobless Claims Rise to 1.43 Million. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/us-economy-gdp-report-second-quarter-coronavirus-11596061406 Yahoo! Finance. (2022). S&P 500. Retrieved from  https://finance.yahoo.com/chart/%5EGSPC https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000 Baer,

Government Stimulus Response to Pandemic

mla ReferencesBLS. (2022). Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey. Retrieved from   J. (2020). The Day Coronavirus Nearly Broke the Financial Markets. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-day-coronavirus-nearly-broke-the-financial-markets-11589982288?mod=hp_lead_pos5 Davidson, K. & Timiraos, N. (2020). Small business lending program? Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-preparing-to-purchase-new-small-business-payroll-loans-11586194588?mod=hp_lead_pos4 Deloitte. (2020). CARES Act Still Scattering Seeds of Recovery. Retrieved from  https://deloitte.wsj.com/articles/cares-act-still-scattering-seeds-of-recovery-01588705325 Dougherty, D. & Morath, E. (2020). Pandemic Reshapes U.S. Employment, Speeding Changes Across Industries. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/pandemic-reshapes-u-s-employment-speeding-changes-across-industries-11609243204 Hoffman, L. (2020). Diary of a crazy week in the markets. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/diary-of-a-crazy-week-in-the-markets-11584143715?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1 Langley, K. et al. (2020). Stocks Rise Sharply in Volatile Trading. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-futures-rise-as-asia-markets-gyrate-11584413763 Osipovich, A. et al. (2020). Dow Soars More Than 11% In Biggest One-Day Jump Since 1933. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/global-stock-markets-dow-update-3-24-2020-11585012632?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=3 Sider, A. & Davidson, K. (2020). Airlines and Treasury Agree on Coronavirus Aid? Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/treasury-airlines-reach-agreement-on-aid-11586898079?mod=hp_lead_pos4 St. Louis Federal Reserve. (2022). GDP. Retrieved from  https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GDP Torry, H. (2020a). U.S. Economy Shrank at 4.8% Pace in First Quarter. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/first-quarter-gdp-us-growth-coronavirus-11588123665?mod=article_inline Torry, H. (2020b). U.S. Economy Contracted at Record Rate Last Quarter; Jobless Claims Rise to 1.43 Million. Retrieved from  https://www.wsj.com/articles/us-economy-gdp-report-second-quarter-coronavirus-11596061406 Yahoo! Finance. (2022). S&P 500. Retrieved from  https://finance.yahoo.com/chart/%5EGSPC https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000 Baer,

History of Medical Technology

Technology and the Development of Modern Medicine The 20th century saw a seismic change in the perception of the human body, and the relationship of patients to physicians and other aspects of modern medicine. With the recent coronavirus pandemic, of course, the focus upon technology and medical developments has become a matter of global importance. Vaccines and innovative drugs were not solely innovations of the past century, but they extent to which they were proven safe and effective is relatively new. The relationship between providers and patients has likewise changed, as well as expectations about treatment. Vaccination and Immunization Technology Infectious disease was once an accepted part of modern life. However, the first smallpox vaccines were developed as early as the late 18th century. Safety of vaccines could not always be guaranteed, however. Inactivation of bacteria via heat or chemical treatment to confer immunity status was developed by the very end of the…...

mla Works Cited Earl, Leslie. “How Sulfa Drugs Work.” National Institute of Health. March 12, 2012. Web. December 20, 2020. drugs-work Gaynes, Robert. “The Discovery of Penicillin—New Insights After More Than 75 Years of Clinical Use.” Emerging Infectious Diseases vol. 23, 5 (2017): 849–853. Web. December 20, 2020.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5403050/  Palca, Joe. “The Race For A Polio Vaccine Differed From The Quest To Prevent Coronavirus.” NPR. May 22, 2020. Web. December 20, 2020.  https://www.npr.org/sections/health - shots/2020/05/22/860789014/the-race-for-a-polio-vaccine-differed-from-the-quest-to- prevent-coronavirus Plotkin, Stanley. “History of vaccination.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America vol. 111, 34 (2014): 12283-7. December 20, 2020. Web.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4151719/pdf/pnas.201400472.pdf  Quianzon, Celeste C, and Issam Cheikh. “History of Insulin.” Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives, vol. 2, 2 10.3402/jchimp.v2i2.18701. July 16, 2012. Web. December 2020.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3714061/  https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-sulfa-

Why is the COVID Vaccine Being Rushed to Market

Are Vaccines Safe or is There a Link to Autism Introduction The rapidity with which the novel coronavirus believed to cause COVID-19 overtook the world caused alarm among leaders and media leading to an urgent demand for an emergency vaccine. Because vaccines typically take years if not decades to develop, manufacture and test, the rollout of a COVID vaccine seemed dubious at best. But as Arnold (2020) points out, scientists had no choice—they had to implement atypical methods to speed up the process: it would be the first time in history that a new disease was identified and a vaccine for it was developed at the same time that the initial outbreak persisted. Scientists quickly began rolling out a variety of vaccines that worked differently in the body—but not without cutting corners here and there (Arnold, 2020). The fact of the matter is that creating and testing vaccines safely takes time and…...

mla Works Cited American Academy of Pediatrics (2020). Immunizations. Retrieved from   Arnold, C. (2020). Race for a vaccine. New Scientist, 245(3274), 44-47. Doi:10.1016/s0262-4079(20)30600-x Barath, H. (2020). Vaccine transport. Scientific American, 322(6), 13. Bowman, D. H. (2004). Federal analysis concludes vaccines, autism not linked. Education Week, 23(38), 11. CDC. (2017). CDC Study Finds Flu Vaccine Saves Children’s Lives. Retrieved from  https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0403-flu-vaccine.html  Mnookin, S. (2011). Panic virus. The true story behind the vaccine autism controversy. Rahul, N. W. (2020). Vaccine: A solution or a challenge? A public opinion about vaccine in 2020. Journal of Advanced Research, 11, 10-16. https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/immunizations/pages/immunizations-home.aspx 

Identifying Opportunities to Reduce Income Disparities in South Africa Today and In the Future

Part One: Research Proposal Problem and Purpose Statement Despite an abundance of natural resources, a modern infrastructure, and increasingly aggressive efforts by the national government and support from multiple nongovernmental organizations since apartheid ended in 1994, more than half (about 55% or 30.3 million people) of the South Africa population still lives in poverty today and another 13.8 million South Africans do not have enough to eat each day (Poverty & equity brief 2021). Moreover, current economic development indicators show that the per capita annualized consumption growth rate of the bottom 40 percent of the South African population actually suffered a 1.34% decline during the 4-year period from 2010 through 2014 (the latest statistic available from The World Bank). In sum, the situation for the poorest people in South Africa is worsening and there are few new opportunities available on the short-term horizon that can help them achieve their full employment potential…...

mla References “Global Cases.” (2021). Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. [online] available:   Kavya, B and Santhakumar, S (January 2020). “Economic Development, Financial Development, and Income Inequality Nexus.” Borsa Istanbul Review [in press]. Neuman, W (2008). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. New York: Pearson. “South Africa economy” (2021) CIA World Factbook. [online] available: http://teacherlink.ed. usu.edu/tlresources/reference/factbook/geos/sf.html. “South Africa Poverty and equity brief.” (2021). The World Bank. [online] available:  https://databank.worldbank.org/data/download/poverty/33EF03BB-9722-4AE2-ABC7-AA2972D68AFE/Global_POVEQ_ZAF.pdf . https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html .

Best Practices for Pandemic Containment

PANDEMIC CONTAINMENTPandemics and Best Practices for ContainmentIntroductionSince the earliest moments of civilization, humanity has been plagued by disease. However, it would be prudent to note that although man has been afflicted by various diseases, very few disease outbreaks have achieved the pandemic status. Some of the worst pandemics known to man have been inclusive of, but they are not limited to; Black Death (1346-1353), Plague of Justinian (541-442), Smallpox (1500), Antonine Plague (165 AD), Spanish Flu Pandemic (1918), the Asian Flu (1956-1958), Hong Kong Flu Pandemic (1968), etc. Over the last three years, the world has been battling the Novel Coronavirus. So far, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more than 5 million people across the world. Given that various jurisdictions continue to struggle with the disease, there is need to highlight some of the best practices for pandemic containment.DiscussionFrom the onset, it would be prudent to note that a…...

mla ReferencesBarry, J.M. (2005). The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History. Penguin. Chinazzi, M., Davis, J.T., Ajelli, M., Gioannini, C., Litvinova, M., Merler, S. …Vespignani, A. (2020). The effect of travel restrictions on the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Science, 368(6489), 395-400. CDC (2022). Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine.   D. (2019). What Is a Pandemic? JAMA, 321(9), 55-61. Kucharski, A. (2020). Containing a pandemic, step by step. Science Direct, 246(3287), 36-39. Nam, N.H., Tien, P.T., Truong, L.V., El-Ramly, T.A., Anh, P.G., Hien, N.T. …Huy, N.T. (2018). Early centralized isolation strategy for all confirmed cases of COVID-19 remains a core intervention to disrupt the pandemic spreading significantly. PLoS ONE, 16(7), 114-119. O’Connell, J. & O’Keeffe, D.T. (2021). Contact Tracing for Covid-19 — A Digital Inoculation against Future Pandemics. N Engl J Med, 38, 484-487. Whaley, C.M., Cantor, J. & Pera, M. (2021). Assessing the Association between Social Gatherings and COVID-19 Risk Using Birthdays. JAMA Intern Med., 181(8), 1090-1099. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html Grennan,

Covid-19 Effect On Childrens Mental Health

Essay Topic Examples 1.The sychological Impact of School Closures on Children During the COVID-19 andemic:     This essay topic explores the mental health effects faced by children due to the sudden disruption of routine and the absence of a school environment. It will discuss social isolation, the interruption in learning, and the loss of access to resources that schools provide, such as counseling and social support networks. 2.Adjusting to the New Normal: Resilience and Anxiety Among Children in the Face of COVID-19:     This essay focuses on the adaptability and challenges children have faced in developing resilience during the pandemic. It will delve into the coping mechanisms children have adopted, the prevalence of anxiety disorders stemming from uncertainty, and the role of family and community support in mitigating mental health issues. 3.The Invisible Scars of andemics: Long-Term Mental Health Outcomes for COVID-19 Affected Youths:     Here, the discussion revolves around the potential long-term effects of the pandemic on children's…...

mla Primary Sources Loades, Maria E., et al. \"Rapid systematic review: The impact of social isolation and loneliness on the mental health of children and adolescents in the context of COVID-19.\" Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 59.11 (2020): 1218-1239.e3. Fegert, Jörg M., et al. \"Challenges and burden of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic for child and adolescent mental health: a narrative review to highlight clinical and research needs in the acute phase and the long return to normality.\" Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health 14.1 (2020): 20. Marques de Miranda, Diogo, et al. \"How is COVID-19 pandemic impacting mental health of children and adolescents?\" International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 51 (2020): 101845. Liu, Jian J., et al. \"Mental health considerations for children quarantined because of COVID-19.\" The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health 4.5 (2020): 347-349. Racine, Nicole, et al. \"Child and adolescent mental illness during COVID-19: A rapid review.\" Psychiatry Research 292 (2020): 113307.

Electrostatic Disinfecting for Covid 19

COVID-19 has created large disruptions to the travel, tourism, and retail industries. It has also impacted office retail as employees are now working from home to avoid virus contagion. Although a vaccine is currently in the process of distribution, many elements of cleaning and disinfection have occurred. These methods are designed to not only mitigate the impacts of the current virus, but other future occurrences. One such method is electrostatic disinfecting. Electrostatic Disinfection is the process of cleaning surfaces with a specialized solution that effectively traps and neutralizes surfaces. The solution combines with the air and is atomized by electrodes inside the distribution sprayer. Due to the positive charge, the spray is much more effective at reaching difficult areas while also being better able to cling to surfaces. The electrically charged spray is much more effective than conventional methods as it can much more effectively coat and clean surfaces. The droplets…...

mla References 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infection control guidance for healthcare professionals about coronavirus (COVID-19). Available at:   Accessed December 20, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html .

How the Covid19 pandemic has created opportunities for businesses?

When most people think about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economics, they think of it as being purely destructive.  While there can be no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has created economic uncertainty in many sectors, leading to a loss of production and high unemployment rates in many areas, it cannot be ignored that the pandemic has also led to new opportunities for certain businesses.  Understanding those opportunities may be critical to the overall recovery of the global economy, as those industries that have experienced gains determine how to leverage them in a way that....

Can a synthesis essay question be a hypothetical question? for example, \"What effect will the Covid-19 vaccines have against the Covid-19 mutations?

A synthesis essay is a type of essay that uses a variety of different sources to support a central claim.  The central claim must be well-supported within the synthesis essay, even if it is not the most likely claim or generally assumed to be true outside of the essay.  Writing a synthesis essay has two main parts: synthesizing sources and supporting your main claim.

It is possible to write a synthesis essay about a hypothetical claim, but it will be more difficult to find the literature to support your claim. That is because you will not....

I’m doing a summary about the Pfizer vaccine, how it works, who should it get it first and how long it lasts, so if you can help me write the best essay title for it. Thank you in advance?

One of the difficulties about writing a summary of any of the vaccines for the novel Coronavirus that is known as COVID-19 is that much of the information remains unknown.  In addition, because the vaccines created by Pfizer and Moderna are both mRNA vaccines, which are not a familiar type of vaccine, they create some additional questions.  How long will the vaccines be effective?  Are they safe?  Will they work to prevent infection by the newer strands of COVID-19?  Do they change your DNA as some people on the internet are suggesting? ....

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WHO declares mpox global health emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the mpox outbreak in parts of Africa a public health emergency of international concern.

The highly contagious disease - formerly known as monkeypox - has killed at least 450 people during an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It has now spread across parts of central and east Africa, and scientists are concerned about how fast a new variant of the disease is spreading and its high fatality rate.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond "is very worrying".

"A co-ordinated international response is essential to stop this outbreak and save lives," he said.

Mpox is transmitted through close contact, such as sex, skin-to-skin contact and talking or breathing close to another person.

It causes flu-like symptoms, skin lesions and can be fatal, with four in 100 cases leading to death.

Outbreaks can be controlled by preventing infections with vaccines, though these are usually only available for people at risk or those who have been in close contact with an infected person.

• Explained: What is mpox and how is it spread?
• Podcast: What does the new mpox strain mean for you?

There are two main types of mpox - Clade 1 and Clade 2.

A previous mpox public health emergency, declared in 2022, was caused by the relatively mild Clade 2. However, this time it is the far more deadly Clade 1 - which has killed up to 10% of those getting sick in previous outbreaks - that is surging.

There was a change in the virus around September last year. Mutations led to an offshoot - called Clade 1b - that has since spread rapidly. This new variant has been labelled “the most dangerous yet” by one scientist.

Since the start of the year, there have been more than 13,700 cases of mpox in the DR Congo, with at least 450 deaths.

It has since been detected in other African countries - including Burundi, the Central African Republic, Kenya and Rwanda.

It is hoped the declaration of mpox as a public health emergency will lead to research, funding, and the introduction of other international public health measures being accelerated.

Dr Josie Golding, from the Wellcome Trust, said it was a "strong signal", while Emory University's Dr Boghuma Titanji said the move "underscores the gravity of the crisis".

Prof Trudie Lang, the director of the Global Health Network at the University of Oxford, said it was "important and timely", but added that the emergence of a new strain meant there were "many unknowns that need to be addressed".

In July 2022 the milder Clade 2 strain of mpox spread to nearly 100 countries , including some in Europe and Asia.

It spread rapidly, and there were more than 87,000 cases and 140 deaths reported during that outbreak, according to a WHO count.

Although anyone can catch monkeypox, the outbreak was largely concentrated among men who had sex with men.

That outbreak was brought under control by vaccinating vulnerable groups.

On Tuesday, scientists from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declared a public health emergency.

The head of the organisation, Jean Kaseya, warned that this current outbreak could spiral out of control if immediate steps were not taken to contain it.

"We must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this threat," he said.

Additional reporting by Alex Smith

Edward Hinchey, P.G.

A Short Essay On The Virus Called CoVID-19

The Current Status of the CoVID-19 Pandemic

CoVID-19 started infecting people in the city of Wuhan, China in mid-December of 2019. Within a month, more than ten thousand people were infected and hundreds had died. The death rate was about 16% in the first two weeks but reduced to about 4% by mid-February and currently stands at about 2%. The initial outbreak caused many people to die who would have survived if they had received medical treatment. Unfortunately, the Wuhan medical system was unable to treat the extremely large number of seriously ill people seeking help. Simply put, the large number of seriously ill people greatly exceeded hospital capacity. Consequently, many people who needed basic care for dehydration and fever could not find care. China now reports a death rate of 0.7% outside of Hubei Province.

A death rate of 2% is about 13 times greater than the incidence of death from seasonal flu. During the last flu season, 2018/2019, CDC reports 35 million Americans caught the flu and about 56,000 people died establishing a death rate of 0.15%. If the same number of Americans, 35 million, became infected with CoVID-19 and the death rate was actually 2%, CoVID-19 could be responsible for 700,000 deaths. However, there are several reasons to believe that the death rate is much less than 2%.

As of 10 March 2020, when this essay was prepared, there were about 100,000 confirmed cases and about 4,000 deaths for a death rate of 4% (but this includes the data from Wuhan). Data from many countries now reporting show that about 80% of infected people experience mild to moderate symptoms. It is likely that a large number of infected people with mild or very mild symptoms are not represented in the data because they never felt sick. The missing cases skew the death rate towards a higher rate. So, the 2% death rate is probably high due to the “non reports” of people simply not accounted for in the data.

Th U.S. will not see anything like what happened in Wuhan, China for the following reasons: 1) our medical systems are prepared to some extent, we hope; 2) individually, we have had time to prepare; 3) the symptoms and infection vector of CoVID-19 is well fairly-well understood; and, 4) our collective understanding of the threat and hygiene vigilance will slow the spread putting less stress on our health systems.

Regardless of what you have heard — even the President telling people it is ok to go to work — we should prepare for a possible mandatory or voluntary 14 day quarantine. This requires at least 14 days imprisoned in your house. It is possible or likely that your office building, place of work, church, your children’s school or other group activities will be cancelled or closed for a period of time. It is more probable than not that you will be exposed to CoVID-19 in the near future.

For updates on the spread of the virus, check this CDC web page. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html . CDC updates the page every day at noon. Another good site is the John Hopkins “dashboard” at https://coronavirus.jhu.edu .

What is a Virus Not all scientists agree on the history of viruses or even whether they are actually “a living organism”. Biologists don’t agree even on where to place them on the “Tree of Life”. Viruses are very complex and come in many shapes and modes of action but they have the following generalized features in common:

They are a very, very, small — around 200 nanometers (nm) in length or circumference. How small is 200 nm? They are about a million times smaller than the head of a pin. So, yeah, they are pretty small. When first discovered, they were called, “ . . extremely small infectious particles” because microbiologist and other scientists did not know how to classify them.

All viruses are composed of a small piece of DNA, RNA or both. You remember DNA, the stuff made from nucleic acids, Crick and Watson, “double-helix”. As you remember, it is the memory bank that holds all the information necessary to make you — YOU. A virus is a short piece of DNA or RNA, or both wrapped inside a protein shell sometimes called an envelope, or just “enclosure structure”. The shape of the envelope is quite diverse and can be very complex.

Some viruses are very “sticky” and remain in spittle and adhere to surfaces like your hand or the deli countertop. You are exposed to sticky viruses when an infected person sneezes or coughs on you. There are thousands or millions of viruses in the water/mucus droplets (aka, “spittle”) expelled in a sneeze or cough. You are also exposed if you touch a surface where infected spittle landed like the movie theater candy counter. Some viruses are not sticky but can float in the air after being released in a sneeze or cough. As you could imagine, these are much more contagious than the sticky kind.

Viruses do not have the capacity to reproduce by themselves. They duplicate by drilling through the membrane of a living cell and inserting their piece of DNA, RNA or both into that living cell. Since there are about 6 gazillion cells inside each of us — new viruses have many to choose from.

The inserted piece of viral DNA or RNA then hijacks the human cell and forces it to make copies of the virus. The human cell makes many copies before it eventually dies and releases all of the newly made viruses. The new viruses are inert. They just float around in your blood stream, or climb aboard the spittle launching pad for an inter-host joy ride, until they find another cell to hijack.

H ow CoVID-19 Got Its Name

CoVID-19 actually has two names. It was given a formal name using international conventions that go like this. CoVID-19 is in the class of viruses known for having “crowns” on the surface of their envelopes. The first definition of the Latin word “corona” is crown — the second definition is “beer with lime”. It was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. So, its formal name according to convention is, “Corona Virus Identified in 2019”. That name was too long and no one liked saying it, so it was given the nickname, “CoVID-19”, that we all use today.

CoVID-19 is related to the virus that caused the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in 2003/2004. That virus had the name, CoV-SARS, which stood for “Corona Virus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome”. CoVID-19’s other name is “CoV-SARS-2”, but no one uses it.

How You Get Infected

Our principle exposure to CoVID-19 is coming into close contact with an infected person. Typically, you are exposed when someone close to you (as in proximity, not as in relationship) coughs or sneezes either directly on you, your clothing, or on a surface that you later touch like your iPhone. Viruses in dried spittle from an infected person can be found on kitchen counters, doorknobs, telephones, light switches, water faucets, handrails, computer keyboards etc. The exact amount of time the virus can survive in dried spittle is unknown. Data suggests it can survive from 2 to 7 days. Viruses cannot penetrate your skin. You become infected when you touch the contaminated surface and CoVID-19 takes a joy ride on your finger or hand until you touch exposed body tissue, typically on your face like rubbing your eyes, poking your nose, or using your fingernail to get that piece of orange pulp stuck between your teeth. I’ll say it again. The most frequent form of virus transmission is by getting coughed or sneezed on, and data suggests that you can get infected from touching a contaminated surface for up to 7 days after the surface became contaminated.

Once transferred to your body tissue, the virus spreads throughout your body and implements a Dr. Evil-like master plan to enslave your cells and force them to make many copies of the virus. That is right, think of many “Minnie Me” evil doers.

So, wash your hands (like 10 times a day) and stop touching your face. You just touched your face! Yes, you did. I saw you.

A Bit More on Viruses

Viruses have been around through all recorded human history. They are a human parasite. They are extremely complex and reproduce by varied and intricate strategies. If we were to anthropomorphize viruses, we would conclude that they are extremely intelligent or clever. Some viruses, such as HIV, incubate for years inside their host before the host becomes sick. Some goofy viruses, like common measles ( Rubeola ) and German measles ( Rubella ) are totally not sticky and infect other hosts as aerosols (i.e., floating on the air). When an infected person sneezes, the virus and the spittle are injected into the atmosphere. Rubeola, being a non-sticky virus jumps off of the spittle and floats on the air until someone comes into contact with it. It can stay suspended for a fairly long period of time — like days. On rare occasions people have been infected by walking into a closed room where an infected person sneezed two days before they entered the room.

The Cure for CoVID-19

There is no cure for the vast majority of human pathogenic viruses including CoVID-19. We are sick until our body devises a way to kill the invader. Our bodies have many defense plans to counter a viral attack. The first line of defense is to understand the vector of infection: “one if by hand, two if by spittle and three if by air”. Not really, but our immune systems do need time to identify the invading virus and let the rest of the body know about the invasion. Our bodies create specific proteins to attack and more importantly mark the invader virus with something like a “Scarlet Letter” so our warrior cells, called lymphocytes can identify them and devour them. Each virus requires a unique counter-attack and this takes time. Think of a virus infection as a race between the virus trying to make as many Minnie-Me(s) as possible and our body’s immune system struggling to devise and implement a defense plan. For this reason, people who are immuno-compromised (i.e., have a weakened immune system) are most vulnerable to virus infection. Immuno-compromised people include the elderly (over 70), people who are already sick from another disease, people taking chemotherapy to fight cancer, and children who don’t have a fully developed immune system. There is a CoVID-19 exception for children. For some reason, still unexplained, children under the age of 14 do not seem to be affected by CoVID-19 at the same rate and intensity as adults.

Do Vaccines Cure Us

In case you were absent that day, vaccinations can protect us from viruses like CoVID-19 but do not cure us. It takes time to develop and test an effective vaccine. Vaccine development and preparation can be quite complex, but in its simplest form, a vaccine is a sterile-water filled syringe containing millions of dead viruses floating around in the water. The viruses cannot attack our cells BECAUSE THEY ARE DEAD , but our body doesn’t know they are recently deceased and attacks them anyway. The presence of the dead viruses in our body triggers a full immune response including the creation of virus-specific proteins and activated warrior cells. It is not a fair fight! The dead viruses lose every time. Our immune system has an exceptional memory and will be immediately ready to fight that virus if it ever sees it again. With this giant head start, the virus is guaranteed to lose in a future infection because — — we are immunized, which is sort of like a Super Power.

We can expect there will be a vaccine for CoVID-19 in the future. In the meantime, our best defense is to delay our exposure or avoid catching CoVID-19 altogether.

The Public Health Perspective

The goal of our public health systems is threefold: 1) slow or stop the spread of the virus through the general population; 2) identify and protect immune-compromised people; and 3) develop effective medical treatment strategies.

In general, epidemics spread within a bell curve. Epidemics begin with a few new infections per day. As time goes by, the rate of new infections per day increases exponentially. Within a week or month there is a surge of sick people looking for medical help. If the surge is greater than the medical system can handle, you have what happened to the City of Wuhan, China. The peak was so large, hospitals ran out of beds and the medical system was overwhelmed. After the peak of new infections per day passes, the rate of new infections declines as the epidemic wanes. Public health systems make recommendations designed to slow the spread of the infection. By slowing the spread of the infection, the number of sick people needing medical assistance during the peak of the epidemic will be smaller reducing stress on the system. If there is going to be a shortage of medical professionals, medicine or hospital beds, it will happen during the peak.

Many of the people who died in Wuhan during the early days of the outbreak, died because they could not get medical care. The Wuhan medical system was caught off guard. They did not know an epidemic had started and subsequently, were not prepared for thousands of seriously ill people to descend on the hospitals. Some argue that Chinese officials knew but did not respond soon enough. Some argue that the U.S. is not responding fast enough. These arguments are a waste of time. We have been warned. We will benefit from the accumulated knowledge of prior treatment strategies, and we are already taking personal steps to avoid and prepare for a quarantine or the illness itself.

What You Can Do

The greatest risk of exposure (i.e., catching the virus) occurs at places where people meet or gather, such as, church and schools, retail stores and malls, nightclubs and transportation hubs like airports and train stations. Essentially, any place people get together and are likely to come within one meter, or three feet of each other. For this reason, many sporting events and conferences are being cancelled or postponed.

If you attend a place where people gather, consider a fist bump or a Buddhist bow of gratitude instead of shaking hands. Shaking hands is an exposure multiplier. When you shake someone’s hand you are not doubling your exposure, you are increasing your risk of exposure by a multiplier equal to the number of potentially contaminated surfaces the other person’s hand touched prior to touching you.

Carry a pen with you at all times. Avoid using the pen provided when paying for a meal, signing for a purchase or taking notes at a class or conference.

Make a habit of using a finger other than your index finger to do mundane tasks because you touch your face most frequently with your index finger. Use your little finger to sign at checkout, when entering a PIN at an ATM machine etc. Use your little finger because you are unlikely to use that finger to touch your face, rub your eyes or wipe your lips. By concentrating on using your little finger, you will also be reminded of the other precautions you should be taking.

Handwashing

WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY FOLLOWED BY HAND SANITIZER

The first line of defense from pathogenic bacteria and viruses is handwashing. The CDC recommends handwashing and the use of hand sanitizer in addition to hand washing. The CDC does not recommend hand sanitizer as a replacement for handwashing. Hand washing is preferable because soap contains surfactants and dispersants. Surfactants are chemicals that lift dirt from your skin (or any surface) while dispersants keep the dirt suspended in the soapy-water mix before it is rinsed down the drain. In reality, many surfactants are also dispersants but we don’t need to go there. The word “surfactant” explains what it does — it squeezes into the very small space between the skin of your hand (a surface) and the dirt sticking to your hand. Think of surfactants as chemicals that peel dirt off of you. Along with the dirt, surfactants also peel off sticky viruses and other pathogens. It is easier for soap to peel the virus off of you than for the hand sanitizer to kill it.

Wash your hands for 20 seconds!! How long is 20 seconds? If you wash your hands while singing Happy Birthday twice, you will have washed your hands for about 20 seconds. Bring your hands to a frothy lather (lather is important), rinse with clean water and dry hands with a clean cotton towel, paper towel or air dry.

CDC does not recommend hand sanitizers as a replacement for hand washing with soap. A full hand washing followed by hand sanitizer is best. Do you get it? Washing your hands is better than using hand sanitizer.

Hand Sanitizers

Use store bought varieties of hand sanitizer if you were lucky enough to stock up before stores ran out. The effective agent in commercial sanitizers 60% to 70% by volume ethanol. Ethanol is the drinking kind, which means vodka can be used as a sanitizer. However, most vodkas are “80 Proof”, which means they are 40% ethanol by volume. Unfortunately, pharmacies and convenience stores never thought of stocking enough hand sanitizers to cover an epidemic and most have run out. No reason to fret, there are many substitute products still available at stores or you can make your own. Even if you have hand sanitizer, wash your hands frequently. It is all about washing your hands!!

Make your own organic hand sanitizer.

• 8oz Aloe Vera
• 1 tablespoon Wich Hazel
• 1/2 teaspoon Tea Tree oil
• 1/4 teaspoon vitamin E
• several drops of lavender and/or peppermint oil
• Mix into a squeeze or squirt bottle and shake

Witch Hazel has antiseptic qualities equal to alcohol. Lavender also has some antiseptic qualities. Everything else is fragrance and skin conditioning.

Isopropyl Alcohol (aka, Rubbing Alcohol)

• Mix rubbing alcohol with a glycerin, lanolin or vitamin E

Rubbing alcohol is as effective as ethanol and the glycerin is for skin conditioning.

Commercial Substitutes

Windex™ is 4% isopropyl alcohol and ammonia with a few common surfactants and dispersants (it is a cleaner after all). Windex can be used both a cleaner and a sanitizer. Throw in some glycerin, lanolin, or vitamin E if you want a skin conditioner.

Mouthwash is 21% methanol, which is 44 proof. Methanol is poisonous if swallowed but not dangerous as a hand wash. After all, it was intended for your mouth anyway. It has other antiseptic chemicals as well.

Maintain A Strong Immune System

The best way to maintain a strong immune system is to eat fruits and veggies, exercise by walking for 20 minutes a day, get adequate sleep, remember to unwind after stressful situations by taking centering breaths or a brief meditation.

Vitamins and supplements can help especially if you think you might be immuno-compromised.

Non-western medical experts I respect and work with recommend the following herbs and plant extracts to strengthen your immune system and/or as part of your response to a viral infection:

Extracts of plants used in Gemmotherapy include:

• Black Currant and Dog Rose strengthen your immune system
• Hazel supports respiratory function
• Oak is an antiviral agent

More information at: Maegan Lemp, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac. ( http://aculemp.com )

Herbal supplements include:

• Echinacea , an anti-viral agent and boost to the immune system. Echinacea is frequently combined with other herbs that work closely with Echinacea to strengthen the immune system .
• Andrographis combined with other complimentary herbs is popular with Ayurvedic and Chinese approaches to support immune and respiratory system health.

More information at: Melissa Gale, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac. ( https://www.facebook.com/MelissaGale.Acupuncture/ )

Now for A Little Nitty-Gritty

The greatest risk of infection is coming in close contact with an infected person at home, work or in public spaces. So, you skipped church, they cancelled the PTA meeting but you still have to go to work and maybe travel. This will undoubtedly put you into close contact with people like the public restroom. Here are a few, but not at all exhaustive, strategies you can use to get in and out of public restrooms where you will be required to touch doorknobs, faucet handles, and toilet paper and paper towel dispensers.

How to Choose a Stall

Studies that tracked toilet paper use in public restrooms found that most people pick the middle stalls in a public bathroom. Assuming all stalls get cleaned at the same frequency and to the same extent — statistically the end stalls have the greatest chance of having toilet paper and being exposed to fewer people, which reduces the number of potentially infected people having used the stall before you.

Do Not Fear The Toilet Seat

Don’t fret over the toilet seat. Many studies show there is very little risk of exposure to a contagion from the seat. If you are still concerned, use some toilet paper to wipe it down before use. Even better, if you carry an alcohol based sanitizer, put some on to the toilet paper before you wipe. If you are a responsible male, use toilet paper when you lift the seat. If you are an irresponsible male, use toilet paper when you lift the seat.

The real nitty-gritty, no one who used the stall before you washed their hands before touching the stall handle while exiting. You should assume your hand is contaminated and head straight to the sink to wash your hands. Here again, no one washed their hands before they turned the water on. Hopefully, there is a motion sensor faucet, but if there isn’t, you can use your bare hand because you are already working from the assumption that it is contaminated.

There is scientific — though not conclusive — evidence that CoVID-19 can be transmitted on feces. The same was found for the last coronavirus outbreak, SARS, in 2003/2004. Building code modifications specific to stopping the spread of coronavirus were released in 2008. There were many changes but the most noticeable change was the removal of bathroom doors on high volume public restrooms, such as, federal highway system and airport rest rooms. Instead of a door, you walk through a short maze. The modification reduced the necessity of touching the door handle while entering or leaving.

So now you washed your hands while singing Happy Birthday, but you need to turn off the faucet (maybe); and you need to dry your hands; and you need to get out of the bathroom without getting contaminated. What do you do? For fun, I put together a bathroom exit strategy flow-chart on the next page. It is goofy, but fun.

A few Closing Thoughts

You do not need to put away enough food and toilet paper to wait out the Zombie Apocalypse, but you should stock up with enough food and household items to live comfortably through a two or three week quarantine. This includes food and drink for three weeks, extra paper products including Kleenex™ tissue, and typical non-prescription medications like Advil® and Tylenol® and decongestion and cough medicines (if you use them). You might consider buying a few books to read, a new puzzle or board game — after all — you will have time on your hands.

If you or someone you care for gets sick, make sure you call ahead before you go to the doctor’s office or hospital. If you suspect CoVID-19, make sure to have them wear a mask to protect other people in the house and/or people you meet along the way and to the doctor’s office or hospital. Masks do little to protect you but are very good at protecting other people if you are sick.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that the CoVID-19 threat will be over anytime soon. It could take a considerable amount of time for the initial wave of infections to pass through the U.S. — like many months. It is possible and likely it will remain in the news through the summer. It is reasonable to think the Summer Olympics will be postponed and baseball will be played in empty stadiums. It is more likely than not that CoVID-19 will show up in the future as localized breakouts or associated with seasonal cold and flu.

If you work in a group setting, consider weekly meetings to discuss load management if someone or multiple people get sick at the same time. Establish a phone/text/email tree and make sure you check-in on each other frequently.

Written by Edward Hinchey, P.G.

Grateful — Student — Teacher

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