- \n
- Myth one. Coronavirus is a biological weapon<\/a><\/li>\n
- Myth two. You can contract the virus via a package from China<\/a><\/li>\n
- Myth three. Coronavirus is easy to diagnose<\/a><\/li>\n
- Myth four. Coronavirus is especially dangerous for children<\/a><\/li>\n
- Myth five. You can catch coronavirus from pet cats and dogs<\/a><\/li>\n
- Myth six. You can get inoculated against coronavirus<\/a><\/li>\n
- \u0421onclusions and prevention<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Myth one. Coronavirus is a biological weapon<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2020\/02\/gas-mask-1024x685.jpg\")
Prostock-studio\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
As of February 2020, an upwards of 40 different types of coronaviruses have been identified and described. The word \u00abcorona\u00bb is not just a figure of speech \u2013 this term was coined because of the little spine-like protrusions that encircle the core of the virus. This biological contraption is what allows the virus to penetrate the healthy cells.<\/p>\n
The year 1965 saw the first cases of coronavirus in humans \u2013 it was detected in a number of ARVI patients, but promptly left the public\u2019s sight. In 2002, the virus had a major resurgence in China in the form of SARS-CoV, a virulent disease that caused atypical pneumonia. Out of 8000 people that had been diagnosed with the virus, almost 10% died. Mass media and the internet gave SARS a fair bit of spotlight and it dominated the headlines for a brief spell \u2013 however, as soon as the outbreak had been contained, the discussion trailed off rather quickly.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2020\/02\/kitayskiy-koronavirus-1024x683.jpg\")
Prostock-studio\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Fast-forward 10 years, and there is another scary corona-type disease knocking on the door \u2013 this time, it\u2019s called MERS-CoV or Middle East respiratory syndrome. It originated in Saudi Arabia and had 183 confirmed cases and a fatality rate of almost 20%.<\/p>\n
Now we have 2019-nCoV \u2013 a disease that has a fatality rate of 2%, with elderly people accounting for most fatal cases. A rather lackluster result for something claimed to be a deadly biological weapon.<\/p>\n
According to the data provided by the World Health Organization, every year at least 400 million people are infected with influenza, out of which 3-5 million will end up developing serious complications and 290-650 thousand will die. This means that, in raw numbers, the common flu absolutely eclipses the coronavirus, provoking reasonable skepticism as to the 2019-nCoV\u2019s malicious manmade origins.<\/p>\n
Myth two. You can contract the virus via a package from China<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2020\/02\/curology-1024x683.jpg\")
Prostock-studio\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Let us give you the lowdown on the coronavirus.<\/p>\n
Structurally, it\u2019s almost identical to other viruses, except for its spiky outer layer. This layer consists of S protein, which is a special type of protein that enables the virus to force its way into healthy cells. Coronavirus dwells in the bodies of humans and animals and is spread via airborne transmission, contact transmission, and fecal-oral transmission.<\/p>\n
Coronavirus can also survive outside of organisms \u2013 for instance, if a virus carrier sneezes, the virus cells in the drops of mucus will remain active for 8-10 hours.<\/p>\n
Let us imagine the following situation: you order a pair of socks, mobile phone or any other item from AliExpress. Sick uncle Lao from Wuhan packages it, managing to deliver a terrifyingly precise virus-packed sneeze squarely into the package just before sealing it hermetically. Even in such unlikely circumstances, the virus will survive for a maximum of two days – to carry on any further, it will need temperatures bordering on -70 degrees Celsius, which simply does not happen outside of lab conditions.<\/p>\n
Packages ordered from China rarely take less than two weeks to arrive, which makes the odds of the virus riding out the journey almost non-existent. If you were lucky to receive a blazing fast package, you can wait for a couple of days to make sure the virus will die down \u2013 on the off chance that it\u2019s actually there.<\/p>\n
The World Health Organization suggests that the concerns about \u00abvirus-laden packages\u00bb are completely unfounded and encourages to refrain from any preventative measures altogether:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2020\/02\/Tvitter-koronavirus.png\")
Prostock-studio\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
This is why all packages from China go through the customs hassle-free, Chinese-based sock factories continue to operate and Telegram channels that post hot AliExpress deals thrive as usual. There are no postal barriers between China and the rest of the world, and no reason to enforce them.<\/p>\n
Myth three. Coronavirus is easy to diagnose<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2020\/02\/microbiologist-1024x691.jpg\")
Prostock-studio\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Unfortunately, it\u2019s unreasonable to expect doctors to immediately identify the coronavirus \u2013 because it manifests in much the same way as any other respiratory viral infection, it\u2019s never a straightforward open-and-shut case. The most common symptoms of coronavirus (shared with other ARVIs) are:<\/p>\n
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- an elevated body temperature;<\/li>\n
- a dry cough.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, fatigue, and diarrhea, appear in less than half of the cases.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the only reliable way to diagnose a patient with coronavirus that does not involve laboratory testing is to understand whether they\u2019ve been in contact with a confirmed carrier. For example, the official NHS guidelines list the following signs of a possible infection:<\/p>\n
- \n
- a cough, high temperature and shortness of breath;<\/li>\n
- a recent history of travels to Wuhan or Hubei Province;<\/li>\n
- close contact with someone suspected of having coronavirus;<\/li>\n
- close contact with someone with confirmed coronavirus.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2020\/02\/temperatura-gradusnik-1024x683.jpg\")
Prostock-studio\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
All these signs are relevant only for a period of 14 days, which is the incubation period of the virus. If you had returned from Wuhan a month ago and have not exhibited any symptoms since \u2014 you can rest assured that you are healthy.<\/p>\n
The bottom line is: do not jump to scary conclusions if you happen to cough or sneeze. At the end of the day, the main factor is the previous contact with infected people. The situation in China is exacerbated by a high population density, whereas in Europe, the UK and most regions of the USA, the density is significantly lower, which acts as an effective suppressing factor and helps keep the infection in check.<\/p>\n
The only current way to officially confirm the virus is a polymerase chain reaction test for 2019-nCoV RNA strains. The main prophylactic measure is quarantine \u2013 however, there is no need to be overzealous and lock yourself up for months on end if you think you might be sick. Because the incubation period only lasts for 14 days, it\u2019s perfectly safe to assume you are virus-free if you have not experienced any symptoms for two weeks.<\/p>\n
Myth four. Coronavirus is especially dangerous for children<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2020\/02\/antibiotics-1024x597.jpg\")
Prostock-studio\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
It stands to reason that children are generally more susceptible to viruses than young adults. Their immune systems are not yet fully developed and their organisms are less fortified against harmful external agents as compared to men and women in their mid-twenties.<\/p>\n
However, let\u2019s face the facts: statistics that testify to children being more prone to catching respiratory diseases contain inherent bias. This bias occurs because of the fact that we parents love and treasure our children and, naturally, tend to be extra protective when we hear them sneeze, cough or otherwise manifest their unwellness. As soon as the child drops a teeny achoo, they are usually entombed in seven layers of clothing, bombarded with chicken soup and promptly driven to a doctor.<\/p>\n
Now, when we feel off, this is another story entirely. Even if we wake up in the morning with a thunderous cough, completely blocked nostrils, and a hoarse, ogre-like voice, we still often choose to go to work instead of the hospital just because days off take a financial toll and interfere with our routine. More forgiving conditions get dismissed without a second thought \u2013 there\u2019s no time to sit in a hospital queue when there is paperwork to be done, bills to be paid and lights to be kept on. Because our work and responsibilities often take precedence over health, diseases in adults get documented more rarely than diseases in children, skewing the statistics considerably.<\/p>\n
But even if we assume that children do catch illnesses much more frequently, do they die more often from diseases such as flu or pneumonia? The answer is no, even though the World Health Organization does mention respiratory infection as one of the leading causes of child mortality.<\/p>\n
- Myth two. You can contract the virus via a package from China<\/a><\/li>\n
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