Learning from the Latest Pandemic
By Kylie Wolfe
How do we prepare for a global pandemic?
That’s a question scientists, medical professionals, and public health officials have been asking themselves and actively studying for decades. And now, with millions of cases of COVID-19 confirmed worldwide, it’s a question that all of society is grappling with, too.
The novel coronavirus and its evolution from outbreak to pandemic has changed life as we know it, making this a learning opportunity for everyone.
A New Strain
In late 2019, a strain of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) broke out in Wuhan, China. As it has spread, the disease it causes, COVID-19, has contributed to deaths numbering in the hundreds of thousands across the globe. Those infected experience symptoms ranging from mild to severe, while others may be asymptomatic. Most find themselves with some combination of cough, fever, tiredness, or respiratory complication.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) differentiates that, if exposed, those 65 and older or with underlying medical conditions have the highest risk of severe illness. Others, like healthcare workers, frequent travelers, and those serving essential businesses, are most at risk of exposure.
While the coronavirus family isn’t new, this strain is. It’s genetically different enough to take an alternate course of infection, making it more challenging to combat. Those infected may spread the virus before recognizing symptoms, or without experiencing symptoms at all.
“It uses the same receptor as the SARS virus, so it targets the same cells, but it has enough genetic differences to have different rates of transmission,” said Kimberly Payne, PhD. Now a lecturer at the University of Pittsburgh, her doctoral and post-doctoral research focused on the molecular biology and genomics of viruses.
How the Virus Spreads
The coronavirus hasn’t wasted any time. Covered in a crown of spikes like its name suggests, the coronavirus enters the body through the mouth, nose, or eyes, then binds to cells with ACE2 proteins.
In a series of tweets, virologist Peter Kolchinsky, former member of the Board of Global Science and Technology for the National Academy of Sciences, described ACE2 proteins as doorknobs that the coronavirus knows how to turn. As it invades each house, or cell, it looks for other houses to spread to, overtaking a community of cells.
“What viruses see are a bunch of houses with varying doorknobs and they try to spread through the neighborhood (our bodies) looking for houses (cells) covered in the doorknobs that they know how to turn,” tweeted Kolchinsky.
Inside the cell, the virus takes over, releasing RNA to facilitate the production of proteins that distract the immune system. With time, the cell will generate new copies of the virus and release them, infecting nearby cells.
A single cell has the potential to reproduce and share the virus millions of times before shutting down. And someone who’s infected has the potential to spread the virus to anyone they come in contact with, either directly or indirectly. Whether they sneeze in close proximity to others or contaminate a common surface, their respiratory droplets could be ingested by someone else.
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health, the CDC, UCLA, and Princeton University reported that the virus can remain on surfaces for hours or days. It’s detectable in air for up to three hours, on cardboard for 24 hours, and on stainless steel and plastic up to three days. Their work was published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Flattening the Curve
In coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO), the CDC released recommendations for slowing the spread of the virus, including social distancing, proper hand washing, and minimizing travel.
Taking a proactive approach like the CDC suggests can help slow the spread of COVID-19 to “flatten the curve” of new cases. Operating with this mindset is safer for society as a whole and helps ensure adequate care with available healthcare system resources.
“You always want to be proactive to prevent the spread before you're trying to react to the outbreak,” said Payne, referring to a continuum of world health events. In response to the latest pandemic, society has largely stayed home to reduce the risk of exposure and slow the spread. While these and other mitigation strategies have proven to be effective in hotspots around the globe, scientists continue to prescribe caution — in part, because of how much remains to be learned about this novel coronavirus.
It’s like Schrödinger’s cat: Until you open the box, or get tested, you can be simultaneously dead and alive, or, in this case, infected and not infected. Operating with that mentality, the scientific community asserts, is essential to flattening the curve.
“Don't act as if you are trying to protect yourself from getting infected. Don't act like you're trying not to get sick yourself,” said Payne. “Instead, act like you are infected, like you are sick, and you want to protect everyone else from getting it.”
Drawing Lessons from the Past
Experiencing a global pandemic in the 21st century comes with opportunities as well as obstacles. But just over one hundred years ago, with far fewer medical advancements and technological resources, society faced the 1918 influenza pandemic. Caused by an H1N1 virus, it spread to roughly one third of the world’s population, eventually leading to the deaths of more than 50 million people.
Unlike the coronavirus, the most vulnerable were young and otherwise healthy. But they, too, were battling a novel virus. There were no vaccines or antibiotics to protect or treat patients. Recommendations were limited to minimizing gatherings and maximizing self-isolation and personal hygiene.
While some of these details may sound familiar, science and medicine have made significant progress. With each pandemic comes more knowledge and understanding, all of which can be applied to preparing for and responding to others in the future.
Making Progress Today to Prepare for Tomorrow
Today, we know what’s causing the disease. We can share findings instantly. And we’re fortunate to have top-notch medical professionals to fight on the front lines and dedicated researchers to pursue a vaccine.
Though connecting physically isn’t an option, society is bound by this common experience. But that doesn’t make the situation easy.
Researchers are doing what they can to develop a vaccine as quickly as possible. But it’s far from distribution. In the meantime, education is key.
“For us to have this not-worst-case-scenario virus going around to give us a chance to learn how to respond to pandemics might not be a bad thing,” said Payne. “The next time we have a pandemic, it might be something worse.”
The scientific community is learning volumes from the coronavirus pandemic — as is society at large. Every public health emergency builds on the lessons of those before it. These events teach us how effective preparation and response can help prevent the spread of viruses and protect as many people as possible.
“We need to figure out what works best now and in the future. And then we can respond better,” said Payne.
Staying Up to Date
News about the coronavirus is changing daily. As we navigate this pandemic, rely on trusted sources like the CDC and WHO to keep you up to date. Their sites offer updated statistics, recommendations, and research findings, as well as relevant resources to help you stay safe.
Reflecting the ever-evolving nature of this story, the CDC recently expanded its original list of possible symptoms — fever, cough, and shortness of breath — to include:
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
Visit cdc.gov or who.int for the latest information from leading health experts.
