symptoms of covid 19 essay

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.

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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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Symptoms of COVID-19

• People with COVID-19 have a wide range of symptoms ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.
• Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.
• Symptoms may start as mild, and some people will progress to more severe symptoms.

Signs and Symptoms

The following list does not include all possible symptoms. Symptoms may change with new COVID-19 variants and can vary depending on vaccination status. Possible symptoms include:

• Fever or chills
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• New loss of taste or smell
• Muscle or body aches
• Nausea or vomiting

CDC will continue to update this list as we learn more about COVID-19.

Feeling Sick?

Stay home and away from others (including people you live with who are not sick) if you have symptoms that aren't better explained by another cause.

Seek health care promptly for testing and/or treatment if you have risk factors for severe illness ; treatment may help lower your risk of severe illness.

Order your free COVID-19 tests at the end of September.‎

When to seek emergency help.

Look for emergency warning signs* for COVID 19:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Depending on skin tone, lips, nail beds and skin may appear pale, gray, or blue.

If someone is showing any of these signs, call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility. Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19.

*This list does not include all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Difference between flu and COVID-19

Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2, and flu is caused by infection with one of the influenza viruses. You cannot tell the difference between flu and COVID-19 by symptoms alone because some of the symptoms are the same.

Some nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs), including PCR tests, can differentiate between flu and COVID-19 at the same time. If one of these tests is not available, many testing locations provide flu and COVID-19 tests separately.

Symptoms of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (youtube.com)

COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2. It can be very contagious and spreads quickly.

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COVID-19 , highly contagious respiratory illness , the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic . COVID-19 was first detected in 2019 in Wuhan , China . A large proportion of infections in China were undocumented before travel restrictions and other control measures were implemented in late January 2020. As a result, COVID-19 very quickly spread to countries worldwide, giving rise to a multiyear pandemic that resulted in millions of deaths. The pandemic also spurred a revolution in business and education, spawning a reliance on distance learning and work -at-home arrangements and the rise of videoconferencing platforms such as Zoom , which became one of the most downloaded applications worldwide and a household word.

• Read more about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ( SARS-CoV-2 ). The disease is transmitted primarily through contact with infectious material, particularly respiratory droplets that enter the environment when an infected person sneezes or coughs. Individuals nearby may inhale or come into contact with these droplets, resulting in disease transmission. Infection may also occur when a person comes into contact with a contaminated surface and then touches his or her mouth, nose , or eyes. Individuals at greatest risk of COVID-19 infection include older adults and persons with chronic illness, largely because of weakened immune function.

COVID-19 is characterized by a variety of symptoms, including fever , cough , congestion, fatigue , shortness of breath, headache , sore throat , nausea or vomiting, loss of smell or taste, and body aches. COVID-19 may progress to severe respiratory illness, with symptoms of chest pain and extreme difficulty in breathing, requiring hospitalization. Some COVID-19 patients who are hospitalized further develop neurological symptoms, including severe fatigue and altered consciousness . Delirium has been observed in many of these patients as well, possibly as a side effect of medication. Delirium and lingering psychological issues, including depression and anxiety , can prolong and complicate recovery.

There is no cure for COVID-19. However, different types of drugs have been used to treat infection and to reduce the severity of the disease. Examples include antiviral drugs , such as remdesivir , molnupiravir, and combined ritonavir and nirmatrelvir; a drug used for pancreatic inflammation called camostat mesilate; and various therapeutic monoclonal antibodies , such as REGEN-COV (casirivimab and imdevimab). COVID-19 vaccines , which became available in late 2020, are highly effective in protecting against severe illness and in limiting the spread of the disease; immunity can be further bolstered through subsequent booster doses of vaccine . Risk of disease transmission can be reduced by measures such as social distancing, disinfection of surfaces, and universal community use of face masks. Self-isolation and self-quarantine are other ways in which the spread of COVID-19 can be stopped.

Survivors of severe COVID-19, particularly those who were hospitalized, are likely to suffer long-term effects. Individuals who required mechanical ventilation might never fully recover; ventilator use is associated with severe muscle atrophy and weakness, which significantly impact survival and quality of life .

The ongoing spread of COVID-19 has been fueled by the emergence of variants in evolving lineages of SARS-CoV-2. Such variants generally carry mutations that strengthen characteristics such as the virus’s ability to infect individuals (including individuals who are vaccinated and who previously had COVID-19), to cause severe disease, and to potentially escape certain treatments. There are numerous variants, the most notable of which is Omicron , which was first detected in Botswana in November 2021 and quickly became the primary circulating strain globally. Omicron spawned multiple sublineages of concern, including BA.4 and BA.5, which are highly infectious, and BA.2, which gave rise to XBB.1.5—a highly transmissible variant, noted for its heightened ability to bind to cells and to replicate.

Masks Strongly Recommended but Not Required in Maryland

Respiratory viruses continue to circulate in Maryland, so masking remains strongly recommended when you visit Johns Hopkins Medicine clinical locations in Maryland. To protect your loved one, please do not visit if you are sick or have a COVID-19 positive test result. Get more resources on masking and COVID-19 precautions .

• Vaccines  
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COVID Symptoms — Frequently Asked Questions

Reviewed By:

Lisa Lockerd Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H.

Do you know the symptoms of COVID-19? Knowing the warning signs can help you take the right steps if you or loved ones become sick.  Lisa Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H. , senior director of infection prevention for the Johns Hopkins Health System, explains what to look for and when to get help.

What are symptoms of COVID-19?

The most common symptoms are:

• Fever or chills
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Muscle or body aches
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell
• Nausea or vomiting
• Congestion or runny nose

Some of these symptoms are very common and can occur due to many conditions other than COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus called SARS CoV-2. If you have any of the symptoms, contact a doctor or other health care provider, who can assess your risk and help you determine the next steps.

Emergency Warning Signs of Severe COVID-19 — When to Call 911

If you or someone in your household is experiencing any of the following symptoms, call 911 or your local emergency room right away and let the operator know that you are calling for someone who might have COVID-19:

• Difficulty breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake up or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face

There are other possible symptoms of COVID-19. Call your doctor or health care center regarding any symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

When should I contact a doctor about my symptoms?

If you feel ill, call your doctor’s office or health care center and explain your symptoms over the phone. The next steps will be discussed, including whether you should have a  coronavirus test . If it turns out that you have COVID-19, mild cases can be managed at home with rest and self-isolation. If you become severely ill, you may need hospital care.

If I’m exposed to the coronavirus, how long will it be before I might develop symptoms?

Symptoms can begin two to 14 days after you have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. A  study  led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows that the median time for symptoms to show up is about five days, however, CDC research suggests that the median time for omicron symptoms to develop is about three days. 

If you suspect you were exposed to or had close contact with someone with COVID-19, you should self-quarantine, watch for symptoms and consider getting tested four or five days following the exposure. Exposure is contact with someone infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in a way that increases the likelihood of becoming infected with the virus. Close contact is being less than 6 feet away from an infected person (laboratory-confirmed or a clinical diagnosis) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more during a 24-hour period.

Please review CDC guidelines for isolation and quarantine to help prevent the spread of COVID-19

What are the first symptoms of coronavirus infection?

Early symptoms reported by some people include fatigue, headache, sore throat and fever. Others experience a loss of smell or taste. COVID-19 can cause symptoms that are mild at first, but then become more intense over five to seven days, with worsening cough and shortness of breath. Some people who have COVID-19 develop  pneumonia .

The type and severity of first symptoms can vary widely from person to person. This is why it is very important to call your doctor if you have symptoms, even mild ones.

Can you have the coronavirus without a fever?

Yes. A fever is one of the common symptoms of COVID-19, but you can be infected with the coronavirus and have a cough or other symptoms with no fever, or a very low-grade one — especially in the first few days. Keep in mind that it is also possible to have the coronavirus with minimal symptoms or even no symptoms at all. People infected with the coronavirus who have no symptoms can still spread the virus to others.

Can you have the coronavirus without a cough?

Yes. A cough is one of the common symptoms of COVID-19, but it is not always present. You can be infected with the coronavirus and not have a cough. If you do have one, it may be mild and infrequent, or you may cough heavily at times. Remember that it is possible to have COVID-19 with minimal symptoms or even no symptoms at all. People infected with the coronavirus who have no symptoms can still spread the virus to others.

Can COVID-19 symptoms come and go?

Yes. During the recovery process, people with COVID-19 might experience recurring symptoms alternating with periods of feeling better. Varying degrees of fever, fatigue and breathing problems can occur, on and off, for days or even weeks.

Can you have COVID-19 without symptoms?

Yes. Symptoms of COVID-19 usually show up two to 14 days after exposure to SARS-CoV-2, but some people who are infected do not develop symptoms or feel ill. When this happens, a person is called asymptomatic. This is why it is so important to wear a face mask and to practice physical distancing and hand hygiene. People can be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and not realize it, but still be able to transmit the virus to other people.

What are COVID-19 symptoms in children?

Like adults,  babies and children with COVID-19  can have symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing and diarrhea. Cases have been increasing among children, as indicated by recent data from the  American Academy of Pediatrics.  

Children may also be at risk for  multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C ) — an uncommon but serious complication of the coronavirus. Parents and guardians should be on guard for signs of MIS-C and call their child’s doctor immediately if they appear.

Coronavirus Symptoms and Other Conditions:

How are coronavirus symptoms different from allergy symptoms what about flu, colds and strep throat.

COVID-19 shares symptoms with other conditions such as allergies, the flu and strep throat. It may be very hard to tell the difference between COVID-19 and flu without a test.

If you have symptoms that might be due to the coronavirus, contact a health care provider, describe your symptoms and follow the provider’s recommendations.

Learn more about COVID-19 and the flu.

If I receive the coronavirus vaccine, will I get COVID-19 symptoms?

No. The COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration cannot and will not give you COVID-19. These  coronavirus vaccines  can cause side effects because they activate your immune system, but this does not mean you are infected with the coronavirus or that you have COVID-19. As your immune system responds to the vaccine and learns to recognize and fight the coronavirus, fever, pain at the injection site and muscle aches are possible, but these are usually both mild and temporary. Learn more about the  safety of the coronavirus vaccines .

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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Don't Avoid Your Doctor During the Coronavirus Pandemic

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Understanding COVID-19

How To Protect Yourself During the Pandemic

COVID-19 has claimed millions of lives around the world. But we learn more about this disease every day. Scientists are developing tools that promise to slow and eventu­ally help us overcome the pandemic.

COVID-19 is caused by a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. There are many types of coronaviruses. Some cause the common cold. Others have led to fatal disease outbreaks. These include severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012, and now COVID-19.

Coronaviruses are named for the crown-like spikes on their surface. (Corona means crown.) The viruses use the spikes to help get inside your body’s cells. Once inside, they replicate, or make copies of themselves.

Scientists have learned how to turn these spikes against the virus through vaccines and treatments. They’ve also learned what you can do to protect yourself from the virus.

Protecting Yourself

You’re most likely to get COVID-19 through close contact with someone who’s infected. Coughing, sneezing, talking, and breathing produce small droplets of liquid. These are called respiratory droplets. They travel through the air and can be inhaled by someone else.

“COVID-19 is spread mainly through exposure to respiratory droplets that tend to drop within six feet,” says Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. That’s why it’s important to stay at least six feet (about two arm lengths) away from people who don’t live with you.

“Surfaces can be contaminated. But it is likely that this is a less common cause of infection rather than person-to-person directly,” Fauci says.

You can protect yourself and others by wearing a mask. Choose one that has at least two layers of fabric. Make sure that the mask covers your mouth and nose and doesn’t leak air around the edges.

“There’s very little transmission in places where masks are worn,” says Dr. Ben Cowling at the University of Hong Kong who studies how viruses spread. Cowling found that infections were most often spread in settings where masks aren’t worn.

“Masks work. But even with mandatory masking, you still need social distancing as well,” he says. You can lower your risk by avoiding crowds. Crowds increase the risk of coming in contact with someone who has COVID-19.

What to Look For

Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, headaches, fatigue, and muscle or body aches. People with COVID-19 may also lose their sense of smell or taste. Symptoms usually appear two to 14 days after being exposed to the virus.

But even people who don’t seem sick can still infect others. The CDC estimates that 50% of infections are spread by people with no symptoms. While some with this virus develop life-threatening illness, others have mild symptoms, and some never develop any.

Catching the virus is more dangerous for some groups of people. This includes older adults and people with certain medical conditions. These medical conditions include obesity, diabetes, heart and lung disease, and asthma. About 40% of Americans have at least one of these risk factors.

Getting Treatment

Better COVID-19 treatments mean that fewer people now get severely sick if they catch the virus. Scientists have been working to test available drugs against the virus. They’ve found at least two that can help people who are hospitalized with the virus.

A drug called remdesivir can reduce the time a patient spends in the hospital. A steroid called dexamethasone helps stop the The system that protects your body from invading viruses, bacteria, and other microscopic threats. immune system from reacting too strongly to the virus. That can damage body tissues and organs.

Antibody treatments are also available. Antibodies are proteins that your body makes to fight germs. Scientists have learned how to make them in the lab. Antibody treatments can block SARS-CoV-2 to prevent the illness from getting worse. They seem to have the most benefit when given early in the disease.

“Antibody treatments really do have the potential to help people, especially for treating individuals who are not yet hospitalized,” says Dr. Mark Heise, who studies the genetics of viruses at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Heise is working to develop mouse models to test treatments and vaccines.

Studies are now testing combinations of treatments. “Combining drugs that target both the virus and the person’s immune response may help treat COVID-19,” says Heise. Scientists are also looking for new drugs that better target the virus.

A Shot of Hope: Vaccines

It used to take a decade or more to develop a new vaccine. In this pandemic, scientists created COVID-19 vaccines in less than a year.

The first two vaccines approved for emergency use are from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech. Moderna’s vaccine was co-developed with NIH scientists. Both are a new type of vaccine called mRNA vaccines. mRNA carries the genetic information for your body to make proteins.

The vaccines direct the body’s cells to make a piece of the virus called the spike protein. These proteins can’t cause illness by themselves. But they teach your immune system to make antibodies against the protein. If you encounter the virus later, the antibodies provide protection against it.

The mRNA vaccines now available were shown to be more than 90% effective in large clinical trials. They can cause side effects—such as fatigue, muscle aches, joint pain, and headache. But both vaccines were found to be safe in the clinical trials.

“Get vaccinated. The vaccines are safe. They’re incredibly effective,” says Dr. Jason McLellan, an expert on coronaviruses at the University of Texas at Austin. McLellan’s research was critical in developing these vaccines. His team, along with NIH scientists, figured out how to lock the shape of the spike protein to make the most effective antibodies.

As the pandemic has gone on, new versions of the virus, or variants, have appeared. “We’re all very confident that vaccines will continue to work well against these variants,” McLellan says. “Vaccination also helps stop the development of new variants, because it provides fewer opportunities for the virus to change as it replicates.”

Many people will need to be vaccinated for the pandemic to end. Fauci estimates that 70% to 85% of the U.S. population will need to be vaccinated to get “herd immunity.” That’s the point where enough people are immune to the virus to prevent its spread. That’s important because it protects vulnerable people who can’t get vaccinated.

“It is my hope that all Americans will protect themselves by getting vaccinated when the vaccine becomes available to them,” Fauci says. “That is how our country will begin to heal and move forward.”

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Coronavirus and COVID-19: What You Should Know

Editor's note: For the latest updates on the 2023 coronavirus outbreak, see our news coverage .

What Is COVID-19?

COVID-19  is a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 that can trigger what doctors call a respiratory tract infection. In early 2020,  the World Health Organization identified SARS-CoV-2 as a new type of  coronavirus . The outbreak quickly spread around the world.  It can affect your upper respiratory tract ( sinuses , nose, and throat) or lower respiratory tract (windpipe and  lungs ).

It spreads the same way other coronaviruses do, mainly through person-to-person contact. Infections range from mild to deadly.

SARS-CoV-2 is one of seven types of coronavirus, including the ones that cause severe diseases like Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and sudden acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The other coronaviruses cause most of the colds that affect us during the year but aren't a serious threat to otherwise healthy people.

Is there more than one strain of SARS-CoV-2?

Yes, the COVID-19 virus continues to mutate and there are several variants that are now spreading. Some are more contagious as well as more deadly than the original virus. 

Throughout the pandemic, scientists have kept a close eye on variants like:

How long will the coronavirus last?

There's no way to tell how long the pandemic will continue. There are many factors, including the public's efforts to slow the spread, researchers' work to learn more about the virus, their search for a treatment, and the success of the vaccines.

Symptoms of COVID-19

The main symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Trouble breathing
• Chills, sometimes with shaking
• Sore throat
• Congestion/runny nose
• Loss of smell or taste

The virus can lead to  pneumonia , respiratory failure, heart problems, liver problems,  septic shock , and death. Many COVID-19 complications may be caused by a condition known as cytokine release syndrome or a cytokine storm. This is when an infection triggers your immune system to flood your bloodstream with inflammatory proteins called cytokines. They can kill tissue and damage your organs. In some cases, lung transplants have been needed.

If you notice the following severe symptoms in yourself or a loved one, get medical help right away:

• Trouble breathing  or shortness of breath
• Ongoing  chest pain  or pressure
• Can't wake up fully
• Bluish lips or face

Strokes have also been reported in some people who have COVID-19. Remember FAST:

• Face.  Is one side of the person's face numb or drooping? Is their smile lopsided?
• Arms.  Is one arm weak or numb? If they try to raise both arms, does one arm sag?
• Speech.  Can they speak clearly? Ask them to repeat a sentence.
• Time.  Every minute counts when someone shows signs of a stroke. Call 911 right away.

If you're infected, symptoms can show up in as few as 2 days or as many as 14. It varies from person to person.

According to researchers in China, these were the most common symptoms among people who had COVID-19:

• Fatigue 70%
• Lack of appetite 40%
• Body aches 35%
• Shortness of breath 31%
• Mucus/phlegm 27%

Some people who are hospitalized for COVID-19 also have dangerous blood clots, including in their legs, lungs, and arteries.

What to do if you think you have it

If you live in or have traveled to an area where COVID-19 is spreading:

• If you don't feel well, stay home.  Even if you have mild symptoms like a headache and runny nose, stay in until you're better. This lets doctors focus on people who are more seriously ill and protects health care workers and people you might meet along the way. You might hear this called self-isolation. Try to stay in a separate room away from other people in your home. Use a separate bathroom if you can.
• Call the doctor if you have trouble breathing.  You need to get medical help as soon as possible. and go to the emergency room.
• Test yourself or get tested. Home testing kits are available which can help confirm your infection and let you know when it is safe to be around others. Local health officials and their online portals can also advise you where to go for testing and treatment.
• Follow your doctor's advice and keep up with the news on COVID-19.  Between your doctor and health care authorities, you'll get the care you need and information on how to prevent the virus from spreading.

For more information about COVID-19,  see our FAQ .

How do I know if it's COVID-19, a cold, or the flu?

Symptoms of COVID-19 can be similar to a  bad cold  or the flu. Your doctor will suspect COVID-19 if:

• You have a fever and a cough.
• You have been exposed to people who have it within the last 14 days.

Is COVID-19 worse than the flu?

Unlike the flu, a lot of people aren't immune to the coronavirus, and because it has been mutating with new strains. If you do catch it, the virus triggers your body to make things called antibodies. Researchers are looking at whether the antibodies give you protection against catching it again.

The coronavirus has caused higher rates of severe illness and death than the flu. But the symptoms themselves can vary widely from person to person.

Is COVID-19 seasonal like the flu?

While scientists hoped initially that  higher temperatures and humidity levels might help slow the spread of the coronavirus, that was not the case. Experts advise caution and say thorough public health efforts have more influence than weather on the spread.  Also, past flu pandemics have happened year-round.

Causes of the New Coronavirus

Researchers aren't sure what caused it, and investigations as to its origin are ongoing. There's more than one type of coronavirus. They're common in people and in animals including bats, camels, cats, and cattle. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is similar to MERS and SARS. They all came from bats.

Coronavirus Risk Factors

Anyone can get COVID-19, and most infections are mild. The older you are, the higher your risk of severe illness.

You also a have higher chance of serious illness if you have one of these health conditions:

• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• A weakened immune system because of an organ transplant
• Serious heart conditions such as heart failure or coronary artery disease
• Sickle cell disease
• Type 2 diabetes

Conditions that could lead to severe COVID-19 illness include:

• Moderate to severe asthma
• Diseases that affect your blood vessels and blood flow to your brain
• Cystic fibrosis
• High blood pressure
• A weakened immune system because of a blood or bone marrow transplant, HIV, or medications like corticosteroids
• Liver disease
• Damaged or scarred lung tissue (pulmonary fibrosis)
• Thalassemia
• Type 1 diabetes
• Schizophrenia

Some children and teens who are in the hospital with COVID-19 have an inflammatory condition that doctors are calling multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Doctors think it may be linked to the virus. It causes symptoms similar to those of toxic shock and of Kawasaki disease, a condition that causes inflammation in kids' blood vessels.

How Are Mood Disorders Linked to Severe COVID-19?

If you have preexisting mood disorders, you may be at high risk for hospitalization or death but not necessarily severe COVID-19.

That said, having schizophrenia is the biggest risk factor for besides age for COVID mortality. Those with schizophrenia spectrum disorders are prone to metabolic syndrome, which includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, and is associated with systemic inflammation. All of which is exacerbated by COVID.

Mood and anxiety disorders were not connected to the higher risk, but people living with mental health conditions may have certain symptoms that can interfere with their ability to care for themselves and be engaged in their health decisions. This can make it hard to effectively follow health behaviors like maintaining social distancing or staying in quarantine to reduce the spread of the infection.

Moreover, people with mental health and mood disorders are also more likely to have conditions like diabetes and heart problems which are major risk factors for severe COVID-19.

There are also several socio-economic reasons why preexisting mood disorders can increase your chances of hospitalization and death if you get COVID-19. This includes:

• Lack of access to preventative health care
• Ability to understand health recommendations
• Lack of access to affordable health care
• Living in tight spaces or facilities like nursing homes, homeless shelters, prisons, or psychiatric inpatient units

Coronavirus Transmission

How does COVID-19 spread?

COVID-19 mainly spreads from person to person . People release respiratory fluids during exhalation (e.g., quiet breathing, speaking, singing, exercise, coughing, sneezing) in the form of droplets across a spectrum of sizes. These droplets carry viruses and transmit infection. The largest droplets settle out of the air rapidly, within seconds to minutes. The smallest very fine droplets, and aerosol particles formed when these fine droplets rapidly dry, are small enough that they can remain suspended in the air for minutes to hours.

The risk of transmission is greatest within three to six feet of an infectious source where the concentration of these very fine droplets and particles is greatest. If you breathe them in or swallow them, the virus can get into your body. Some people who have the virus don't have symptoms, but they can still spread the virus.

While less likely, you can also get the virus from touching a surface or object the virus is on, then touching your mouth, nose, or possibly your eyes. Most viruses can live for several hours on a surface that they land on. OVID-19 can last for several hours on various types of surfaces:

• Copper (pennies, teakettles, cookware): 4 hours
• Cardboard (shipping boxes): up to 24 hours
• Plastic (milk containers, detergent bottles, subway and bus seats, elevator buttons):2 to 3 days
• Stainless steel (refrigerators, pots and pans, sinks, some water bottles): 2 to 3 days

That's why it's important to wash or sanitize your hands regularly and disinfect surfaces to get rid of the virus.

Some dogs and cats have tested positive for the virus. A few have shown signs of illness. There's no evidence that humans can catch this coronavirus from an animal, but it appears it can be passed from humans to animals.

What is community spread?

Doctors and health officials use this term when they don't know the source of the infection. With COVID-19, it usually refers to someone who gets the virus even though they haven't been exposed to someone who has COVID-19.

In February 2020, the CDC confirmed a COVID-19 infection in California in a person who had not traveled to an affected area or been exposed to someone with the disease. This marked the first instance of community spread in the U.S. It's likely that person was exposed to someone who was infected but didn't know it. This type of occurrence has been happening with the variants as well.

How fast is it spreading?

The number of people infected or re-infected by COVID-19 changes every day. See our news story for the latest updates on this developing story.

How contagious is the coronavirus?

The transmission rate is relatively high. Early research has estimated that one person who has it can spread it to between 2 and 3.5 others. By comparison, one person who has the seasonal flu will pass it to between 1.1 and 2.3 others.

The Omicron variant, which is now the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States, is highly contagious and spreads faster than the original virus. 

The CDC reports there is evidence COVID-19 can be transmitted if you get within 6 feet of someone who is infectious for a total of 15 minutes throughout a day. 

We can work to lower the transmission rate by wearing high-quality face masks when we can't stay 6 feet away from others,  washing hands often, keeping common surfaces clean, limiting contact with other people, and getting vaccinated.

Can coronavirus be transmitted through groceries, packages, or food?

You're much more likely to get COVID-19 from another person than from packages, groceries, or food. If you're in a high-risk group , stay home and use a delivery service or have a friend shop for you. Have them leave the items outside your front door, if you can. If you do your own shopping, wear a high-quality face mask and try to stay at least 6 feet away from other shoppers.

Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before and after bringing things into your home. The coronavirus can linger on hard surfaces, so clean and disinfect countertops and anything else your bags has touched. You can wipe down plastic, metal, or glass packaging with soap and water if you want.

There's no evidence that anyone has gotten COVID-19 from food or food containers.

Coronavirus Diagnosis

Call your doctor or local health department if you think you've been exposed and have symptoms like:

• Fever of 100 F or higher

Home testing has advanced considerably since the beginning of the pandemic and you can readily test yourself.  Otherwise, testing facilities are readily available in most areas. While some require an appointment, others are simply drive-up. Home testing kits are also widely available.

A swab test is the most common testing method. It looks for signs of the virus in your upper respiratory tract. You or the person giving the test puts a swab up your nose to get a sample from the back of your nose and throat. That sample usually goes to a lab that looks for viral material, but some areas may have rapid tests that give results in as little as 15 minutes.

If there are signs of the virus, the test is positive. A negative test could mean there is no virus or there wasn't enough to measure. That can happen early in an infection. It usually takes 24 hours to get results, but the tests must be collected, stored, shipped to a lab, and processed.

The FDA has granted authorizations for several at-home nasal swab tests, which you collect yourself and express ship back to the lab for analysis as well as at-home rapid tests. You can buy these over the counter in pharmacies, at retail stores, or online. At-home tests are also available for free at some local health departments or federally qualified health centers.

A swab test can only tell whether you have the virus in your body at that moment. But you may also consider taking an antibody test  which can show whether you've ever been exposed to the virus, even if you didn't have symptoms. This is important in officials' efforts to learn how widespread COVID-19 is. In time, it might also help them figure out who's immune to the virus.

The FDA is working with laboratories across the country to develop more tests.

Coronavirus Prevention

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is a key part of prevention. But you should also take these steps:

• Under 2 years old
• Having trouble breathing
• Unconscious or can't remove the mask on their own for other reasons
• Wash your hands often with soap and water or clean them with an alcohol-based sanitizer. This kills viruses on your hands.
• Don't touch your face. Coronaviruses can live on surfaces you touch for several hours. If they get on your hands and you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, they can get into your body.
• Practice social distancing. Because you can have and spread the virus without knowing it, you should stay home as much as possible. If you do have to go out, stay at least 6 feet away from others.
• Clean and disinfect. You can clean first with soap and water, but disinfect surfaces you touch often, like tables, doorknobs, light switches, toilets, faucets, and sinks. Use a mix of household bleach and water (1/3 cup bleach per gallon of water, or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water) or a household cleaner that's approved to treat SARS-CoV-2. You can check the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website to see if yours made the list. Wear gloves when you clean and throw them away when you're done.

There's no proof that herbal therapies and teas can prevent infection .

COVID-19 preparation tips

In addition to practicing the prevention tips listed above, you can:

• Meet as a household or larger family to talk about who needs what.
• If you have people at a higher risk , ask their doctor what to do.
• Talk to your neighbors about emergency planning. Join your neighborhood chat group or website to stay in touch.
• Find community aid organizations that can help with health care, food delivery, and other supplies.
• Make an emergency contact list. Include family, friends, neighbors, carpool drivers, doctors, teachers, employers, and the local health department.
• Choose a room (or rooms) where you can keep someone who's sick or who's been exposed separate from the rest of you.
• Talk to your child's school about keeping up with assignments.
• Set yourself up to work from home if your office is closed.
• Reach out to friends or family if you live alone. Make plans for them to check on you by phone, email, or video chat.

Can a  face mask  protect you from infection?

A mask is an added layer of protection for everyone, on top of vaccines and social distancing efforts. You can spread the virus when you talk or cough, even if you don't know that you have it or if you aren't showing signs of infection.

It's important to wear a high-quality mask in a variety of situations:

Wear a mask indoors in public places if you're in an area where there's a high or “substantial” amount of COVID spreading around. That goes for people 2 years old and up. 

If you have a chronic health condition or you're taking meds that weaken your immune system, wear a mask in indoor public places even if you're fully vaccinated. Do this unless your doctor tells you otherwise. In general, you don't need to wear a mask outside, where it's harder for the coronavirus to spread. But if COVID-19 cases are high in your area, consider wearing one in crowded outdoor places and for outdoor get-togethers that involve close contact with people who aren't fully vaccinated.

Anyone should wear a face mask if they're sick and around other people or animals, even at home. Caregivers should use them when cleaning and disinfecting a sick person's bedroom or bathroom. If you need to call 911, put on a mask before medical help arrives.

Some people shouldn't wear masks:

• Kids under 2 years old
• Someone with a disability who can't wear a mask or can't safely wear one to the disability
• A person who has a job in which wearing a mask would create a risk to co-workers' health or safety as determined by the workplace risk assessment

What are the different types of face masks?

You have several options:

Cloth masks are washable and reusable. The best ones have multiple layers of breathable fabric and fit snugly over your nose and mouth. It's a good idea to buy ones that come with a nose wire and are made with fabric that can block light.

Disposable masks , also called surgical masks, are also widely available. Choose ones that have several layers of non-woven material. Pick a size that fits properly over your nose and mouth and comes with a nose wire. Don't wear one that has gaps around the sides of your face or nose, or has wet or dirty material.

N95 respirator masks  fit tightly around your face and filter out 95% or more of the smallest particles in the air. 

It's fine to buy a basic, disposable N95 respirator. Choose one that's high quality and says “NIOSH Approved” on the label.

Is it safe to travel during a pandemic?

Crowded places can raise your chances of getting COVID-19. It’s important to check the status of COVID-19 transmissions in the area where you travel before you go and take the necessary precautions while there.

A few questions may help you decide whether it's safe to travel :

• Is the coronavirus spreading where you're going?
• Will you have close contact with other people during the trip?
• Are you at higher risk of severe illness if you catch the virus?
• Do you live with someone who has a serious medical condition?
• Will the place where you'll be staying be cleaned?
• Will you have access to food and other necessities?

If you choose to travel , stay away from sick people. Wash your hands often, and try not to touch your face. Wear a high-quality cloth face mask when you are around other people. 

How can you help stop the spread of the coronavirus?

Because the virus spreads from person to person , it's important to limit your contact with other people as much as possible. and avoid large gatherings. Most states and cities have lifted restrictions but this doesn't mean the virus is gone. Continue to follow safety practices such as wearing a high-quality cloth face mask in public places and washing your hands.

The following terms have now become commonplace:

• Social distancing or physical distancing, keeping space between yourself and other people when you have to go out
• Quarantine , keeping someone home and separated from other people if they might have been exposed to the virus
• Isolation , keeping sick people away from healthy people, including using a separate “sick” bedroom and bathroom when possible

Precautions should still be followed even if you are vaccinated.

Coronavirus Vaccine

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older be vaccinated. There are four  vaccines , which have been granted FDA approval; Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson. 

Pfizer and Moderna have developed bivalent boosters, which are so named because they protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5

Top health experts have a preference for the type of vaccine that you choose. They recommend that you choose a vaccine made with mRNA (like the ones from Pfizer and Moderna) or DNA like Noravax rather than the J&J vaccine, which is made differently. The recommendation is endorsed by the CDC and comes from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which reviewed the latest evidence on the effectiveness, safety, and rare side effects of the available vaccines.

That said, receiving any COVID-19 vaccine is better than being unvaccinated, experts say.

Booster shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are recommended for everyone 5 years and older at least 2 months after you've gotten your first two doses. 

When it comes to boosters, you don't have to stick with same the vaccine you initially got. For example, if your initial doses came from Moderna, you can get a booster dose from Pfizer.

COVID-19 vaccines were developed at an unprecedented speed, with testing in humans starting in March 2020. The FDA says that no corners were cut to allow for approval and that the inoculations are safe. The CDC has said it is safe for  pregnant  women and there's no evidence that antibodies formed from COVID-19 vaccination cause any problems with pregnancy.

Coronavirus Treatment

There's no specific treatment for COVID-19. People who get a mild case need care to ease their symptoms, like rest, fluids, and fever control. Take over-the-counter medicine for a sore throat, body aches, and fever. But don't give aspirin to children or teens younger than 19.

You might have heard that you shouldn't take ibuprofen to treat COVID-19 symptoms. But the National Institutes of Health says people who have the virus can use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen as usual.

Antibiotics won't help because they treat bacteria, not viruses. In January 2022, the FDA limited the use of two monoclonal treatments that previously were used to treat COVID-19 infections after it was found that they were not effective against the Omicron variant. These two monoclonal antibody treatments are bamlanivimab and etesevimab (administered together) and REGEN-COV ( casirivimab and imdevimab ). Sotrovimab is the only available monoclonal treatment with activity against the Omicron variant. 

Many clinical trials are underway to explore treatments used for other conditions that could fight COVID-19 and to develop new ones.

A variety of steroid medications are being used including dexamethasone which is used to treat conditions such as arthritis, blood/hormone/immune system disorders, and allergic reactions. More studies on effectiveness are still being conducted.

Is there a cure for the coronavirus?

There's no cure yet, but researchers are working hard to find one.

COVID-19 Outlook

Every case is different. You may have mild flu-like symptoms for a few days after exposure, then get better. But some cases can be severe or fatal.

Symptoms can also linger for weeks, even if they're mild.

More than a third of people older than 18 who have signs of the virus aren't totally recovered 2 or 3 weeks later, according to a CDC survey. Fatigue and cough were the symptoms that were most likely to linger.

Some other people who've had COVID-19 develop a condition similar to myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. They may have brain fog, severe fatigue, pain, trouble thinking, or dizziness.

What is the recovery rate for coronavirus?

Scientists and researchers are constantly tracking COVID-19 infections and recoveries. But they don't have information about the outcome of every infection. Early estimates predict that the overall COVID-19 recovery rate will be between 97% and 99.75%.

Can you get the coronavirus multiple times ?

Yes. This is another reason to stay vigilant against becoming infected and transmitting the virus. 

As with other coronaviruses that only cause  colds , you have a period that you're immune, but that goes away over time. That also appears to be the case with this coronavirus. Immunity is estimated to last up to three months.

Having COVID-19 usually results in antibodies which should help protect you from re-infection. But the virus continues to mutate and these changes can lead to new variants which allow the risk for re-infection.

The CDC is investigating how often reinfections occur, who is at higher risk of reinfection, how soon reinfections take place after a previous infection, and the severity of reinfections compared with initial infections.  

Past Coronaviruses

Are coronaviruses new?

Coronaviruses were first identified in the 1960s . Almost everyone gets a coronavirus infection at least once in their life, most likely as a young child. In the United States, regular coronaviruses are more common in the fall and winter, but anyone can come down with a coronavirus infection at any time.

The symptoms of most coronaviruses are similar to any other upper respiratory infection, including a runny nose , coughing , sore throat , and sometimes a fever. In most cases, you won't know whether you have a coronavirus or a different cold-causing virus, such as a rhinovirus. You treat this kind of coronavirus infection the same way you treat a cold.

Have there been other serious coronavirus outbreaks?

Coronaviruses have led to two serious outbreaks:

• Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). About 858 people have died from MERS, which first appeared in Saudi Arabia and then in other countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe. In April 2014, the first American was hospitalized for MERS in Indiana, and another case was reported in Florida. Both had just returned from Saudi Arabia. In May 2015, there was an outbreak of MERS in South Korea, which was the largest outbreak outside of the Arabian Peninsula.
• Severe acute respiratory syndrome  ( SARS ).  In 2003, 774 people died from an outbreak. As of 2015, there were no further reports of cases of SARS.

Top doctors in ,

Find more top doctors on, related links.

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COVID-19 symptoms and what to do

Symptoms of covid-19.

COVID-19 symptoms can include:

• a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
• shortness of breath
• feeling tired or exhausted
• an aching body
• a sore throat
• a blocked or runny nose
• loss of appetite
• feeling sick or being sick

The symptoms are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses, such as colds and flu.

Most people feel better within a few weeks, but it can take longer to recover.

For some people, it can be a more serious illness and their symptoms can last longer.

What to do if you have symptoms of COVID-19

Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you or your child have symptoms and either:

• have a high temperature
• do not feel well enough to go to work, school, childcare, or do your normal activities

You can go back to your normal activities when you feel better or do not have a high temperature.

If your child has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or mild cough, and they feel well enough, they can go to school or childcare.

If you are eligible for treatments for COVID-19, you should take a rapid lateral flow test as soon as you get symptoms.

Find out more about treatments for COVID-19 and who can have them

How to look after COVID-19 symptoms yourself

It’s not always possible to treat COVID-19. But there are things you can do to help ease some of the symptoms, such as a high temperature, a cough and breathlessness.

Do get lots of rest drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (your pee should be light yellow or clear) take paracetamol or ibuprofen if you feel uncomfortable try having a teaspoon of honey if you have a cough – do not give honey to babies under 12 months try turning the heating down or opening a window to help with breathlessness breathe slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth, with your lips together like you're gently blowing out a candle sit upright in a chair to help with breathlessness relax your shoulders, so you're not hunched to help with breathlessness lean forward slightly – support yourself by putting your hands on your knees or on something stable like a chair to help with breathlessness Don’t

do not lie on your back if you have a cough – lie on your side or sit upright instead

do not use a fan to cool your room as it may spread the virus

try not to panic if you're feeling breathless – this can make it worse

Video: tips for breathlessness

Find out how you can help relieve breathlessness.

A pharmacist can help with a cough

If you have a cough, you can ask a pharmacist for advice about cough treatments.

What to do if you have tested positive

If you or your child have tested positive for COVID-19:

• try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day the test was taken if you or your child are under 18 years old – children and young people tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults
• try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days after the day you took your test if you are 18 years old or over
• avoid meeting people who are more likely to get seriously ill from viruses, such as people with a weakened immune system, for 10 days after the day you took your test

You are no longer required to do a COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test if you have symptoms.

Find out more about who can get a free COVID-19 test

Urgent advice: Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

• you're worried about your or a child's COVID-19 symptoms or are not sure what to do
• the symptoms are getting worse or are not getting better
• you or a child have other signs of illness, such as a rash, loss of appetite, or feeling weak
• you or a child have a high temperature that last 5 days or more or does not come down with paracetamol
• a child under 3 months old and has a temperature of 38C or higher, or you think they have a high temperature
• a child 3 to 6 months old and has a temperature of 39C or higher, or you think they have a high temperature

It's particularly important to get help if you're at increased risk of getting ill from COVID-19, such as if you're pregnant, aged 60 or over, or have a weakened immune system.

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online .

Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E if you or a child:

• seems very unwell, is getting worse or you think there's something seriously wrong – children and babies in particular can get unwell very quickly
• get sudden chest pain
• are so breathless you're unable to say short sentences when resting or your breathing has suddenly got worse – in babies their stomach may suck in under their ribs
• start coughing up blood
• collapse, faint, or have a seizure or fit for the first time
• a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis

More information

Read more about how to avoid catching and spreading COVID-19

Read full guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19 on GOV.UK

GOV.UK guidance for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk from COVID-19

Page last reviewed: 21 March 2023 Next review due: 21 March 2026

8 Lessons We Can Learn From the COVID-19 Pandemic

BY KATHY KATELLA May 14, 2021

Note: Information in this article was accurate at the time of original publication. Because information about COVID-19 changes rapidly, we encourage you to visit the websites of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and your state and local government for the latest information.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed life as we know it—and it may have changed us individually as well, from our morning routines to our life goals and priorities. Many say the world has changed forever. But this coming year, if the vaccines drive down infections and variants are kept at bay, life could return to some form of normal. At that point, what will we glean from the past year? Are there silver linings or lessons learned?

“Humanity's memory is short, and what is not ever-present fades quickly,” says Manisha Juthani, MD , a Yale Medicine infectious diseases specialist. The bubonic plague, for example, ravaged Europe in the Middle Ages—resurfacing again and again—but once it was under control, people started to forget about it, she says. “So, I would say one major lesson from a public health or infectious disease perspective is that it’s important to remember and recognize our history. This is a period we must remember.”

We asked our Yale Medicine experts to weigh in on what they think are lessons worth remembering, including those that might help us survive a future virus or nurture a resilience that could help with life in general.

Lesson 1: Masks are useful tools

What happened: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) relaxed its masking guidance for those who have been fully vaccinated. But when the pandemic began, it necessitated a global effort to ensure that everyone practiced behaviors to keep themselves healthy and safe—and keep others healthy as well. This included the widespread wearing of masks indoors and outside.

What we’ve learned: Not everyone practiced preventive measures such as mask wearing, maintaining a 6-foot distance, and washing hands frequently. But, Dr. Juthani says, “I do think many people have learned a whole lot about respiratory pathogens and viruses, and how they spread from one person to another, and that sort of old-school common sense—you know, if you don’t feel well—whether it’s COVID-19 or not—you don’t go to the party. You stay home.”

Masks are a case in point. They are a key COVID-19 prevention strategy because they provide a barrier that can keep respiratory droplets from spreading. Mask-wearing became more common across East Asia after the 2003 SARS outbreak in that part of the world. “There are many East Asian cultures where the practice is still that if you have a cold or a runny nose, you put on a mask,” Dr. Juthani says.

She hopes attitudes in the U.S. will shift in that direction after COVID-19. “I have heard from a number of people who are amazed that we've had no flu this year—and they know masks are one of the reasons,” she says. “They’ve told me, ‘When the winter comes around, if I'm going out to the grocery store, I may just put on a mask.’”

Lesson 2: Telehealth might become the new normal

What happened: Doctors and patients who have used telehealth (technology that allows them to conduct medical care remotely), found it can work well for certain appointments, ranging from cardiology check-ups to therapy for a mental health condition. Many patients who needed a medical test have also discovered it may be possible to substitute a home version.

What we’ve learned: While there are still problems for which you need to see a doctor in person, the pandemic introduced a new urgency to what had been a gradual switchover to platforms like Zoom for remote patient visits. 

More doctors also encouraged patients to track their blood pressure at home , and to use at-home equipment for such purposes as diagnosing sleep apnea and even testing for colon cancer . Doctors also can fine-tune cochlear implants remotely .

“It happened very quickly,” says Sharon Stoll, DO, a neurologist. One group that has benefitted is patients who live far away, sometimes in other parts of the country—or even the world, she says. “I always like to see my patients at least twice a year. Now, we can see each other in person once a year, and if issues come up, we can schedule a telehealth visit in-between,” Dr. Stoll says. “This way I may hear about an issue before it becomes a problem, because my patients have easier access to me, and I have easier access to them.”

Meanwhile, insurers are becoming more likely to cover telehealth, Dr. Stoll adds. “That is a silver lining that will hopefully continue.”

Lesson 3: Vaccines are powerful tools

What happened: Given the recent positive results from vaccine trials, once again vaccines are proving to be powerful for preventing disease.

What we’ve learned: Vaccines really are worth getting, says Dr. Stoll, who had COVID-19 and experienced lingering symptoms, including chronic headaches . “I have lots of conversations—and sometimes arguments—with people about vaccines,” she says. Some don’t like the idea of side effects. “I had vaccine side effects and I’ve had COVID-19 side effects, and I say nothing compares to the actual illness. Unfortunately, I speak from experience.”

Dr. Juthani hopes the COVID-19 vaccine spotlight will motivate people to keep up with all of their vaccines, including childhood and adult vaccines for such diseases as measles , chicken pox, shingles , and other viruses. She says people have told her they got the flu vaccine this year after skipping it in previous years. (The CDC has reported distributing an exceptionally high number of doses this past season.)  

But, she cautions that a vaccine is not a magic bullet—and points out that scientists can’t always produce one that works. “As advanced as science is, there have been multiple failed efforts to develop a vaccine against the HIV virus,” she says. “This time, we were lucky that we were able build on the strengths that we've learned from many other vaccine development strategies to develop multiple vaccines for COVID-19 .” 

Lesson 4: Everyone is not treated equally, especially in a pandemic

What happened: COVID-19 magnified disparities that have long been an issue for a variety of people.

What we’ve learned: Racial and ethnic minority groups especially have had disproportionately higher rates of hospitalization for COVID-19 than non-Hispanic white people in every age group, and many other groups faced higher levels of risk or stress. These groups ranged from working mothers who also have primary responsibility for children, to people who have essential jobs, to those who live in rural areas where there is less access to health care.

“One thing that has been recognized is that when people were told to work from home, you needed to have a job that you could do in your house on a computer,” says Dr. Juthani. “Many people who were well off were able do that, but they still needed to have food, which requires grocery store workers and truck drivers. Nursing home residents still needed certified nursing assistants coming to work every day to care for them and to bathe them.”  

As far as racial inequities, Dr. Juthani cites President Biden’s appointment of Yale Medicine’s Marcella Nunez-Smith, MD, MHS , as inaugural chair of a federal COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. “Hopefully the new focus is a first step,” Dr. Juthani says.

Lesson 5: We need to take mental health seriously

What happened: There was a rise in reported mental health problems that have been described as “a second pandemic,” highlighting mental health as an issue that needs to be addressed.

What we’ve learned: Arman Fesharaki-Zadeh, MD, PhD , a behavioral neurologist and neuropsychiatrist, believes the number of mental health disorders that were on the rise before the pandemic is surging as people grapple with such matters as juggling work and childcare, job loss, isolation, and losing a loved one to COVID-19.

The CDC reports that the percentage of adults who reported symptoms of anxiety of depression in the past 7 days increased from 36.4 to 41.5 % from August 2020 to February 2021. Other reports show that having COVID-19 may contribute, too, with its lingering or long COVID symptoms, which can include “foggy mind,” anxiety , depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder .

 “We’re seeing these problems in our clinical setting very, very often,” Dr. Fesharaki-Zadeh says. “By virtue of necessity, we can no longer ignore this. We're seeing these folks, and we have to take them seriously.”

Lesson 6: We have the capacity for resilience

What happened: While everyone’s situation is different­­ (and some people have experienced tremendous difficulties), many have seen that it’s possible to be resilient in a crisis.

What we’ve learned: People have practiced self-care in a multitude of ways during the pandemic as they were forced to adjust to new work schedules, change their gym routines, and cut back on socializing. Many started seeking out new strategies to counter the stress.

“I absolutely believe in the concept of resilience, because we have this effective reservoir inherent in all of us—be it the product of evolution, or our ancestors going through catastrophes, including wars, famines, and plagues,” Dr. Fesharaki-Zadeh says. “I think inherently, we have the means to deal with crisis. The fact that you and I are speaking right now is the result of our ancestors surviving hardship. I think resilience is part of our psyche. It's part of our DNA, essentially.”

Dr. Fesharaki-Zadeh believes that even small changes are highly effective tools for creating resilience. The changes he suggests may sound like the same old advice: exercise more, eat healthy food, cut back on alcohol, start a meditation practice, keep up with friends and family. “But this is evidence-based advice—there has been research behind every one of these measures,” he says.

But we have to also be practical, he notes. “If you feel overwhelmed by doing too many things, you can set a modest goal with one new habit—it could be getting organized around your sleep. Once you’ve succeeded, move on to another one. Then you’re building momentum.”

Lesson 7: Community is essential—and technology is too

What happened: People who were part of a community during the pandemic realized the importance of human connection, and those who didn’t have that kind of support realized they need it.

What we’ve learned: Many of us have become aware of how much we need other people—many have managed to maintain their social connections, even if they had to use technology to keep in touch, Dr. Juthani says. “There's no doubt that it's not enough, but even that type of community has helped people.”

Even people who aren’t necessarily friends or family are important. Dr. Juthani recalled how she encouraged her mail carrier to sign up for the vaccine, soon learning that the woman’s mother and husband hadn’t gotten it either. “They are all vaccinated now,” Dr. Juthani says. “So, even by word of mouth, community is a way to make things happen.”

It’s important to note that some people are naturally introverted and may have enjoyed having more solitude when they were forced to stay at home—and they should feel comfortable with that, Dr. Fesharaki-Zadeh says. “I think one has to keep temperamental tendencies like this in mind.”

But loneliness has been found to suppress the immune system and be a precursor to some diseases, he adds. “Even for introverted folks, the smallest circle is preferable to no circle at all,” he says.

Lesson 8: Sometimes you need a dose of humility

What happened: Scientists and nonscientists alike learned that a virus can be more powerful than they are. This was evident in the way knowledge about the virus changed over time in the past year as scientific investigation of it evolved.

What we’ve learned: “As infectious disease doctors, we were resident experts at the beginning of the pandemic because we understand pathogens in general, and based on what we’ve seen in the past, we might say there are certain things that are likely to be true,” Dr. Juthani says. “But we’ve seen that we have to take these pathogens seriously. We know that COVID-19 is not the flu. All these strokes and clots, and the loss of smell and taste that have gone on for months are things that we could have never known or predicted. So, you have to have respect for the unknown and respect science, but also try to give scientists the benefit of the doubt,” she says.

“We have been doing the best we can with the knowledge we have, in the time that we have it,” Dr. Juthani says. “I think most of us have had to have the humility to sometimes say, ‘I don't know. We're learning as we go.’"

Information provided in Yale Medicine articles is for general informational purposes only. No content in the articles should ever be used as a substitute for medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Always seek the individual advice of your health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition.

More news from Yale Medicine

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 .

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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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Long COVID: Lasting effects of COVID-19

Some people continue to experience health problems long after having COVID-19. Understand the possible symptoms and risk factors for post-COVID-19 syndrome.

After any coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness, no matter how serious, some people report that symptoms stay for months. This lingering illness has often been called long COVID or post-COVID-19 syndrome. You might hear it called long-haul COVID or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC).

There is no universal definition of long COVID right now.

In the U.S., some experts have defined long COVID as a long-lasting, called chronic, condition triggered by the virus that causes COVID-19. The medical term for this is an infection-associated chronic condition.

As researchers learn more about long COVID, this definition may change.

What are the most common symptoms of long COVID?

In research studies, more than 200 symptoms have been linked to long COVID. Symptoms may stay the same over time, get worse, or go away and come back.

Common symptoms of long COVID include:

• Extreme tiredness, especially after activity.
• Problems with memory, often called brain fog.
• A feeling of being lightheaded or dizzy.
• Problems with taste or smell.

Other symptoms of long COVID include:

• Sleep problems.
• Shortness of breath.
• Fast or irregular heartbeat.
• Digestion problems, such as loose stools, constipation or bloating.

Some people with long COVID may have other illnesses. Diseases caused or made worse by long COVID include migraine, lung disease, autoimmune disease and chronic kidney disease.

Diseases that people may be diagnosed with due to long COVID include:

• Heart disease.
• Mood disorders.
• Stroke or blood clots.
• Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, also called POTS.
• Myalgic encephalomyelitis-chronic fatigue syndrome, also called ME-CFS.
• Mast cell activation syndrome.
• Fibromyalgia.
• Hyperlipidemia.

People can get long COVID symptoms after catching the COVID-19 virus even if they never had COVID-19 symptoms. Also, long COVID symptoms can show up weeks or months after a person seems to have recovered.

And while the COVID-19 virus spreads from person to person, long COVID is not contagious and doesn't spread between people.

Why does COVID-19 cause ongoing health problems?

Current research has found that long COVID is a chronic condition triggered by the virus that causes COVID-19. The medical term for this is an infection-associated chronic condition.

Researchers don't know exactly how COVID-19 causes long-term illness, but they have some ideas. Theories include:

• The virus that causes COVID-19 upsets immune system communication. This could lead immune cells to mistake the body's own cells as a threat and react to them, called an autoimmune reaction.
• Having COVID-19 awakens viruses that haven't been cleared out of the body.
• The coronavirus infection upsets the gut's ecosystem.
• The virus may be able to survive in the gut and spread from there.
• The virus affects the cells that line blood vessels.
• The virus damages communication in the brain stem or a nerve that controls automatic functions in the body, called the vagus nerve.

Because the virus that causes COVID-19 continues to change, researchers can't say how many people have been affected by long COVID. Some researchers have estimated that 10% to 35% of people who have had COVID-19 went on to have long COVID.

What are the risk factors for long COVID?

Risk factors for long COVID are just starting to be known. In general, most research finds that long COVID is diagnosed more often in females of any age than in males. The long COVID risk also may be higher for people who have cardiovascular disease before getting sick.

Some research also shows that getting a COVID-19 vaccine may help prevent long COVID.

Many other factors may raise or lower your risk of long COVID, but research is still ongoing.

What should I do if I have long COVID symptoms?

See a healthcare professional if you have long COVID symptoms. Part of long COVID's definition is symptoms that last for three months.

But at this time, no test can say whether you have long COVID. Since you may not have symptoms if you have an infection with the COVID-19 virus, you may not know you had it. Some people have mild symptoms and don't take a COVID-19 test. Others may have had COVID-19 before testing was common.

Long COVID symptoms may come and go or be constant. They also can start any time after you had COVID-19. But symptoms still need to be documented for at least three months in order for a health care professional to diagnose long COVID.

Healthcare professionals may treat your symptoms or conditions before a long COVID-19 diagnosis. And they may work to rule out other conditions over the time you start having symptoms.

Your healthcare team might do lab tests, such as a complete blood count or liver function test. You might have other tests or procedures, such as chest X-rays, based on your symptoms.

The information you give and any test results can help your healthcare professional come up with a treatment plan.

Care for long COVID

It can be hard to get care for long COVID. Treatment may be delayed while you work with healthcare professionals. And people with long COVID may have their health problems dismissed by others, including healthcare professionals, family members or employers.

For people with cultural or language barriers, getting a long COVID diagnosis can be even harder. Pulling together information about symptoms and timing can be a challenge too. This is especially true when medical history is fragmented or when someone is managing symptoms related to memory or that affect the thought process.

Underdiagnosis may be more common among people who have less access to healthcare or who have limited financial resources.

If you're having long COVID symptoms, talk with your healthcare professional. It can help to have your medical records available before the appointment if you are starting to get care at a new medical office.

To prepare for your appointment, write down:

• When your symptoms started and if they come and go.
• What makes your symptoms worse.
• How your symptoms affect your activities.
• Questions you have about your illness.

List medicines and anything else you take, including nutrition supplements and pain medicine that you can get without a prescription. Some people find it helpful to bring a trusted person to the appointment to take notes.

Keep visit summaries and your notes in one place. That can help you track what actions you need to take or what you've already tried to treat your symptoms.

Also, you might find it helpful to connect with others in a support group and share resources.

How long can long COVID last?

The conditions linked as part of long COVID may get better over months or may last for years.

What treatment is available for long COVID?

Healthcare professionals treat long COVID based on the symptoms. For tiredness, your healthcare professional may suggest that you be active only as long as your symptoms stay stable. If you start to feel worse, rest and don't push through your tiredness.

For symptoms of pain, breathlessness or brain fog, work with your healthcare professional to find a treatment plan that works for you. That may include medicine you can get without a prescription for pain, prescription medicine, supplements and referrals to other healthcare team members.

For loss of taste or smell, a process to retrain the nerves involved in those processes may help some people. The process is called olfactory training. For people with POTS or a fast heartbeat, the healthcare professional may suggest prescription medicine as well as a plan to stay hydrated.

Treatment for other long COVID symptoms may be available so contact your healthcare professional for options.

Next steps for Long COVID

Long COVID makes life more difficult for many people. To provide better options for care, research is going on to better understand this illness. In the meantime, adults or children with long COVID may be able to get support for daily activities affected by the illness.

• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. A Long COVID Definition: A Chronic, Systemic Disease State with Profound Consequences. National Academies Press; 2024. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27768/a-long-covid-definition-a-chronic-systemic-disease-state-with. Accessed Aug. 7, 2024.
• Oelsner EC, et al. Epidemiologic features of recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection. JAMA Network Open. 2024; doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17440
• Long COVID basics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/index.html. Accessed June 19, 2024.
• Living with long COVID. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/care-post-covid.html. Accessed June 19, 2024.
• Post-COVID syndrome. AskMayoExpert. 2023.

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Effects of COVID-19 pandemic in daily life

Dear Editor,

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has affected day to day life and is slowing down the global economy. This pandemic has affected thousands of peoples, who are either sick or are being killed due to the spread of this disease. The most common symptoms of this viral infection are fever, cold, cough, bone pain and breathing problems, and ultimately leading to pneumonia. This, being a new viral disease affecting humans for the first time, vaccines are not yet available. Thus, the emphasis is on taking extensive precautions such as extensive hygiene protocol (e.g., regularly washing of hands, avoidance of face to face interaction etc.), social distancing, and wearing of masks, and so on. This virus is spreading exponentially region wise. Countries are banning gatherings of people to the spread and break the exponential curve. 1 , 2 Many countries are locking their population and enforcing strict quarantine to control the spread of the havoc of this highly communicable disease.

COVID-19 has rapidly affected our day to day life, businesses, disrupted the world trade and movements. Identification of the disease at an early stage is vital to control the spread of the virus because it very rapidly spreads from person to person. Most of the countries have slowed down their manufacturing of the products. 3 , 4 The various industries and sectors are affected by the cause of this disease; these include the pharmaceuticals industry, solar power sector, tourism, Information and electronics industry. This virus creates significant knock-on effects on the daily life of citizens, as well as about the global economy.

Presently the impacts of COVID-19 in daily life are extensive and have far reaching consequences. These can be divided into various categories:

• • Challenges in the diagnosis, quarantine and treatment of suspected or confirmed cases
• • High burden of the functioning of the existing medical system
• • Patients with other disease and health problems are getting neglected
• • Overload on doctors and other healthcare professionals, who are at a very high risk
• • Overloading of medical shops
• • Requirement for high protection
• • Disruption of medical supply chain
• • Slowing of the manufacturing of essential goods
• • Disrupt the supply chain of products
• • Losses in national and international business
• • Poor cash flow in the market
• • Significant slowing down in the revenue growth
• • Service sector is not being able to provide their proper service
• • Cancellation or postponement of large-scale sports and tournaments
• • Avoiding the national and international travelling and cancellation of services
• • Disruption of celebration of cultural, religious and festive events
• • Undue stress among the population
• • Social distancing with our peers and family members
• • Closure of the hotels, restaurants and religious places
• • Closure of places for entertainment such as movie and play theatres, sports clubs, gymnasiums, swimming pools, and so on.
• • Postponement of examinations

This COVID-19 has affected the sources of supply and effects the global economy. There are restrictions of travelling from one country to another country. During travelling, numbers of cases are identified positive when tested, especially when they are taking international visits. 5 All governments, health organisations and other authorities are continuously focussing on identifying the cases affected by the COVID-19. Healthcare professional face lot of difficulties in maintaining the quality of healthcare in these days.

Declaration of competing interest

None declared.

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'America's Got Talent' alum Jay Jay Phillips dies after battle with COVID-19, band says

"America's Got Talent" alum Jay Jay Phillips died after becoming ill with COVID-19, his band said in an Instagram statement Friday.

"It is with great sadness we inform you all of the loss of our bandmate/brother/and friend @jayjayrocks. It still doesn’t feel real and we would give anything to change it," the message from Mettal Maffia read.

"Please respect the family, as well as our wishes as we take our time to grieve and process this detrimental loss. We miss you brother, every second of every minute, of every day. Thank you for teaching us all to laugh a little more. Rock in Paradise."

Deadline and other outlets have reported that the heavy-metal keyboardist was not vaccinated against COVID-19.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CW5k6nuLH-u

Phillips appeared on season four in 2009 of the television competition series, which airs on NBC. He was eliminated and then came back for season 12 in 2017 but was cut before the quarterfinals.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com .

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Impact of COVID-19 on people's livelihoods, their health and our food systems

Joint statement by ilo, fao, ifad and who.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and presents an unprecedented challenge to public health, food systems and the world of work. The economic and social disruption caused by the pandemic is devastating: tens of millions of people are at risk of falling into extreme poverty, while the number of undernourished people, currently estimated at nearly 690 million, could increase by up to 132 million by the end of the year.

Millions of enterprises face an existential threat. Nearly half of the world’s 3.3 billion global workforce are at risk of losing their livelihoods. Informal economy workers are particularly vulnerable because the majority lack social protection and access to quality health care and have lost access to productive assets. Without the means to earn an income during lockdowns, many are unable to feed themselves and their families. For most, no income means no food, or, at best, less food and less nutritious food. 

The pandemic has been affecting the entire food system and has laid bare its fragility. Border closures, trade restrictions and confinement measures have been preventing farmers from accessing markets, including for buying inputs and selling their produce, and agricultural workers from harvesting crops, thus disrupting domestic and international food supply chains and reducing access to healthy, safe and diverse diets. The pandemic has decimated jobs and placed millions of livelihoods at risk. As breadwinners lose jobs, fall ill and die, the food security and nutrition of millions of women and men are under threat, with those in low-income countries, particularly the most marginalized populations, which include small-scale farmers and indigenous peoples, being hardest hit.

Millions of agricultural workers – waged and self-employed – while feeding the world, regularly face high levels of working poverty, malnutrition and poor health, and suffer from a lack of safety and labour protection as well as other types of abuse. With low and irregular incomes and a lack of social support, many of them are spurred to continue working, often in unsafe conditions, thus exposing themselves and their families to additional risks. Further, when experiencing income losses, they may resort to negative coping strategies, such as distress sale of assets, predatory loans or child labour. Migrant agricultural workers are particularly vulnerable, because they face risks in their transport, working and living conditions and struggle to access support measures put in place by governments. Guaranteeing the safety and health of all agri-food workers – from primary producers to those involved in food processing, transport and retail, including street food vendors – as well as better incomes and protection, will be critical to saving lives and protecting public health, people’s livelihoods and food security.

In the COVID-19 crisis food security, public health, and employment and labour issues, in particular workers’ health and safety, converge. Adhering to workplace safety and health practices and ensuring access to decent work and the protection of labour rights in all industries will be crucial in addressing the human dimension of the crisis. Immediate and purposeful action to save lives and livelihoods should include extending social protection towards universal health coverage and income support for those most affected. These include workers in the informal economy and in poorly protected and low-paid jobs, including youth, older workers, and migrants. Particular attention must be paid to the situation of women, who are over-represented in low-paid jobs and care roles. Different forms of support are key, including cash transfers, child allowances and healthy school meals, shelter and food relief initiatives, support for employment retention and recovery, and financial relief for businesses, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. In designing and implementing such measures it is essential that governments work closely with employers and workers.

Countries dealing with existing humanitarian crises or emergencies are particularly exposed to the effects of COVID-19. Responding swiftly to the pandemic, while ensuring that humanitarian and recovery assistance reaches those most in need, is critical.

Now is the time for global solidarity and support, especially with the most vulnerable in our societies, particularly in the emerging and developing world. Only together can we overcome the intertwined health and social and economic impacts of the pandemic and prevent its escalation into a protracted humanitarian and food security catastrophe, with the potential loss of already achieved development gains.

We must recognize this opportunity to build back better, as noted in the Policy Brief issued by the United Nations Secretary-General. We are committed to pooling our expertise and experience to support countries in their crisis response measures and efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. We need to develop long-term sustainable strategies to address the challenges facing the health and agri-food sectors. Priority should be given to addressing underlying food security and malnutrition challenges, tackling rural poverty, in particular through more and better jobs in the rural economy, extending social protection to all, facilitating safe migration pathways and promoting the formalization of the informal economy.

We must rethink the future of our environment and tackle climate change and environmental degradation with ambition and urgency. Only then can we protect the health, livelihoods, food security and nutrition of all people, and ensure that our ‘new normal’ is a better one.

Media Contacts

Kimberly Chriscaden

Communications Officer World Health Organization

Nutrition and Food Safety (NFS) and COVID-19