It’s crazy to think about how Covid-19 started shutdown in the United States approximately a year ago. However, it’s even crazier to think that Covid-19 is still around and is still spreading to people everywhere. In this way, it is important to know the science behind the virus, while also knowing that there is hope for the future. SARS-CoV-2 is a single virus particle that is about 80 nanometers in diameter. This virus belongs to the coronavirus family. In terms of structure, each virion is a sphere of protein. On the inside of the sphere the RNA (the viruses genetic code is found). The outside of the sphere is covered in spiky protrusions enveloped in a layer of fat. This virus spreads through respiratory droplets and scientists believe at this point that the closest relative of this virus is a bat, as they share 96% of its genome. This virus gets into humans by attaching to the ACE2 protein located on the surface of human cells. This allows the virus’s genetic code to enter into the cell, allowing the virus to change the way the ACE2 cell initially produced proteins. Instead, more virions are produced, which can easily go and infect other healthy cells, allowing for the spread of this virion between cells - easily. In addition, the genetic code also codes for certain things that allow the virus to spread. Those codes tell the cell to prevent sending out signals to the immune system, release the newly made virions so the virus can spread, and as well as to help the virus resist the host cells immunity. This all causes the zoonotic disease of Covid-19 or coronavirus. The immune system tries to fight off this disease through fevers (to burn the virus with heat) or through the white blood cells (who serve a purpose to eat and destroy cells infected with the virion and also create antibodies that can prevent virions from infecting host cells). This allows for a wide range of symptoms, and the range of severity of the disease between patient to patient. Some of the common symptoms include: fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, head/muscle aches, nausea and much more. Most coronavirus infections cause a mild illness but SARS-CoV-2 can cause a much more severe respiratory illness that can result in pneumonia which can result in death. Globally, 2.65 million people worldwide have died due to being impacted by coronavirus. This disease is deadly, and has affected many lives worldwide. However, there is hope as vaccines have come available to the public. Although, they are in high demand, so they are very hard to actually attain and since the whole world needs them, not everyone can get them immediately. Even getting the vaccine doesn’t guarantee that the person can’t get Covid-19 completely. However, having the vaccine helps protect oneself and it will be interesting to see how fast they are able to distribute the vaccine so that we can carry on to normal life.
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