What is Covid-19: Definition and 116 Discussions

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The disease has since spread worldwide, leading to an ongoing pandemic.Symptoms of COVID-19 are variable, but often include fever, cough, headache, fatigue, breathing difficulties, and loss of smell and taste. Symptoms may begin one to fourteen days after exposure to the virus. At least a third of people who are infected do not develop noticeable symptoms. Of those people who develop noticeable symptoms enough to be classed as patients, most (81%) develop mild to moderate symptoms (up to mild pneumonia), while 14% develop severe symptoms (dyspnea, hypoxia, or more than 50% lung involvement on imaging), and 5% suffer critical symptoms (respiratory failure, shock, or multiorgan dysfunction). Older people are at a higher risk of developing severe symptoms. Some people continue to experience a range of effects (long COVID) for months after recovery, and damage to organs has been observed. Multi-year studies are underway to further investigate the long-term effects of the disease.Transmission of COVID-19 occurs when people are exposed to virus-containing respiratory droplets and airborne particles exhaled by an infected person. Those particles may be inhaled or may reach the mouth, nose, or eyes of a person through touching or direct deposition (i.e. being coughed on). The risk of infection is highest when people are in close proximity for a long time, but particles can be inhaled over longer distances, particularly indoors in poorly ventilated and crowded spaces. In those conditions small particles can remain suspended in the air for minutes to hours. Touching a contaminated surface or object may lead to infection although this does not contribute substantially to transmission. People who are infected can transmit the virus to another person up to two days before they themselves show symptoms, as can people who do not experience symptoms. People remain infectious for up to ten days after the onset of symptoms in moderate cases and up to twenty days in severe cases.Several testing methods have been developed to diagnose the disease. The standard diagnostic method is by detection of the virus' nucleic acid by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR), transcription-mediated amplification (TMA), or by reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) from a nasopharyngeal swab.
Preventive measures include physical or social distancing, quarantining, ventilation of indoor spaces, covering coughs and sneezes, hand washing, and keeping unwashed hands away from the face. The use of face masks or coverings has been recommended in public settings to minimize the risk of transmissions.
While work is underway to develop drugs that inhibit the virus (and several vaccines for it have been approved and distributed in various countries, which have since initiated mass vaccination campaigns), the primary treatment is symptomatic. Management involves the treatment of symptoms, supportive care, isolation, and experimental measures.

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  1. Astronuc

    COVID Why do some COVID-19 patients die? New research reveals shocking cause

    NBC News - 'Breakthrough finding' reveals why certain Covid-19 patients die https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/breakthrough-finding-reveals-why-certain-covid-19-patients-die-n1247576 Is this a major step in understanding how the virus works and eventually finding an improved...
  2. V

    COVID What helps to shorten the time to cure a Covid-19 patient?

    Let's say, I have a moderate course of Covid-19 in my lungs. I suppose, if I will not be warm and calm, it is possible Covid can change to a worse course and spread more in my body. Is it true? But what can I do extra to avoid spreading in my bode or prevent irreversible damage of my organs if I...
  3. A

    COVID Question on initial viral load and disease progression of Covid-19

    What is the rate of Covid-19 infection compared to the rate of immune response? Faster, slower? Consider two scenarios: Scenario 1: Small initial exposure to Covid-19. Person is briefly exposed to Covid. They perhaps touch infected surface and touch inside of their nose. Scenario 2...
  4. jim mcnamara

    COVID Younger Covid-19 patients - long haulers

    https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.10.14.20212555v1 This is a link to the abstract - the pdf preprint has a link on the same page. Long-haulers are patients who have severe to very moderate symptoms. When they are post infection some contiue having stroing symptoms. These are...
  5. T

    COVID Vitamin D and COVID-19, it helps

    Published Sep. 25, 2020 in PLOS ONE: Vitamin D sufficiency, a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D at least 30 ng/mL reduced risk for adverse clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19 infection Vitamin D [1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D; 1,25(OH)2D] blood level should be 30-55ng/ml for safe effectiveness. The...
  6. jim mcnamara

    COVID Covid-19 described pathology: a new extent

    https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/most-hospitalized-covid-patients-have-neurological-symptoms-study-says-n1242143 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/acn3.51210 The scope of pathological effects of a Covid-19 infection is very diverse, ranging from asymptomatic to three...
  7. jim mcnamara

    COVID Myocarditis and asymptomatic Covid-19 in college athletes

    https://directorsblog.nih.gov/2020/10/01/covid-19-can-damage-hearts-of-some-college-athletes/ Myocarditis (heart damage and inflammation) was found in a study group of 25 male & female college athletes. This population tested positive for Covid-19, but were asymptomatic. 4 males in the group...
  8. T

    COVID Flawed interferon response spurs severe COVID-19

    from: Science magazine: "...in a significant minority of patients with serious COVID-19, the interferon response has been crippled by genetic flaws or by rogue antibodies that attack interferon itself. And appears to be related to a flawed X chromosome that creates antibodies to type I...
  9. Wrichik Basu

    COVID Experiences of COVID-19 warriors

    Recently, we have had threads related to COVID-19 like containment efforts, vaccine progress, impact on jobs, etc. But I could not find a thread where people can share their experiences when they, or someone they know, have contracted the virus and recovered from the disease. So, if you...
  10. jim mcnamara

    COVID Estimating asymptomatic COVID-19 infections and policy effects

    If you want to critique this meta-analysis of case studies, please read the article. First. PLOS is open access. Anyone can see it. Note the ability to see the peer review process, which is interesting. "Occurrence and transmission potential of asymptomatic and presymptomatic SARS-CoV-2...
  11. jim mcnamara

    COVID Possible title: Could Tiny Ab8 Antibodies Hold the Key to Curing Covid-19?

    Paper preprint- accepted by Cell: Journal (Pre-proof) High potency of a bivalent human VH domain in SARS-CoV-2 animal models Wei Li, Alexandra Schäfer, Swarali S. Kulkarni, Xianglei Liu, David R. Martinez,Chuan Chen, Zehua Sun, Sarah R. Leist, Aleksandra Drelich, Liyong Zhang, MarcinL. Ura...
  12. N

    COVID Covid-19: How Was the Name Derived?

    How was the name Covid-19 derived?
  13. kadiot

    COVID On the report from Hong Kong of possible reinfection of COVID-19

    However, it is unclear if the patient got clinically sick both times, had mild or severe disease, had comorbid illnesses, was immunocompromised, or received immunosuppressive drugs. We have good data that infection produces neutralizing antibodies and T-cell immunity in most patients. We do...
  14. Andrew Mason

    COVID Various approaches to new anti-viral drugs to treat COVID-19

    There have been a number of approaches taken in developing drugs to combat the SARS-CoV-2 virus: 1. Interfering with the viral RdRP polymerase so the virus cannot replicate its RNA (Remdesivir, EIDD-2801, Galidesivir) (see: this thread) 2. Preventing the virus from attaching to the ACE2...
  15. bhobba

    COVID COVID-19 Vaccine Progress: Are We Ready for Rollout in Australia?

    We are starting to reach the stage when vaccines will be rolled out. I thought it was time to start a thread specifically on the state of play. Just an hour ago the following was published by an Australian newspaper (my precis): 'A vaccine will be available in Australia from the middle of...
  16. jim mcnamara

    COVID Covid-19 Partial existing immunity in unexposed populations

    Selective and cross-reactive SARS-CoV-2 T cell epitopes in unexposed humans Science 04 Aug 2020: eabd3871 DOI: 10.1126/science.abd3871 URL: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/08/04/science.abd3871 The Coronavirus family of viruses is a cause of multiple human illnesses...
  17. S

    Face shield bleach disinfection

    Faceshield or respirators are getting to be as common as masks in public. What kind of bleach in basin can theoretically kill the Covid virus? What should be the concentration of bleach and now does it kill it?
  18. .Scott

    COVID Medical Science, Medical Ethics, COVID-19

    There is a COVID-19 issue that has been brewing for at least a couple of months: Is the primary COVID-19 communication vector aerosols? But only in the past couple of weeks has this issue started to come to a boil - as in this article...
  19. U

    Admissions COVID-19 and Physics Graduate Admissions

    Several universities say that taking courses pass/no-pass or credit/no-credit during terms disrupted by COVID-19 will not necessarily harm those applying to their graduate program. There are also more open-ended invitations for applicants to discuss how the pandemic has impacted their lives. In...
  20. T

    COVID Current COVID-19 widespread mutation is more infectious than the original

    Yup, it's mutated to be more contagious and has a higher viral load in patients, but does NOT change the severity of symptoms. It is a mutation that was noted back in Feb., 2020 of the original version from China, it has spread worldwide. 52 page research article in Cell ...
  21. Andrew Mason

    COVID Remdesivir - a possible treatment for COVID-19?

    For anyone following Remdesivir as a treatment for COVID 19: this New England Journal of Medicine report on Gilead's remdesivir and this NIH/NCBI article explain how it works. The NIH paper has a nice chart showing how different drugs might interfere with viral replication. The recent phase 3...
  22. Wrichik Basu

    Efficacy of sanitizers against SARS-CoV-2 based on alcohol content

    Ethanol and 2-propanol (hereafter abbreviated "IPA") are the two alcohols that are used in hand-sanitizers. As per the standards set by WHO, the recommended levels are 80% (v/v) of ethanol and 75% (v/v) for IPA, along with other components like glycerol and hydrogen peroxide. Refer to the...
  23. T

    COVID W/Photo - Women survives COVID-19 w/Double Lung Transplant

    A good reason to avoid COVID-19! https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/lung-from-covid-19-patient/
  24. jim mcnamara

    COVID Another idea on Covid-19 fatalities, Vitamin K serum levels

    Please read this first -- Popular link: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jun/05/vitamin-k-could-help-fight-coronavirus-study-suggests It does not list the original paper. It seems to me to be...
  25. S

    COVID Effect of Covid-19 on architecture

    Will the Covid-19 pandemic have an effect on architecture? Speculations: 1. Buildings for restaurants, banks, and other retail businesses will be designed to provide ample drive-up service. 2. Factories will be designed to provide "social distancing" between employees. 3. The porches and...
  26. T

    COVID Guide to Designing Low Cost Ventilators for COVID-19

    It's a 15 minute video showing and explaining some of the non-obvious reasons that the $50 ventilators don't work. For some of the low-cost designs see: https://makerfaire.com/maker/entry/71747/ Cheers, Tom
  27. E

    COVID Is COVID-19 Really Airborne? The Story of a Scientific Debate

    Is COVID-19 aerosolized like the flu and common cold? Or is it only transmitted through sneeze and cough droplets?
  28. mktsgm

    Is Sars-Cov2 cytolytic or cytopathic?

    We know viral infections result in cellular damage while they're replicating in the host cells.. Damage can be cytolytic or cytopathic. I want to know how Sars-cov2 causes such damage? Is it cytopathic or cytolytic? Do they (viruses) kill the host cells or just damage them?
  29. J

    Coronavirus reported cases/deaths pattern (why fewer on weekends?)

    Maybe this is a dumb question, but why are there fewer reported Covid-19 cases and deaths on weekends?
  30. jim mcnamara

    COVID Covid-19 in nursing homes- fatalities seem high

    https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/nmdoh-nearly-50-nursing-home-patients-have-died-from-covid-19-in-new-mexico/5715015/ New Mexico(USA) as of 29 April had 48 deaths out of 166 positive tests. All were nursing home patients, and a majority of the fatalities are clustered in two nursing home...
  31. neilparker62

    COVID Is low dose radiation therapy a potential treatment for COVID-19?

    https://www.thegreenjournal.com/article/S0167-8140(20)30185-7/fulltext What's the relevant science here ? Would just like to hear a bit more as to whether it holds out any meaningful prospects for treatment of Covid 19.
  32. MUZE

    COVID Solutions for Covid-19 related problems and no one to tell?

    In the search to submit my solution to save Covid-19 tests to the right people, I was not able to find out if sharing a Covid-19 spit test is even possible? I have tried to give the solution to different agencies including the CDC at various points of contact. I am hoping someone here can...
  33. S

    COVID What impact has the COVID-19 pandemic had on your job?

    Hi everyone! I wanted to pose this question to all of you and ask you what impact the current COVID-19 pandemic has had on your job. In my personal case, the impact has been fairly minimal. As a biostatistician for a consulting firm for the pharmaceutical industry (and who has been working from...
  34. Dr. Courtney

    Programs REU and SULI Status Report COVID-19

    One student I mentor has reported that their SULI summer internship at Brookhaven National Laboratory has been modified to be remote (via internet) rather than in person. While there is some disappointment not being able to contribute to an experimental project in person, there is understanding...
  35. sophiecentaur

    COVID An Engineer's take on testing for Covid-19

    Some governments seem to think that testing for the virus is not central to controlling its effect on the population. So far, nearly all I read about the statistics are based on people who actually present with the symptoms. If you are not a 'key worker' then tests in the UK are not available...
  36. Bob Walance

    People shaking hands with each other

    It would be interesting to see what the general consensus is regarding the future of the hand-shaking tradition between us humans. Please respond to the poll. Thanks.
  37. hagopbul

    Factors That May Influence Susceptibility to SARS-Cov-2: A Statistical Analysis

    Hello all: Hope all are fine and well , there is this question in relation to corona virus problem : Do anyone checked if the patients have any immunity related illnesses with the patients of SARS-Cov-2 Where I can find those statistics Best regards Stay safe
  38. Andrew Mason

    COVID A promising therapeutic solution to COVID-19 - using ACE2 decoy

    I came across this article about a promising COVID 19 therapy developed by an international team led by researchers from the University of British Columbia. Since the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 gets into cells by attaching to the ACE2 surface protein (which is expressed mainly in...
  39. Wrichik Basu

    COVID Why is the number of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases rising in India?

    Local and national authorities in India have stated that there is a rise in the number of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. Around 80% of the cases are asymptomatic according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). A news article mentioning the same can be found here...
  40. P

    Coronaviruses in Malayan pangolins

    " Here, we report the identification of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses in Malayan pangolins (Manis javanica) seized in anti-smuggling operations in southern China. " How is it that Malayan pangolins would be tested at all for the China Virus? Is it common practice to examine any smuggled...
  41. W

    Disappearance of vapour trails - more warming?

    I think it was back around the 9-11 events that South African researchers happened to notice that solar radiation received at ground level increased by around 10% during the grounding of airline fleets world wide. If I remember correctly, this led to a measurable increase in plant growth over...
  42. T

    COVID Excellent Video explaining how COVID-19 Spreads, Infects, is diagnosed

    Good for the general viewer who wants an overview, it then gets into the more detailed medical aspects for the medically knowledgeable or curious. Detailed explanations starting with the basics of how it spreads, through how it infects and affects the body, and diagnostic markers.
  43. T

    Medical ‘Possible Achilles heel’ in the coronavirus

    The folks at Scripps Institute and at The University of Hong Kong have found an antibody target on SARS-CoV-2 similar to the one on SARS-CoV (the 2002 SARS outbreak). They are looking for recovered COVID-19 volunteers, see bottom of this post or the San Diego Union article. The full article in...
  44. hagopbul

    COVID Covid-19 Fatal Effects: Pneumonia Types Explored

    Hello all: hope you are all well . as i am looking into reasons of death from Covid-19 i could see that pneumonia , is a major reason of death , but what kind of pneumonia ? i couldn't find on the internet is it only viral pneumonia or mix of types ? Best Hagop
  45. .Scott

    COVID COVID ARDS Diagnostic Tool - Age is not best indicator. N=53

    An article published Monday in "Computers, Materials, & Continua" identifies leading indicators of which patients will go on to develop ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome). From the abstract: Among the features identified as possible indicators: A pdf of the full article can be...
  46. B

    Is hydrogen peroxide effective against the corona virus?

    If oxygen is effective against bacteria virus and cancer why isn't it used against coved-19? DMSO is known to bond with certain substances and could carry HP into the blood stream and kill off COVID-19.
  47. jim mcnamara

    Policy for pandemic issues and how models shape it

    https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/mathematics-life-and-death-how-disease-models-shape-national-shutdowns-and-other This shows how policy can be informed about differing effects of control policies in different environments. One of the bleak aspects of UK choices is shown as a graph...
  48. JD_PM

    COVID Are hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin the key against COVID-19?

    Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin have been reported (By SEOM, Sociedad Española de Oncología Médica, by US President and others) to be a promising combination to treat COVID-19. A study leaded by French doctor Didier Raoult has yielded the following results: Why could such a combination...
  49. berkeman

    COVID Innovations to help COVID-19 treatment efforts

    I didn't see a thread so far in the Medical forum that addressed the specific innovations that are being worked on to help combat this pandemic, so I thought I'd start this thread. There is a thread about trying to use a single ventilator to serve multiple critical Patients (Pts) in ICU, but...
  50. berkeman

    Connecting 2-4 Patients to the Same Ventilator

    How does this work? Do you just parallel the tubing to the ET tubes? Or is there more to it? Seems like a risky move, but in these times, it may be necessary... https://abc7news.com/new-york-to-allow-hospitals-to-treat-two-patients-with-one-ventilator/6052788/ From the link in the article...
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