Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a mutation of a virus that has been around for a very long time. Coronaviruses are an extremely common cause of colds and other upper respiratory infections. COVID-19, short for “coronavirus disease 2019,” is the official name given by the World Health Organization to the disease caused by this newly identified coronavirus.
The flu kills more people than COVID-19, at least so far. Why are we so worried about COVID-19? Shouldn’t we be more focused on preventing deaths from the flu?
You’re right to be concerned about the flu. Fortunately, the same measures that help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus — frequent and thorough handwashing, not touching your face, coughing and sneezing into a tissue or your elbow, avoiding people who are sick, and staying away from people if you’re sick — also help to protect against spread of the flu.
The flu vaccine will not protect you against this coronavirus.
Some people infected with the virus have no symptoms. When the virus does cause symptoms, common ones include low-grade fever, body aches, coughing, nasal congestion, runny nose, and sore throat. However, COVID-19 can occasionally cause more severe symptoms like high fever, severe cough, and shortness of breath, which often indicates pneumonia.
Because this coronavirus has just been discovered, the time from exposure to symptom onset (known as the incubation period) for most people has yet to be determined. Based on current information, symptoms could appear as soon as three days after exposure to as long as 13 days later. Recently published research found that on average, the incubation period is about five days.
The coronavirus is thought to spread mainly from person to person. This can happen between people who are in close contact with one another. Droplets that are produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes may land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby, or possibly be inhaled into their lungs.
Coronavirus can also spread from contact with infected surfaces or objects. For example, a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. The life of the virus varies with the infective surface. Carry a supply of medical examination gloves in a zip lock bag and put on a pair when riding public transit, using a shopping cart or any other multiple contact surface.
People are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic. However, there have been reports of coronavirus spreading before people show symptoms. Preliminary research of individuals who developed mild disease also suggests that they could be contagious early during their illness, even before they have experienced symptoms or are only experiencing mild symptoms.
The answer depends on whether you’re looking at the fatality rate (the risk of death among those who are infected) or the total number of deaths. So far, influenza has caused far more deaths this flu season, both in the US and worldwide, than COVID-19. Therefore you may have heard it said that the flu is a bigger threat.
Regarding the fatality rate, it appears that the risk of death after the pandemic coronavirus infection (estimated at 3% to 4%) is less than it was for SARS (11%) and MERS (35%) but may be higher than the risk from seasonal flu (0.1%). However, the numbers circulating right now for this new coronavirus are likely to be adjusted over time, as more people are tested, and reporting becomes more consistent. For example, testing has been limited at the start of the outbreak, which could result in fewer identified cases, making it seem as though a larger percentage of infections are fatal. In fact, a recent New England Journal of Medicine report states that the fatality rate of the new coronavirus infection “may be considerably less than 1%.”
Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like chronic bronchitis, emphysema, heart failure, or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. Any person who is taking immune-suppressant medication or have a compromised immune system need to be extra vigilant.
Immune enhancement supplements are available. Personally I’m taking Shaklee’s Nutriferon™, the proprietary botanical blend supported by four human clinical studies that prove its immune protection benefits – and of course washing my hands often and well.
Dr. Andrew W. Saul, an international expert on vitamin therapy, says, “The coronavirus can be dramatically slowed or stopped completely with the immediate widespread use of high doses of vitamin C. Bowel tolerance levels of C taken in divided doses throughout the day, is a clinically proven antiviral, without equal.”
Watch the interview with Dr. Saul. It starts about 2:36 in after the intro by Sayer Ji.