Impacts of COVID-19
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
The recent string of nightly emails from the Provost’s office has caused an uproar not only on campus-wide, but nationwide. COVID-19 is having a larger societal impact than anyone had anticipated. Everyday, researchers are finding out more about this strain of the coronavirus and along with more knowledge comes more questions. Keep reading to find out more about the coronavirus, its impacts, and some tips to stay healthy.
What is COVID-19?
COVID19 or Coronavirus is a type of pneumonia first detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019.
As of March 11th 2020, COVID19 has been identified by the World Health Organization as a pandemic. Other pandemics you may have experienced in your lifetime may include H1N1 outbreak in 2009. The current projections for its expansion in the US are only probable, due to continued insufficient worldwide data, but it is most likely to be widespread in the US by mid to late March and April.
How is COVID-19 spread?
Researchers believe that COVID-19 likely emerged from an animal source but now is spreading person to person. Scientists have evidence that the virus is likely to spread between people within 6 feet of each other through respiratory droplets (from coughing and sneezing). New evidence is suggesting that it can also be transmissible by touching an object that has the virus on it.
How is COVID-19 diagnosed?
Diagnosis is difficult since symptoms are similar to the flu including fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Only a laboratory test can confirm the diagnosis.
What treatments are there?
There are currently no approved treatments though many companies and research institutes are working on developing treatment as well as a vaccine. Some treatments are currently in stage 3 clinical trials but predictions don’t anticipate products being fully developed until late April at earliest.
Is it deadly?
As of Mar. 12, 2020, 4,718 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 (Source: Johns Hopkins). However, 68,310 people have recovered from the illness. Similar to the common flu, evidence shows COVID-19 having more detrimental effects on those with compromised immune systems (eg. undergoing HIV treatment, chemotherapy, very young, and elderly).
How does this impact USC?
All classes will be held online for the rest of the semester. To slow transmission of COVID-19, USC encourages students who are leaving campus for spring break to stay home and not return to campus until they establish a safe process to retrieve belongings. For more about updated on campus housing, click here. Most professors are recording lectures or using Zoom to hold classes.
10 Tips to Stay Healthy
1) Minimize physical contact with others.
Coronavirus is thought to primarily spread through close contact (6 feet or less) through contact with respiratory droplets. So yes, keep that civil distance.
As someone who’s primary love language is physical touch, this honestly sucks. Everyday, new research is coming out and health care professionals now have evidence that despite previous belief, even people who are asymptomatic (do not display any symptoms like coughing, fever, etc) can spread COVID-19.
Instead of hugs and handshakes, try waving, bowing, or even flashing a fight on!
2) Minimize touching shared public items like elevator buttons and door handles
Your hands touch almost everything. There’s been evidence of coronavirus being able to survive on nonhuman objects for a short period of time so to be cautious, instead of grasping and turning the doorknob with your hand, use your elbows, hip or closed fist, or carry out some paper towels and disposable gloves.
3) Like to touch your face? Stop.
Most people touch their nose/mouth area over 90 times a day without being conscious of it. On top of simply avoiding touching public objects, make a conscious effort to not touch your face. Transmission of coronavirus has been seen from touching of objects and surfaces followed by touching the face.
4) Sharing is Caring? Not right now…
Yes, we all love to share food with our loved ones and while this may be a lovely way to bond, it’s also a surefire way to transmit disease. Resist the urge to sip on your friend’s latte or steal a bite of your mom’s pasta.
This applies not only to food but other things that come in contact with your face as well. Don’t share make-up (avoid those Sephora samples!), toothbrushes (ew, please don’t share toothbrushes anyways), etc.
5) Maintain personal health and immunity.
Be sure to keep up your exercise routine. Regular exercise and a balanced diet are the surest methods to maintain immunity needed to fight off any disease.
Make sure you get your vitamin C and consider getting zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses).
6) Practice good personal hygiene.
Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return from a public space and ESPECIALLY before you eat.
7) Carry around disinfectant wipes or tissues to wipe down commonly touched items like grocery carts, gym equipment and etc.
8) Cough and sneeze into disposable tissues and discard tissues properly in the trash
Since the virus can survive on surfaces, make sure you properly discard your waste to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
9) Avoid international travel.
As USC has stated in multiple memorandums, if possible, try to avoid international travel. Globalization has many benefits, but amongst its many consequences, it leads to proliferation of all infectious diseases.
10) If you find yourself feeling sick, don’t panic.
Rest and take care of your health. It is currently flu season and with the rain, cooler temperatures, and stress, it’s likely you have a cold. Regardless, to preserve the health of yourself and those around you, stay home and rest up!
However, if you have been abroad or have been in contact with someone else who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 consult your doctor.
Sound extreme? You should have been doing this during your normal daily life anyways. Most of these tips are what healthcare professionals recommend during our usual influenza seasons.
The movement of classes online definitely has a great impact and may even be a cause of significant inconvenience. The administration could not have anticipated the impact of COVID19 but is meeting everyday to minimize its impact by taking proactive measures. While it may feel like your whole world is being disrupted, it’s important to realize you do have control in maintaining your own health. Internalize your locus of control: wash your hands, don’t touch your face, don’t get too physically close to people, exercise, and eat well.
Canceled flights, money lost on spring break vacation plans, and consequent emotional turmoil is never pleasant, but especially in chaotic times like this one, it’s important to count our blessings. We are all so privileged to be in a position where we are able to depend on a routine that when that stability is challenged, we feel inconvenienced. We are so fortunate to be able to pursue higher education at all, and while online classes aren’t optimal, most of us also have the resources like WiFi and a home to return to that allows this to be possible. Zoom classes are hardly optimal and don’t cater to the diverse educational needs but as of right now, it’s the only viable option. Rather than living in paranoia, focus on maintaining your own mental and physical wellbeing.
Stay healthy and fight on!
For the most recent updates from USC, please refer to https://sites.usc.edu/coronavirus/
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