With over one million COVID-19 cases in the United States alone, there is an ongoing panic over what the virus may bring. People are stockpiling paper products and non-perishable foods; the government and state elected officials have cancelled schools and placing stay-at-home orders, and every news and radio station is calling the virus a pandemic. However, much of the populous of the United States doesn’t know what COVID-19 is and why it is such an important topic of today’s news. 

Scientists believe that COVID-19 originates from bats similar to SARs and MERs. The virus first made its appearance in Wuhan, China in major seafood and live-animal markets, spreading the virus from animals to humans. The coronavirus spread throughout China and started to reach other parts of the globe, like France and the United States. 

The major problem behind the virus is that individuals do not start to show symptoms until two to 14 days after exposure, leaving them as carriers of the deadly disease without even knowing. Some of COVID-19’s symptoms are a fever, cough, and shortness of breath. To be diagnosed, an individual does not have to have all nine symptoms; as a result, anyone can be tested for the virus. After swabs are taken from the nose, the samples are sent off to a medical facility for further confirmation if the individual was positive or not. Due to the numerous samples being sent in daily, it takes a long time for the individual to receive confirmation. 

With the slow development of symptoms being two to fourteen days, the spread of the virus has grown exponentially. However, the CDC has come up with ways of preventing the spread. By self-quarantining, social distancing, keeping six feet apart, using cloth to cover up the face, and frequent hand washing, the virus can be slowed down. 

Ever since the outbreak of the virus in the United States, many steps have been made to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The nurses, law enforcement, firemen, grocery store workers, and fast-food restaurant employees have been working feverishly to supply and help the people that are in need. With each day, they are working hard to further prevent the spread of COVID-19 in hopes of a better tomorrow. 

For more information about the COVID-19 virus and where it stands in numbers currently, please click here.