7 the biggest coronavirus mysteries right now
There are still many things that ourselves, as well as the best experts in the world, I do not know.
Covid-19 fundamentally dominated everything about our lives in recent months. But when it was the cover of the consumed new and become the main thing in mind when we leave the house (for those of us lucky to go outside), there is still many aspects about thecoronavirus who remain a mystery even to the experts. (Case in point:There is now only one way to contract Covid-19 to the grocery store, the CDC recently said.)
That's why someRegions Are more difficult than others or how the virus is affected by temperature, here are seven big questions that remain to be answered about COVID-19.
How is it treated?
This is the multi-million dollar issue. Researchers teams work tirelessly to develop a vaccine, with ongoing clinical trials of Western and traditional drugs, but limited results so far. As a global organization of healthabstract: "There are no medicines that have been shown to prevent or cure the disease."
"There is still a lot of research in this field," says Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, MD, aDoctor In Phoenix, Arizona. "A complication factor is the different populations of patients studied. Some medications are studied on patients with more serious illness in the hospital; we can not extrapolate these results and apply them to patients with light disease at home . "
For all drugs, scientists must weigh the advantage of drugs with its side effects and for this reason, which currently does not recommend any self-medication with drugs, including antibiotics. At this point, he suggested that the best treatment is prevention: wash your hands frequently and carefully, avoiding touching your eyes and keeping your distance between others. To keep you informed of the latest updates,Make sure you register for our newsletter.
Can people develop immunity?
Once you get COVID-19, are you immune to resume it? It is the premise of discussions around "the immunity of herds" or "immune passports", which would allow those who had the virus returning to work, traveling orengage in social behavior Without the risk they spread the infection.
It is a convincing idea, with the exception that, at this point, there is no reason to believe that it would work.
"We have no reason to suppose that the immune response would be considerably different from that observed with other coronaviruses," Nicolas Valbet, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine who specializes in virology and immunology,RecountLive science.
Part of the challenge to answer this question is that there are different types of immunity. The recovery of a disease like smallpox or chicken chicken pox leaves one with immunity throughout life. But other immunities can last one year or two, if that. Since Covid-19 circulated in the human population for six months or less, it is still too early to determine the long immunity to the disease - and it may be years before we know. (Speaking of, here's7 Precautions you need to take before grocery shopping.)
What is the perspective?
Although the test has increased in the globe and we compare the numbers of a city or country to another, these are in-depth estimates and probably significantly underestimate the real total and propagate. For one thing, many carriers of the virus areasymptomatic, then can have it and overcome it without realizing that they have been infected.
"In addition, the tests have been limited at the beginning of this pandemic, so even people with obvious symptoms were often invited to isolate without testing," says Bhuyan. "In addition, many people who have had light symptoms have not requested medical care or tests through this pandemic. But more prevalent PCR and antibody tests, hopefully, will help scientists better determine prevalence in different regions. "
Globally, it can become even more difficult because some areas are more distant in testing and equipment, making their current case numbers less reliable. (In touch:Here are 7 subtle signs that you have already had coronavirus.)
How does it spread exactly?
While the search suggests that the virus spread mainly through droplets, such as those produced when the person infected or sneezes,Laboratory tests have also shown that the virus can survive on surfaces for hours or even days. The CDC May 20 publishedNew guidelinesWhether airborne droplets are the main thing that the virus spreads, the statement ", it may be possible that a person can get CVIV-19 by touching a surface or an object that has the virus on it and then touch its own mouth, nose or possibly their eyes. We do not think the virus spreads, but we are always learning more about this virus. "
The best policy for the moment, of course, is to take steps to avoid being infected by one of these ways - disinfecting surfaces and maintain the distance from the others. (Speaking of, here'sThe most dangerous place to sit in a restaurant after coronavirus.)
"It always pays to be vigilant around coronavirus. Just because the most likely coronavirus path is mouth in the mouth, it does not mean that the spread of mouth to mouth is impossible," Dr. Benjamin Neuman, a virologist and the head of the Texas A & M University-Texarkana Biology Department,told Healthline.
Why are some areas more difficult than others?
Connected to this question of prevalence is the mystery perhaps more disconcerting from why some countries are more affected by the virus than others. While Indonesia has undergone thousands of deaths, it is estimated that nearby Malaysia has experiences under 100 years old. While Iran has been severely damaged by the epidemic, the neighbor of Iraq has suffered relatively few victims. Some of them can be explained by obvious factors, such as the density or response of the country / state. While Denmark has imposed serious restrictions on his population and had lived a little more than 500 deaths Covid-19 by mid-May, experienced SwedenMore than six times that While avoiding to enter a formal lock at all.
But there are many studies that are currently exploring what other factors could be at stake, demography, genetics, elevation, many remaining questions. Some theories that these areas that have been less affected have not yet been achieved by the virus, or have relatively younger populations, or perhaps simply practice culturally social distance more than other companies ( For example, greeting with an arc with an arc instead of a hand handle).
"We are really early in this disease," Mr. Ashish Jha, Director of the Harvard Global Health Health Research Institute,RecountThe New York Times. "If it was a baseball game, it would be the second round and there is no reason to think that by the ninth round the rest of the world that seems now that it has not been affected will not become like Other places. "
How do hot temperatures affect the virus?
Some medical experts predict that, like influenza, Covid-19 could respond to seasonal changes, soak for the hottest months, as rising temperatures makes the spread of the virus more difficult. And does it mean that it will come up again cooler temperatures and the season of traditional flu, return?
The researchers examined this issue.A study By Harvard University found no significant difference in the rates of transmission between the cool and dry regions of China compared to the warm humid conditions of Singapore. Cornanother studyLiberated the same week revealed that the virus seemed to spread more easily in hot weather. Although these results have been alleging values on the in-depth research that has been done on this issue, for the moment, we can not say anyway. And as we enter in the summer, it's a question that will become even more important. (In touch:Here are 9 things you will never be allowed to do in a restaurant.)
What are the long-term effects of infection?
While most people infected with COVID-19 make a complete recovery, many do not even realize that they had to start, it is unclear whether the infection causes long-term health problems. The survival of COVID-19 have been noted to undergo reduced lung function, including scars.
"[S] OME patients can drop by 20% to 30% in lung function", according to an expertise of disease infections that spoke to theSouth China morning position.
Dr. Reynold Panettieri, Vice Chancellor of Clinical Science and Translational and a Pulmonary Care Doctor at the Medical Center of Rutgers Wood Johnson at the University of Rutgers in New Jersey,described in CNN How does the patients of his "had a disease for about two weeks and three months later, they still do not feel" quite ", they were aggressive athletes or exercise and ... they did not Still not remote from this prowess they were pre-disease. "
It is still not clear how much these post-covident health problems last, and it may be years before we really know. Until then, make sure you keep healthy by following best practices and also Avoid these worst foods for your immune system .