Coronavirus

The Coronavirus has begun to have many different effects on people all across the world. First, the spread of the virus in China, the origin of the disease, has slowed while the number of people who are infected with the disease in the United States is rapidly increasing. Secondly, the COVID-19 disease has officially killed two people in Washington, United States. Additionally, within 48 hours the number of cases nationwide jumped 35%. As of right now, health officials haven’t been successful in containing this extremely contagious sickness. People are concerned that because it is suspected that the Coronavirus has between a 14-28 day incubation period, that in the upcoming days and weeks we could see the number of people infected with COVID-19 skyrocket. Since the disease is spreading across the entire country, I think that it is something that people need to be prepared to deal with. If the government mandates that schools and businesses close for a certain period of time and people need to be quarantined in their homes it is crucial that we are prepared. In the New York Times post they say that although we don’t need to panic about the Coronavirus, we should definitely be aware of it and stock up on essential items for our homes. I think that stocking up on foods such as pasta, chicken broth, peanut butter, and canned foods are important items to stock up. I think that it is also important to stock up on over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen and prescription medications that you use on a daily basis is very important in case of a potential quarantine. Another thing that is extremely important to do as the spread of the Coronavirus is increasing is to make sure that you are washing your hands well and trying to stay healthy. As the illness spreads it has been shown that it is more deadly to people who are older and have underlying/previous health conditions. Lastly, I also think that wearing a face mask unless you are already infected with the Coronavirus doesn’t help you protect yourself at all. Although I do not think that the novel Coronavirus is something that we need to panic about as of right now, I think that taking necessary precautions such as washing your hands well, stocking up on foods and medications, and cleaning the surfaces around you could prove to be crucial in the upcoming few days and weeks once the number of people infected with the disease peaks.