There are hundreds of thoughts in our minds in this time of obscurity and chatter - climate change, political debates, social injustices, education systems, employment. . . the list goes on. Amid everything, there is still a lingering issue that has almost been shadowed - COVID-19. The respiratory virus is attacking thousands of people today in America and across the globe.
As of Sunday, June 21st the COVID-19 count is:
Worldwide
8,802,328 confirmed cases
4,372,440 recovered
464,620 deaths
United States
2,299,714 confirmed cases
717,140 recovered
121,512 death
In America, the number of cases increases by thousands daily due to masses of people in public areas without properly following COVID-19 guidelines set in place. States like South Carolina and Floria are increasing considerably on the number of cases per day. Their State’s Health Department advises people to not to be in a crowd with 50 people, to wear a mask, and to social distance.
As people are returning to the outside world, the economy is resurfacing, and carbon dioxide emissions are resurging. States and countries' decision to reopen their communities adds a strain on the environment that was flourishing while humans were in quarantine. The estimated amount of global emissions decreased by about 5%, which is still a major drop since World War II. European countries are installing more miles of bike trails, or they are discussing whether people should buy bus passes to decrease individual car usage. In the United States, Donald Trump rolled back on environmental guidelines to allow industries to restart their factories and productivity. All in all, the prominence of coronavirus continues to fluctuate, but the effects of it still impact us daily.
More Research and Moving Forward with COVID-19
As a greater understanding and research is taking place around the world, there are new findings to educate humans. New statistics, new facts, new temporary medicine, and new ways to help protect our friends and family from contracting the virus.
Health officials have ruled that the coronavirus spreads mainly through droplets in the air. Hundreds of restaurants, cafes, and offices are redesigning their table/ desk layout to accommodate the social distancing rule of “6 feet apart”. Six feet apart may not be enough space between people. Wind speed, distancing, masks, and the amount of infected air you breathe in plays a critical role in whether you will get COVID-19 or not.
Air filters and humidifiers play an important role in the future of fighting the coronavirus. Mechanical engineers have deemed planes a good place where the air is properly filtered; they have HEPA filters that catch about 99% of viruses that are .3 microns long. On the other hand, buildings including cruise ships use HVAC systems that only stop 20%-40% of viruses passing through. At the beginning of the pandemic, the Diamond Princess cruise ship had to quarantine thousands of passengers for a month - as a result, 700 people were infected and 8 people died. The safest suggestion for air filters is creating more negative pressure rooms -rooms that act like a vacuum cleaner, ensuring that no pathogens can escape - to filter the air. This option is the most expensive and intricate to pull through. Humidity and heat play a role in curbing the virus. Scientists believe that the upcoming summer heat will slow down the virus as with most viruses. As more people become infected and/or immune to the virus, that COVID-19 will become a seasonal infection. There are three significant ways that humidity slows COVID-19 from spreading:
Viruses are not as infectious in moist air vs drier air in the winter
Humid air is best for the respiratory system and immune system
The dry air of wintertime would keep the virus lingering in the air longer; therefore, the humid air would dissolve
By: Riya Sembhi (@riyakaursembhi)
Sources:
AP News
New York Times
Fast Company
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