Art of prevention: Life in the time of coronavirus

Abstract

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has continued to progress since its discovery in December 2019. A cluster of patients with atypical pneumonia identified in Wuhan, China, served as the epicenter of this recent epidemic. This family of viruses is responsible for the common cold along with the infamous severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic in 2002 and Middle East respiratory syndrome in 2012. The Southern China Wholesale Market reportedly has connections to the original 27 cases in Wuhan, China. The worldwide confirmed case total has eclipsed 1,450,000, with more than 83,000 deaths. Patient presentation ranges from mild respiratory illness to acute respiratory distress syndrome and subsequent death. Early epidemiologic studies of viral spread support the hypothesis that COVID-19 can remain latent with an extended and infectious incubation period. The U.S. government has issued level 3 precautions for most international travel, along with prohibiting entry to foreign nationals traveling from China, Iran, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and the European Schengen area (e.g., France, Italy, Germany). Prevention remains the mainstay in treating and defeating the COVID-19 epidemic. Anyone infected or suspected of being infected should self-quarantine at home or admit themselves to a specified hospital with infrastructure to handle the situation. The combination of prevention and containment provides the best opportunity to stall the spread of COVID-19.