COVID-19 AS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND THE WAYS TO

PREVENT IT.

BYBRENDA SYALOMITHA. XI SCIENCE 2. SMAN 21 BEKASI.

Email : brendasyall@gmail.com

The world is counting on you to help stop the spread of Covid-19, the deadly new

disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, or severe acute respiratory syndrome

coronavirus 2.

Coronaviruses aren't the only nasty parasites that succumb to a vigorous

application of soap and water. Influenza -- which kills millions around the world

each year -- and the human metapneumovirus, which causes a respiratory

infection that can lead to pneumonia, also break down and die.

How did such a simple thing as soap and warm water -- and alcohol-based

sanitizers -- obtain such power over these parasites?

1. What soap and warm water do

Under the microscope, coronaviruses appear to be covered with pointy spires,

giving them the appearance of having a crown or "corona" -- hence the name.
Beneath the crown is the outer layer of the virus, which is made up of lipids, or

what you and I would call fat.

Now imagine that coronavirus is your butter dish, covered with buttery fat.

"You try to wash your butter dish with water alone, but that butter is not coming

off the dish," Williams explained. "You need some soap to dissolve grease. So

soap or alcohol are very, very effective against dissolving that greasy liquid

coating of the virus."What does getting rid of that outer layer do to the germ?

"It physically inactivates the virus, so it can't bind to and enter human cells

anymore," Wllliams said.

Just how soap accomplishes this feat is rather strange and fascinating science.It's

all about how soap molecules are formed -- each looks much like a tiny sperm,

with a head and tail. The head bonds with water but the tail rejects it, preferring

oil and fat.Frantically trying to escape water, the tail of the soap is drawn to the

fatty outer layer of the virus and begins to pry it open, much like we might use a

crowbar to separate two pieces of wood.

Once the virus or bacteria splits open, it spills its guts into the soapy water and

dies.Water and scrubbing with your hands are important to this process because

the combination creates more soap bubbles, which disrupt the chemical bonds that

allow bacteria, viruses and other germs to stick to surfaces.

You want to scrub, build up bubbles and scrub some more, getting into every

crack and crevice of your hands and fingers, including your fingernails, for 20

seconds, which is about as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice. Now,

when you rinse your hands, all the germs that have been hurt, trapped or killed by

soap molecules are washed away.

"All those bubbles and foam ... literally pick germs up and wash them down the

drain," said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventative medicine and

infectious disease at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville. You

often hear that the water you wash with should be warm, but why? After all, even

hot water does not kill bacteria or viruses until you get to a temperature that

would scald the skin.

"Cold water will work, but you have to make sure you work really vigorously to

get a lather and get everything soapy and bubbly," said chemist Bill Wuest, an

associate professor at Emory University who studies disinfectants.

2. What alcohol-based sanitizers do

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be as effective as soap if they are used

properly, Schaffner explained. "They need to have at least 60% alcohol in them,"

Schaffner said. "It's the alcohol that's the virus killer."

Just putting a little dollop in the palm of your hand and wiping quickly isn't good

enough, Schaffner said."You've got to use enough and get it all over thsurfaces,"

he said. "Rub it all over your hands, between your fingers and on the back of your

hands."
"That's because alcohol is a different chemical property," Wuest said. "It helps

break up the germ membranes, but you need to make sure it gets into direct

contact with the bacteria or virus."

But there are situations in which soap and water are best, Williams said, because

of the ability of soap and water to trap and wash microorganisms away."Alcohol

is pretty effective at killing germs, but it doesn't wash away stuff," he said. "So

you know, if somebody's just sneezed into their hand, and their hand is covered

with mucus, they would have to use a lot more alcohol to inactivate that bacteria

or virus.

"So if somebody's hands are visibly or grossly contaminated, soap and water are

better," Williams said.

That's especially important because there are nasty germs and bacteria out there

that don't have soft, fatty bellies that soap bubbles can attack -- such as hepatitis A

virus, poliovirus, meningitis and pneumonia.So the next time you wash your

hands for the umpteenth time, take pride in all those soapy bubbles you're creating

-- and enjoy the pleasure of imagining those microscopic, dead creatures circle the

drain.
3. Stay at home to stop coronavirus spreading

Everyone must stay at home to help stop the spread of coronavirus.You should

only leave the house for 1 of 4 reasons:

 shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must

be as infrequent as possible

 one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or

with members of your household

 any medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person

 travelling to and from work, but only where this absolutely cannot be done

from home

(https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/24/health/soap-warm-water-hand-sanitizer-

coronavirus-wellness-scn/index.html)