A Journal Reading on

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in NCM 207 – RLE

PRE-CLINICAL ROTATION

Submitted to:
Vilma T. Atillo, RN, MN
Clinical Instructor

Submitted by:
Shiena Gilian P. Batao
BSN2C
Student Nurse

August 23, 2021

Title: COVID-19 infection: Emergence, transmission, and characteristics of human
coronaviruses

Bibliography: Shereen, M., Khan, S., Kazmi, A., Bashir N., and Siddique, R. (2020).
COVID-19 infection: origin, transmission, and characteristics of human coronavirus.
Journal of Advanced Research. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2020.03.005

Summary:
This article emphasized important details that we need to know about the
COVID-19. Aside from the most seen information posted in public, this article also helps
us understanding information deeper than the common ones. Starting from the
introduction, coronavirus was identified in the coronaviridae family in the Nidovirales
order. The author also defined that corona represents crown-like spikes in outer surface
of the virus, it contains a single-stranded RNA as a nucleic material. In the midst of
emerging spread of covid, several variants were identified and these are the following:
1.) alpha, 2.) beta, 3.) gamma, and 4.) delta. COVID (SARS-CoV) is one of the causes
of acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress (ARDS) where in the pulmonary
failure and result in fatality were be possible. With the how the virus affects humans,
discussed in this article that this specific type of virus only affects animals, until time
came that human is also vulnerable in getting this virus, and that was how the disease
became endemic, epidemic, and pandemic.

China was the first affected country; hence the World Health Organization (WHO)
got a chance to be informed by the Chinese government about the several cases
happened in their country which was first identified as pneumonia with unfamiliar
etiology. There were several speculations on how the virus started and people tend in
believing in the idea of eating raw animals, or the seafoods in the market, but in the
article, it was not proved. And with the increasing number of pneumonia cases
happened in China on January 2020, an epidemic was declared by the National Health
Commission of China. In connection with the cause of COVID-19, the article stated that
there was no evidence of getting the virus by means of visiting the seafood market nor
eating raw animals which led to the idea that acquiring the disease is caused by human-
to-human spreading situation because of manners of coughing, sneezing and other
doings that may result to the spread virus through the droplets of saliva which can be
inhaled and invades a person body. In spite of all insights given just to prove the
reservoir of the virus, in this article, some researches initially said that the raccoon dogs
and palm civets are the key reservoir of the infection. However, there are still some
studies who tries to prove what type of animal is the real reservoir of the said virus. For
instance, the Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus was caused by
the camels and zoonotic source of the primary hosts, but in the recent study, the MERS
was caused by the Pipistrellus and Perimyotis bats, bats that transfer virus. On the
other hand, some researchers suggested that snakes could be a source of COVID. The
key features and entry mechanisms of human coronavirus was also discussed in this
article. Whereas, the SARS-CoV-2 possesses the typical coronavirus structure with its
spike protein which contains a 3D structure. SARS-CoV-2 has genomic variations
wherein the genome has been reported over 80% identical in the previous human
coronavirus. This genome is most likely to describe the structural proteins that are
encoded which are the spike (S), envelope €, membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N)
genes. The largest gene of the virus is known as orflab. In order to see the mild to
severe symptoms of COVID-19 and how the medication or the vaccine, to be exact,
several studies were conducted. The scientists worldwide collaborate a model and
investigating the vivo mechanisms in association of SARS-CoV-2.

Despite of the emerging and increasing number of cases, people especially

those behind the science sees the importance of vaccines. Discussed in this article that
there is no current vaccine for COVID – however, considering that this was published in
a year ago, a year with no vaccines yet. But, also stated here that research teams all
over the world are investigating the key features for treatment options whereas the
authors included the anticipation and a manner of looking-forward in the days those
medications and vaccines are already possible.
Reactions:

The article is consisting of the information both basic and complicated ones. It
gives the readers the idea and knowledge about the COVID, wherein this information is
not posted online or in posters in public places because the institution/s is/are focusing
on the basic details so that the people could easily relate and understand the context.
Scientifically speaking, up until now, there is no certain research or news or articles than
can prove as to why the COVID-19 became pandemic and where did it come from, and
what is/are the specific reservoir/s. On more important notes, this article gave bunch of
information whereas the conscious minds may be filled with deeper information which
makes the article relevant and served its purpose.

As human, I realized that a certain disease may not be possible in getting from
humans alone or from animals alone. There is always the so-called interaction between
the two choices as to when a cause is getting severe. In addition, I have realized that
science is a helpful course in determining the importance of knowing the disease and
how it could be prevented with evidenced-based researches and studies. Aside from the
fact that COVID-19 was studied by several scientists in the world, the scope is wide and
I can say that a certain causative agent with classifications, and the likes could kill many
lives. Hence, the importance of vaccines should be put on the important side of
prevention.

The positive impact of the article is the information load written and well-
explained. However, although it was published a year ago, the article consists of the out
to date information. For instance, the vaccines part in the article. It was stated there that
there were still no vaccines, wherein for me, is still a good part in giving information
because the readers could realize that in a short span of time, the prevention was and
still in the top priorities of the scientists and or healthcare teams. Thus, this article didn’t
cause me a negative impact because I can see how this article could show progress in
the midst of COVID-19.

Being a nursing student and in the field of medicine, this article may be beneficial
to us because through this, we could be knowledgeable enough with means of reading
and digging more to the details. Also, during the pandemic that still destroy the
humanity, it is vital for us to know more about this thing because as one day passes by
in our lives, one life is taken away because of having no enough information about the
certain disease. Considering the fact that we live in a society wherein it is filled with
people lacking of knowledge about a certain cause of mortality or morbidity, we the
future nurses could make a huge difference by engaging to the manner of health
teaching because that is how nursing, and this article implies, knowledge is everywhere,
lots of researchers are conducting studies to provide us ;learnings, and all we need to
do is to accept those and help others by educating them with how this disease could
invade our bodies, and the most important measure – prevention.