What Is COVID-19?

Coronaviruses are types of RNA viruses. They cause colds and other respiratory diseases to
humans and other animals. You can relate the structure of the coronaviruses to a kind of storage
that holds genetic material. The coronaviruses cannot make more of themselves without living
cells. The coronaviruses are not even a living thing! The specific coronavirus that causes the
disease COVID-19 is called SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2)
This coronavirus structure (which is basically the same as others in the family) consists of spike
proteins, lipid envelopes, and RNA (which is inside it). The spike proteins send RNA as
instructions into cells and the lipid envelope is a sort of membrane for the virus. The main ways
of the coronavirus spreading are droplet infection, when are person coughs and you inhale the air
that has the coronavirus in it, and when you touch an infected surface and rub the part of your
body that has been covered with the virus on your nose, eyes, or mouth. After this, the
coronavirus slowly makes its way into your lungs. It infects and sends RNA instructions into the
cells that make up our lungs and orders them to create replicas of the virus. It then orders the cell
to kill itself. The cell then sort of melts away releasing all of the virus replicas in it. This process
continues on for 10 days. After that, your body sends in immunity cells to fight the virus. The
virus sometimes infect these cells and confuse them a lot. They cause the immune cells to call on
others and bring a large, unnecessary amount to the lungs. But in two particular immunity cells,
it causes way more confusion than that. The two cells are called neutrophiles and Killer T cells.
The neutrophiles are very good at killing infected cells and viruses. However, the coronavirus
confuses it and causes it to release an uncontrollable amount of enzymes, which kills both good
and infected cells. The Killer T cells normally order infected cells to, well, commit suicide. But
the virus causes this cell to order healthy and infected cells to kill themselves. This causes a lot
of cells in your lungs to die and generally your immune system gets control back in about two
weeks after your body is infected. But, in some severe cases, the fight continues on and often
leaves your immune system very weak.

Misconceptions About COVID-19

Misconception # 1: 5G mobile networks spread the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Debunking: Viruses, physically, cannot travel on radio/network waves. They are spread through
droplets that contain it. People who touch surfaces that are infected with it and then their eyes,
mouth, or nose may get the virus, as well.
Misconception # 2: Drinking methanol, ethanol, or bleach prevents and cures COVID-19.
Debunking: These chemicals are poisons for your body and drinking them might cause you to
have disabilities or even death (specifically, they damage your internal organs). These chemicals
are used to clean surfaces and can kill viruses on them; however they are not made for your
body. They won’t even be able to kill the virus in your body as they are not made to clean the
environment of the human body.
Misconception # 3: Kids can’t get COVID-19.
Debunking: People of all ages can get the disease. Older people, especially people over 40, and
people who already have medical conditions from before, such as asthma, heart disease, and
diabetes, seem to be more susceptible to get the virus, as compared to young people and children.
Vaccines for COVID-19 have been made by companies like Pfizer. People have also started
vaccinating, in stages, with elders and frontline health workers getting vaccinated first. Because
of recent developments, 2021 might be a year where everything normalizes.