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Communicable Disease Project

Hunter A. Terrell

City Of Medicine Academy

Health Science II

Mr. Tah

September 18, 2023

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I. Introduction

COVID-19 was the worst thing to happen within the past few years. What is coronavirus

disease (COVID-19)? COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory disease that can be very contagious

and spread easily. The disease is caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory

syndrome coronavirus 2). It started a global pandemic that has affected people all over the world.

Research and studies have proved that COVID-19 originated in bats. The CDC states that the

deadly outbreak started on January 10, 2020, when it first was discovered in Wuhan, China and

soon traveled to other countries. It’s important to wash hands, wear masks, and practice social

distance to stay safe and healthy. Vaccines are also an available option to help protect against the

virus. According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 can be described as “An

infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people infected with the virus will

experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment.”

There are a lot of different topics we will discuss in this paper. Some of these include how the

disease is transmitted, the diagnosis, possible complications, relative frequency, and much more.
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II. Body Paragraph 1: Transmission and Diagnosis

How is COVID-19 transmitted? It is an airborne disease which means that it is

transported by air. People who carry the disease and are infected with it can release particles and

droplets from respiratory fluids that contain the virus into the air when they exhale. This can

happen from various activities such as quiet breathing, speaking, singing, exercise, coughing,

and sneezing. There are different variations in the sizes of these droplets and particles. When the

particles are released into the air they move away from the person who released them in the first

place. These particles and droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people nearby, or be

inhaled into the lungs. The droplets convey the virus and transmit infection. A person can be

exposed to COVID-19 in many different ways. You can catch the disease by talking to someone

with the disease or being near someone with it. The disease can be transmitted both directly and

indirectly. A person can catch COVID-19 as mentioned earlier just by talking to someone or

touching them, but also by touching objects that are contaminated with it. That is why it is

important to follow certain guidelines to reduce the risk of transmission. How do we detect the

disease? COVID-19 diagnosis is typically done through a test called PCR test. It involves taking

a swab from the nose or throat to detect the presence of the virus. This test is considered the

golden standard test for the disease and the results are very accurate because it detects the genetic

material of the virus. Rapid antigen tests are also available for quick results. However there's

more of a chance that the results are inaccurate compared to the PCR test, there are antibody tests

designed to reveal if you had a previous infection. The testing availability and procedures may

vary depending on your location and healthcare system. If you suspect you have COVID-19 or

have been in close contact with someone who tested positive, it's important to get tested and

follow the guidance of healthcare professionals.

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Body Paragraph 2: Disease Course and Possible Complications

The disease course of COVID-19 can vary from person to person. Some individuals may

experience mild symptoms or even be asymptomatic, while others may develop more severe

symptoms that require hospitalization. Common symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty

breathing. You should monitor symptoms closely. In severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia and

organ failure. It's important to seek medical attention if you experience worsening symptoms or

have difficulty breathing. After exposure to the virus, it can take anywhere from a few days to

two weeks for symptoms to appear. People who are infected might experience fatigue, body

aches, sore throat, and loss of taste or smell. Let's talk about possible complications of

COVID-19. While many people experience mild symptoms and recover fully, there can be more

severe complications, especially in older adults and those with underlying health conditions.

Some possible complications include pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS),

blood clotting issues, heart problems, and multi-organ failure. It's important to take the necessary

precautions to prevent the spread of the virus and seek medical attention if you experience

worsening symptoms.

III. Body Paragraph 3: Relative Frequency and Target Audience

COVID-19 has affected a large number of people worldwide, with varying degrees of

severity. According to the Pew Research Center “In the early months of the pandemic, cases and

deaths were heavily concentrated in the metropolitan areas of New York, New Orleans, Boston

and Detroit” While many individuals experience not so bad symptoms, there is still a significant

number of cases that result in severe illness and even death. The relative frequency of severe

cases depends on various factors such as age, underlying health conditions, and access to
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healthcare. Even young and healthy people can still develop severe symptoms. The target

audience for COVID-19 is everyone, as the virus can affect people of all ages. However, certain

groups such as older adults and those with underlying health conditions are at a higher risk of

severe illness,

IV. Additional Data and Reliable Sources

If you are interested the CDC offers a data tracker on COVID-19. As of today the amount of

deaths due to the disease is 1,141,782 and the number of people who have been hospitalized is

6,308,630. That is a lot of people in both situations and this is why it is important to take the

right precautions. It is especially important that healthcare workers follow the precautions

because healthcare professionals are the ones who are constantly treating people with different

sicknesses and without our healthcare workers we wouldn’t have anyone to create a better

outcome. It is everyone's responsibility to do what they can to prevent transmission for not only

themselves but others. How severe is COVID-19 in the elderly? The National Library of

Medicine states that “Early and late reports showed that older adults have increased severity of

coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with higher case fatality rates and higher intensive care

needs compared with younger adults. Infection and vaccine-induced antibody response and

long-term effects of COVID-19 also differ in older adults.” The elderly and adults are more at

risk than those who are younger and possibly healthier because older people have waning

immunity and chronic conditions. On July 3, 2023 CBS published an article called “How many

Americans still haven't caught COVID?” Research found that about 1 in 4 people had still not

coughed COVID-19 in 2022, but now according to new data 77.5% had antibodies from at least

one previous infection. Just because you’ve had COVID-19 once doesn't mean you can't catch it

again, having the antibodies from a prior infection does not mean people are protected against
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the disease. A question a lot of people have is when will COVID-19 end? The only answer we

have to this is that researchers and scientists think that it is here indefinitely. On May 11, 2023,

President Joe Biden declared an end to COVID-19 and a national state of emergency but does

this mean COVID-19 went away? The simple answer is no, OSF Healthcare stated that

“COVID-19 is still a pandemic, and the virus continues to mutate into other variants, infecting

people and in some cases, resulting in death.”

V. Summary

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that started a global pandemic affecting millions of

lives all around the world and originated in bats found in China. The disease is considered an

airborne disease because it's transmitted through the air. The disease can spread very quickly and

can be very contagious, for some more than others especially those who are older. There are

many different ways to fight against the disease and decrease the risk of infection by following

certain precautions, and guidelines, and getting vaccinated. COVID-19 can be spread directly

from a person by many different ways or indirectly by touching something that is contaminated

with the virus that someone who has the disease is most likely infected with. We diagnose people

with the virus through a test called PCR which is the gold standard for testing. Rapid antigen

tests are also available but are less accurate along with antibody tests to reveal if you had the

disease ever before. Some individuals experience very mild symptoms while others can

experience none but some can deal with severe symptoms. In some cases, there can be serious

complications related to the disease. The relative frequency of severe cases depends on various

factors such as age, health, and previous medical conditions. The target audience for COVID-19

is everyone because we can all be infected. The amount of people that have been hospitalized

and died is horrible. COVID-19 is declared over, but the virus will never end. In conclusion,
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COVID-19 is affecting the lives of everyone so we must do our best to fight against it and do

what we can to reduce transmission of disease in all aspects of life.

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References

CDC. “COVID-19.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020,

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

World Health Organization. “Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic.” World Health

Organization, 2023, www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019.

NW, 1615 L. St, et al. “Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) - Research and Data from the Pew

Research Center.” Pew Research Center,

www.pewresearch.org/topic/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/.

“COVID-19.” Www.nlm.nih.gov, www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/COVID19.html. Accessed 18 Sept.

2023.

“Coronavirus: The Race to Respond.” Www.cbsnews.com,

www.cbsnews.com/feature/coronavirus/.

“COVID-19 Resource Center.” X.osfhealthcare.org,

x.osfhealthcare.org/patients-visitors/covid19. Accessed 18 Sept. 2023.