Page 128 - 2020

Transmission electron micrograph of a SARS-CoV-2 virus particle, isolated from a patient. Image captured and color- enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility. Credit: NIAID
WORLD STAnSTlCS (AS OF MARCH 24, 2020) Total Deaths - 17,247
Total Recovered- 103,748 Total Confirmed Cases- 396,035
TOP 16 INFECTED COUNTRIES
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WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS 19 (COVID-19)?
Coming from the family of coronaviruses initially though benign and commonly associated with common/mild colds, Covid-19 was initially named 'Novel Coronavirus-2019 (2019-nCoV)' and later formally named COVID-19. The SARS-COV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 disease is a genetic relative of SARS and MERS, although a distinct variant ·in it's own right. Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. DetailedinvestigationsfoundthatSARS-CoVwastransmittedfromcivetcatstohumansandMERS-CoV from dromedary (single-hump) camels to humans. Three of the seven known coronaviruses are circulating in
animals that have not yet infected humans. i
THE NEW 1TERM1
A new term was been brought to fame by COVID-19, 'Social Distancing'. It quickly became the catch-phrase to denote the
actions people could take in order to stop or slow down the spread of a contagious disease. The intent of social distancing is to lessen the amount of physical interac- tion between persons that are infected, as well as others who are not infected. Experts have suggested keeping a mini- mum of 6 feet between people in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
PANIC SHOPPING
In March 2020, an unprecedented level of consumer panic took grip as people across the continent took to the stores to stock up on items in response to the spread of COVID-19 and potential in-home quarantines. Reports of shelves void of essential products such as milk, bread, toilet paper, cleaning products, as well as dry and canned foods were widespread. Hundreds of videos showing the chaotic 'pandemic shopping' began to show up on YouTube, with one video garnering over 1 million views in 14 hours . While people were encouraged to be prepared to survive for a week or two without going outside, authorities attempted to remind people that they didn't need a supply of toilet paper or rice for nine months, reminding people there was no need to panic-buy and to act on fact, not react out of fear.
PASSING THE TlME
With schools and many workplaces closed due to COVID-19, many people chose to self-isolate for several weeks in an attempt to 'soften the infection curve' of the spreading virus. With the potential of empty days to fill around the home, these are but a few of the ere- ative ways people came up
with to pass the time.
• Read a REAL book
• Experiment with cooking
• Get at the spring cleaning
• Play board games
• Exercise/tone your body
• Write an actual letter to someone
• Play a musical instrument
• Update your journal- or start one
• Learn a new skill or language/take up a new hobby
• Binge on a show you never seem to have time to watch • Plant an indoor small vegetable or herb garden
• Actually call and speak to friends and family
• Sign up for an online course on a topic that
• Take a LONNNG bath-pamper yourself!
As the virus worked it's way around the world, individuals in the public eye weren't exempt from infection. Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson reported testing positive while on location in Aus- tralia. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife Sofie met with ldris Elba shortly after which both Sofie and ldris tested positive for the virus.
AGSPTSE SAPITSKCOMPOSITEINDEX
THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
!MONTHS
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As the world struggled to contain the deadly new coronavirus, global economy's found themselves fighting both the virus and market turmoil. In an effort to contain the sell-off's, many countries slashed their key interest rates, many to their lowest levels ever. The Bank of England cut interest rates to a record-low 0.1 %, the United States and Norway cut their rates to 0.25%, and Canada's benchmark hit 0.75% in March. Talks of negative interest rates loomed as countries scrambled to bolster their economies and bring the financial damage from the virus under control.
11,000
16,400