With an early form of the virus beginning as an under the radar virus back in 2003, COVID or “coronavirus” has become a global pandemic, interrupting life everywhere. 

As all of you know, the coronavirus has shut down everything. Schools are closed until at least May 1st, most churches are closed until further notice, and everyone is told to stay inside unless told otherwise. But I believe the best way to help our situation is to be informed of what we’ve been dealing with.

For starters, nobody intentionally created the coronavirus. Josie Goulding from the Scripps Research Institute stated the “…virus is a product of natural evolution” coming from an older strand that goes by SARS-CoV-2. In other words, this technically isn’t the first coronavirus. The reason this is significant is it means this wasn’t a purposeful attack on the people. This was just a natural evolution in effect. 

As far as symptoms go, they vary. The most common symptoms, according to The World Health Organization (WHO) are dry cough, fever, and tiredness. Other patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, sore throat, runny nose, or diarrhea. The symptoms usually begin mild, and gradually arise over time. WHO reported over two million cases April 20.  As of April 21, the Center for Disease Control reported over 800,000 cases in the US. In Utah alone, there are currently 3,369 reported cases, with about 76,460 people tested. So far, we’ve been fortunate with only 34 deaths.

Many people that get it will not know they have it, which is why we practice social distancing. Even if you don’t show symptoms, you could be a carrier and pass the virus on to those who could be affected more severely. The numbers above are just cases that have been reported. However, if symptoms are suspected you should call the doctor, or the hotline set up in Utah specifically for the coronavirus, and then go in for testing if they suspect you may have it. For those with lingering health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and other immunodeficiencies, the virus can potentially be dangerous, so do your part in keeping those people safe. 

Lastly, I want to talk a little about the impact. The states of New York and New Jersey are currently being hit the hardest. The economy has currently dropped to one of its lowest points in quite a long time, which is a little stressful. But within the week of March 16-18, the Federal Reserve announced 0% rates to hopefully bring spending back up, and President Trump announced a $1 trillion stimulus package to help American families plug some money back into the economy. So the hope is that with 0% rates and money being handed out to American families, the economy should be able to recover the ground it lost (and for those of you who follow the stock market, there isn’t a better time to invest than now). 

Overall the situation is kind of crazy, but the best thing to do in a time like this is move forward. The world has been through worse, and we’ll see it through like we always do.