Understanding Coronavirus

Description

Since the identification of the first cases of the coronavirus in December 2019, there has been a significant amount of confusion regarding the origin and spread of the so-called 'coronavirus', SARS-CoV-2, and the cause of the disease COVID-19. Conflicting messages from the media and officials across different countries and organizations, the abundance of disparate sources of information, unfounded conspiracy theories on the origins of the virus, unproven therapies, and inconsistent public health measures, have all served to increase anxiety in the population. Where did the virus come from? How is it transmitted? How does it cause disease? Is it like flu? What is a pandemic? In this concise and accessible introduction, a leading expert provides answers to these commonly asked questions. This revised and updated edition now also covers how the virus mutates, how important these mutations are, how vaccines work, and what we can expect in the near and long-term future. 04.0_pp_iv_iv_Copyright_page 05.0_pp_v_v_Epigraph 06.0_pp_vi_vi_Dedication 07.0_pp_vii_x_Contents 08.0_pp_xi_xii_Foreword 09.0_pp_xiii_xvi_Preface_to_the_Revised_and_Updated_Edition 10.0_pp_xvii_xix_Preface_to_the_First_Edition 11.0_pp_xx_xx_Abbreviations 12.0_pp_1_6_Introduction 13.0_pp_7_21_How_Is_the_Coronavirus_Spreading 14.0_pp_22_33_What_Is_a_Coronavirus 15.0_pp_34_44_How_Is_the_Coronavirus_Changing 16.0_pp_45_77_How_Did_the_COVID-19_Outbreak_Start_and_Evolve 17.0_pp_78_87_How_Does_the_COVID-19_Outbreak_Compare_to_the_SARS_Outbreak_in_2003 18.0_pp_88_99_How_Does_the_COVID-19_Outbreak_Compare_to_Seasonal_and_Pandemic_Influenza 19.0_pp_100_113_How_Can_We_Treat_the_Virus_and_Prevent_Infections 20.0_pp_114_117_Conclusions 21.0_pp_118_120_Summary_of_Common_Misunderstandings 22.0_pp_121_130_Suggested_Further_Reading 23.0_pp_131_135_Figure_and_Quotation_Credits 24.0_pp_136_146_Index