COVID-ology: A Field Guide

Description

The COVID-19 outbreak and response has been characterized by institutional missteps, media misinformation, and economic and social upheavals. This book is intended to de-mystify and inform in a succinct and straightforward text. The lessons shared are applicable to other infectious diseases and future inevitable pandemics. Readers will learn about the origins of COVID-19, the disease it causes, tests and how they work, therapeutics and prophylactic measures such as vaccines. This text prepares readers to be better able to respond to future emerging infectious diseases and pandemics. Key Features Positively influences career choices within public health Applies basic science to problems raised by the COVID-19 pandemic such as vaccine development and herd immunity Prepares readers with context and tactics for understanding future infectious disease outbreaks Successfully used in college senior health sciences seminars Engaging and balanced treatment of the politicization of public health issues, especially COVID-19 Related Titles Goswami, S. & C. Day, eds. COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2: The Science and Clinical Application of Conventional and Complimentary Treatments (ISBN 9781032011950). Koley, T. K. & M. Dhole. The COVID-19 Pandemic: The Deadly Coronavirus Outbreak (ISBN 9780367558895). Ryan, J. M., ed. COVID-19 – Two volume set (ISBN 9780367740610). Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Acknowledgments Author Acronyms COVID-19 Timeline Introduction: Foray into the Field COVID-19 Update: May 9, 2022 A Bewildering Landscape An Emerging Infectious Diseases Field Guide Using This Field Guide The Many Paths of Exploration Venturing into COVID-19—and EIDs Notes Chapter 1 The SARS-CoV-2 Virus Field Expedition: NASA’s Ten-Word Definition of Life Lesson Learned: NASA’s Ten-Word Definition of Life Concepts Covered in This Chapter Nucleic Acids Are the Self-Sustaining Chemical System of Life The Virus as Industrial Insurrectionist Virus Classification Systems The SARS-CoV-2 Genome SARS-CoV-2 Is a Single-Stranded Positive Sense RNA Virus Protein Translation Starts with ORF1a Making NSP1–NSP11 Protein Translation Continues with ORF1b Making NSP12–NSP16 Immune System Evasion and Accessory Proteins SARS-CoV-2 Life Cycle SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry, Cytoplasmic Replication, and Exit Interrupting the Virus Life Cycle Virus Mutability How Mutations Occur Mutation Terminology SARS-CoV-2 Variants More Variants: Not If, but When Looking Back, Looking Ahead Future Outings Student Research Questions Notes Chapter 2 The Origins of SARS-CoV-2 Field Expedition: The Bat Woman Lesson Learned: The Bat Woman Concepts Covered in This Chapter SARS-CoV-2: An Emerging Infectious Disease Zoonotic Spillover Theory Bats as Animal Reservoirs for Lethal Zoonotic Pathogens Laboratory Leak Theory Official Reviews of Laboratory Leak and Zoonotic Spillover Theories Looking Back, Looking Ahead Future Outings Student Research Questions Notes Chapter 3 COVID-19 Disease Manifestations Field Expedition: The Three Phases of Syphilis Lessons Learned: The Three Phases of Syphilis Concepts Covered in This Chapter COVID-19 Is a New Disease Entity Symptoms COVID-19 Symptoms Clinical Stages COVID-19 Clinical Stages Host Factors COVID-19 Host Factors Comorbid Conditions COVID-19 Comorbid Conditions Pathophysiology COVID-19 Pathophysiology ACE2 Receptors, Fluid Balance, and Inflammation Alveolar Epithelial Cells Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome PASC and MIS-C Looking Back, Looking Ahead Future Outings Student Research Questions Chapter 4 Testing Field Expedition: Michael Mina’s Mission Lesson Learned: Michael Mina’s Mission Concepts Covered in This Chapter Types of Clinical Tests Performance Characteristics of Clinical Tests “Gold Standard” or Reference Standard Test Positive and Negative Predictive Values Clinical Test Results and Disease Probability Bayes’s Theorem of Pre-Test Probability Making the Correct Diagnosis of a Disease Using Clinical Tests in Making Diagnoses Making the Correct Diagnosis of COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 Clinical Tests Serologic Antibody Tests PCR Tests RDTs Using Clinical Tests in Making COVID-19 Diagnoses Looking Back, Looking Ahead Future Outings Student Research Questions Notes Chapter 5 Therapeutics Field Expedition: The Strange Case of Ivermectin Lesson Learned: The Strange Case of Ivermectin Concepts Covered in This Chapter Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) NPIs in Another Age: The 1918 Influenza Pandemic The Path to Scientifically Sound Therapeutics Scientific Method Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) Peer-Reviewed Journals Consolidated Statement of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) Pharmacologic Principles Designing Therapeutic Agents: Viral Life Cycle and Pathophysiology Viral Life Cycle Viral-Induced Pathophysiology Three Challenges in Developing Antiviral Medications National Institutes of Health COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines NIH COVID-19 Treatment Recommendations Paxlovid™ (Ritonavir-Boosted Nirmatrelvir) Remdesivir Bebtelovimab Molnupiravir NPIs and Therapeutics as Dual Measures Looking Back, Looking Ahead Future Outings Student Research Questions Notes Chapter 6 Regulatory Agencies Field Expedition: The Booster Announcement Lesson Learned: The Booster Announcement Concepts Covered in This Chapter The United States: A Constitutional Federal Republic Regulatory Agencies as the “Fourth Branch” of Government Two Key Regulatory Agencies: The CDC and FDA Legal Framework Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) FDA Approval Process Emergency Use Authorization The Pandemic as Civics Lesson Looking Back, Looking Ahead Future Outings Student Research Questions Notes Chapter 7 Vaccines Field Expedition: Jeryl Lynn’s Mumps Lesson Learned: Jeryl Lynn’s Mumps Concepts Covered in This Chapter Dr. Jenner’s Variolation Experiments A Vaccination Triumph: The Eradication of Smallpox The Smallpox Vaccine How Vaccines Work Vaccines Usurp the Immune System Immune System Response to Infection Interactions among Immunologic Cells of the Adaptive Immune System Vaccine Formulation Types of Vaccines Vaccine Clinical Trials Clinical Trials and Scientific Truth Clinical Trial Phases SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines Four Reasons for Rapid Development of mRNA-Based Vaccines Earlier Work with mRNA Technology Lessons Learned from SARS and MERS Release of the SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Sequence Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Confusion: Too Much of a Good Thing Vaccine Hesitancy and Resistance Existing Background of Distrust State Response to Vaccine Hesitancy Looking Back, Looking Ahead Future Outings Student Research Questions Notes Chapter 8 Herd Immunity Field Expedition: Sweden’s Risky Experiment Lesson Learned: Sweden’s Risky Experiment Concepts Covered in This Chapter What Is Herd Immunity? Herd Immunity Threshold Herd Immunity during COVID-19 Natural Immunity Conferred Immunity Herd Immunity during the Pre-Vaccination Phase Great Barrington Declaration vs. John Snow Memorandum Herd Immunity during the Post-Vaccination Period Herd Immunity Threshold in the Post-Vaccination Period Herd Immunity vs. “A Path to Normality” Looking Back, Looking Ahead Future Outings Student Research Questions Notes Chapter 9 Global Concerns Field Expedition: The World Health Organization Strategy Lesson Learned: The WHO Strategy Concepts Covered in This Chapter What Vaccinating the World Means SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Begins Twenty-First Century Problems From Eradicating Smallpox to Eliminating Other Infectious Diseases Public–Private Partnerships: Gavi, CEPI, and COVAX Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (COVAX) Looking Back, Looking Ahead Future Outings Student Research Questions Notes Chapter 10 Covidiocy Field Expedition: Vector in Chief Lesson Learned: Vector in Chief Concepts Covered in This Chapter The COVID-19 Infodemic The Overabundance of Information The Misuse of Information The Harmful Consequences of Misinformation Covidiocy Irrational Behaviors and Beliefs Observed during the Pandemic Underlying Causes and Driving Forces for Irrational Behavior Logical Fallacies Bias Cultural Values Looking Back, Looking Ahead Future Outings Student Research Questions Notes Conclusion: Our Pandemic Future Glossary Index