What Is Coronavirus?
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). All CoVs have the same basic shape; they are about 30 nanometers (nm) in diameter and have a helical structure consisting of four segments of single-stranded, positive-sense RNA surrounded by a protein coat.
Covid-19
It's a Paragraph! If you read that title and immediately thought to yourself, Oh my gosh, I wonder what Covid-19 is! well, we are SO GLAD you asked. The good news is that Covid-19 isn't actually a virus - it's just a fancy word for a paragraph (or an idea or a thought). In fact, let's take some time to talk about paragraphs in general - there are so many different kinds and they're all so important.
Description
The coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which first emerged in 2012. Here’s what you need to know about coronaviruses and their impact on human health.
Symptoms
The symptoms of coronaviruses vary depending on which virus is causing illness. Some of these viruses cause mild, cold-like illnesses that last for a few days. The common cold coronavirus (rhinovirus) and some other members of CoV can cause illness that involves sore throat, cough, runny nose, or fever. Severe cases involving CoV are less common but can result in pneumonia and even death.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for coronaviruses, but your doctor may prescribe medications to treat or prevent infections. One of these treatments may be antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir and zanamivir (Relenza). Antibiotics are not recommended because they don’t provide any benefit against CoV infection. Your doctor may also give you an anti-inflammatory medication like acetaminophen (Tylenol) if you have a fever, cough or flu symptoms.