We watched the Netflix documentary Coronavirus Explained so you wouldn’t have to. Here are the five top things we learned.
1. The average person touches their face 20 times an hour.
We know that coronavirus spreads through droplets when we sneeze, cough, or even speak. And it can enter directly through our eyes, nose, or mouth. It also can live on surfaces for hours.
So, people can pick it up on their hands and infect themselves if they touch their face. Which happens more than we realize.
2. This wasn’t a total surprise.
In fact, experts knew a pandemic was coming, they just didn’t know when.
But most did presume that it would happen sooner rather than later. Bill Gates himself told Netflix in May 2019, “Pandemic is our greatest risk. One that would rival the gigantic wars of the past.”
“We estimate there are around one and a half million viruses in wildlife that we don’t yet know about. Any one of those could be spilling into the population right now,” warns Dr. Peter Daszak, President of Ecohealth Alliance, in April 2019.
3. It was downplayed right away.
The documentary itself opens on a compilation of world leaders downplaying the risk of the virus.
“The situation is absolutely under control” – Italian Prime Minister.
“This is one of our enemies’ plots” – Iranian President.
“No one knew there would be a pandemic” – Donald Trump.
4. SARS was technically more deadly- but much less dangerous- than COVID-19.
How is that possible?
SARS being much more deadly made it harder for the virus to spread.
Also, people could only spread SARS when they had symptoms, making it much easier to contain the virus by just quarantining people who were sick.
5. The only way to end COVID-19 is with a vaccine.
The show’s host reminds viewers: “We should have been more prepared. But when it comes to technology and science, we’ve also never been more prepared.”
Early on in 2020, research for vaccines began across the globe and scientists hope to have one developed for public use within the next year.
So the best we can do right now? Slow it down with a method that’s way more old school- quarantine.
Check out the trailer for Coronavirus, Explained below.
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