This document provides a summary of what is known about COVID-19. It explains that COVID-19 is a new coronavirus that is very contagious and virulent, infecting 2.5 people for every 1 infected. Without proper hospital care, the death rate could spike to over 9%. Social distancing is recommended to flatten the curve and avoid overwhelming hospitals. With social distancing, experts estimate the outbreak could be brought under control within 2-3 months through developing treatments and a vaccine.

1. COVID-19 PRIMER
WHATYOU SHOULD KNOW

2. WHAT IS IT?
• Covid-19 is a new type of virus that has made the leap from an animal to humans.
• Usually viruses which are new to us are difficult to combat because we do not have
immunity to them (we have never been exposed to them before).
• Corona viruses have done this before: SARS (2003) and MERS (ongoing) are much more
deadly versions of this class of virus. Both of these viruses have not spread widely,
however, because they are so deadly (and often kill the host before they can pass it on to
other people).

3. WHY IS IT SUCH A PROBLEM?
• 1. It is very contagious. It has the potential to infect roughly 70% of the population. For every person
infected with this virus, they typically infect 2.5 other people.This is why the case count will grow
exponentially if nothing is done.
• 2. It is very virulent.This means that it can make people very ill.This lytic cycle virus destroys lung cells
and which can lead to pneumonia and difficulty breathing. Roughly 16% of the population who get
infected will need hospital care (Oxygen or ventilators). 16% of 37.5 million people (Canada’s population)
would be 600 000 people.There are only 57 000 hospital beds in Canada and only a fraction of those can
handle contagious respiratory diseases like COVID-19.
• 3.Without proper hospital care the death rate will spike. Current predictions of the death rate are
somewhere around 1 to 2% with proper treatment. Countries like Italy, which is completely
overwhelmed and can not provide treatment for everyone, currently has a death rate of over 9%.

4. WHO DOES IT AFFECT?
• It can affect people of all ages.
• Older people, people with compromised immune systems, or people with respiratory
issues can have worse outcomes. Roughly 80% of the people who died in China were
over 80 years old. Many of them also smoked or vaped. Men had a death rate of just
over 3% where the female death rate was under 2%.
• In South Korea younger people (mostly females) where infected which might be why the
mortality rate was under 1%.

5. HOW DOYOU GET IT?
• Currently scientists think you mostly get it from large droplets in the air. These are
usually caused by sneezing or coughing (a common symptom of the disease).
• Touching your face (eyes, nose, mouth).
• Eating without washing your hands.
• Bodily Fluids.

6. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
• Fever
• Weak/Achy
• Coughing (dry cough)
• Headache

7. WHAT CANYOU DO?
• Social Distancing. Currently, it is recommended that we stay at home until we can get the number of
cases under control. Failing to do so will cause a massive increase in our death rate. Please stay at home!
You might not die from this disease, but you can certainly spread it to others who will.
• Wash hands frequently (for at least 20 seconds). Detergent/soap helps to dissolve the protein coat on
the virus which then deactivates it. Hand sanitizer with over 60% alcohol also works in a similar way.
• Don’t touch your face.
• Cough into your sleeve.
• Stop smoking/vaping, eat well, exercise, and get lots of rest. Exercise and rest improves the immune
function which will eventually allow you to make antibodies to fight of this infection. Smoking/vaping
damages lung tissue which obviously isn’t good if you are trying to preserve lung function.

8. FLATTEN THE CURVE

9. HOW LONG WILL THIS LAST?
• Great question! Estimates vary widely but social distancing will likely need to be
practiced for quite some time. Canadians are being asked to stay at home which can
dramatically lower the number of people who get ill and die. We might be able to keep
the infection rate to single digits (from the 70% who would otherwise get it) if we stay at
home long enough.
• Most experts see us staying at home for 2 to 3 months with some easing of the
restrictions after that. Future outbreaks may mean that we have to stay at home again at
some point.

10. HOW CAN WE FIGHT THIS DISEASE?
• It is possible that anti-viral drugs will be available in 2 to 3 months that should improve
the outcome of many patients.
• Remdesivir seems to work in the lab against other corona viruses and is currently
being tested on humans.
• Hydroxychloroquine is an anti-malarial drug which may slow viral replication by
blocking access to vacuoles.This is currently being tested.
• Antibodies – these chemicals are either extracted from patients who have recovered or
are manufactured artificially. These will work, but are difficult to obtain in quantity.

11. HOW WILL THIS ALL END?
• Most likely a vaccine will be developed in the next year or so which should provide herd
immunity and stop this outbreak. If a strong anti-viral is found, it also has the potential to
stop the outbreak. Lastly, the outbreak will die off by itself if enough people get infected
and build up immunity.

12. SHOULD I WORRY?
• No! As long as we all stay at home, this infection can be brought under control. China
brought their outbreak under control in 3 months, South Korea,Taiwan, Singapore, and
Japan have all stabilized their outbreaks as well in a couple of months. Theoretically, if
everyone could stay home for 2 weeks, the outbreak would end quickly. That is not
possible due to essential workers, but the more people who stay home, the faster this
will end.As long as we all do out part, we will limit this outbreak and save thousands of
lives.
• Stay safe!