Coronavirus continues to spread; lawmakers seek solutions
The global coronavirus outbreak is rapidly increasing in severity as world leaders and health experts attempt to stop COVID-19’s spread.
The novel coronavirus, which is believed to have originated in Wuhan, China, has infected over 115,000 people and killed 4,000, as of March 10. The World Health Organization has categorized the outbreak at the “highest level of risk” possible. There are over 400 confirmed cases of the virus in the United States and 21 deaths nationwide so far.
Travel restrictions have been placed on China, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Japan. The death toll in Italy spiked from 133 to 366 deaths in just one day last weekend, prompting the Italian government to put 16 million people on lockdown.
President Donald Trump appointed Vice President Mike Pence to lead government efforts surrounding COVID-19, in both containment and messaging. But the American public isn’t so sure about Pence’s capability to contain the virus, as a severe H.I.V. outbreak in Indiana in 2015 was worsened when then-Governor Pence delayed crucial preventative action.
But Trump is “not concerned at all” about exposure to the coronavirus, according to CNN. He called it the Democrats’ “latest hoax” in a campaign rally in South Carolina and mentioned in a tweet that the Democratic party is overstating the gravity of the situation, citing Surgeon General Jerome Adams’ remark that the risk of contracting or dying from the virus is low to the “average American,” contrary to the WHO’s reaction.
Adams has gone on to say that although he believes the outbreak is being contained within the country, people with pre-existing health conditions and elderly people are at the highest level of risk. Ultimately, health officials are recommending that people avoid air travel and cruise ships.
Trump, Pence and other government leaders have been meeting with health experts from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health to develop a solution. And last Friday, in a change from his initial stance, Trump signed an $8.3 billion emergency coronavirus aid package, with $3 billion going specifically toward vaccine research, which is expected to be ready within the next year and a half. He initially requested $2 billion, but Congress, in full support of the aid, quadrupled his request.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is making tests available for people who demonstrate signs of having COVID-19, but not everyone has access to those tests, since test kits are in short supply. Health officials are prioritizing people who are confirmed to have been exposed to the virus to receive testing.
Since the symptoms of coronavirus — coughing, difficulty breathing and fever — are similar to more benign illnesses, it’s difficult to know exactly who has the virus and how to track it. A new study says that symptoms of the virus usually take five days to appear, which adds to the difficulties of staying on top of containment.
In an attempt to slow the spread, companies and schools are requesting that employees and students work from home via video conferencing instead of coming in. Google Hangouts and Cisco WebEx are making some of their premium features available for free until the summer as an additional resource.
Those who work hourly service jobs or those without sick leave aren’t so lucky. For them, the risk is much higher of either contracting and spreading the virus, lest they stay home from work and are unable to pay the bills.
Uncertainty around the severity and duration of the outbreak is impacting the stock market too, causing the S&P Index to plummet in the worst drop since the 2008 financial crisis. The Dow Jones Industrial Average recently hit record single-day gains and losses.
The White House is undoubtedly worried about the economic impact that the virus is having on the global economy. Everything from the industrial sector to retail is being hit — hard. Trump’s main sticking point of his administration is the “strong economy” his policies have cultivated. As the virus spreads and the stock market goes into correction territory, the administration has put even more pressure on the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates further.
New White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, along with several other G.O.P. congressional members, have self-quarantined after they were in contact with people who may have had the virus. Some, including Meadows, had direct contact with the president on Air Force One and in the White House.
Only time will tell if the coronavirus’ political impact could be nearly as much as its health impact. If the White House is unable to stem the spread of the illness then economic fall out could continue for the rest of the year setting up harsher economic conditions to recover from. And don’t forget this is an election year, where appearances do matter.
While the coronavirus is a serious outbreak, it’s possible to limit its spread. It’s transmitted through water droplets from coughing, touching an already infected surface or shared saliva, among similar methods. The virus itself is structured such that it has an outer membrane of fatty lipid molecules, which means that it can be disrupted and dissolved by thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water and other means of disinfecting, including hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes.
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