Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2

SARS-COv-2

Abbreviated as SARS-COv-2, (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2), is a member of the family of viruses called coronviridae, that also includes the common cold virus, flu, SARS(Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome caused by SARS-Coronavirus-1) and MERS(Middle East Respiratory Syndrome). An infection with SARS-COv-2 causes COVID-19.

Background

Around 2003-2004, a type of coronavirus called SARS-CoV-1(Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome 1), emerged from China and infected more than 8,000 people mostly in China, Hong Kong, and other South Asian countries. SARS-CoV-1 was eradicated by intensive contact tracing and case isolation measures and no cases have been detected since 2004. SARS-CoV-1 is the human coronavirus most closely related to SARS-CoV-2. In the stability study the two viruses behaved similarly, which unfortunately fails to explain why COVID-19 has become a much larger outbreak.

Characteristics of SARS-COv-2

Since the initial outbreak name as COVID-19, in December of 2019 in Wuhan, China, SARS-COv-2 has spread to over 150 countries around the world and has been declared as a pandemic by the, WHO. As one of the most aggressively spreading viruses, SARS-COv-2 has many unique characteristics that make it more potent as a pathogen that can spread rapidly among communities.

How SARS-COv-2 spreads?

SARS-CoV-2 can persist on plastic and stainless steel surfaces for up to 3 days (at 21-23oC, 40% RH), with a half-life of 13-16 hours. SARS-CoV-2 has an aerosol half-life of 2.7 hours (particles <5 μm, tested at 21-23oC and 65% RH).

SARS-CoV-2 scanning electron microscope image

Surrogate Coronavirus data:

• Studies suggest that other coronaviruses can survive on nonporous surfaces up to 9-10 days (MHV, SARS-CoV) and porous surfaces for up to 3-5 days (SARS-CoV) in air conditioned environments (20-25oC, 40-50% RH)
• Coronavirus survival tends to be higher at lower temperatures and lower relative humidity (RH), though infectious virus can persist on surfaces for several days in typical office or hospital conditions
• SARS can persist with trace infectivity for up to 28 days at refrigerated temperatures (4oC) on surfaces.
• Beta-coronaviruses (e.g., SARS-CoV) may be more stable than alphacoronaviruses (HCoV-229E).
• No strong evidence for reduction in transmission with seasonal increase in temperature and humidity.
• One hour after aerosolization approximately 63% of airborne MERS virus remained viable in a simulated office environment (25oC, 75% RH)
• The aerosol survival of related human coronavirus (229E) was relatively high, (half-life of ~67 hours at 20oC and 50% RH), indicating ~20% of infectious virus remained after 6 days.

Both higher and lower RH reduced HCoV-229E survival; low

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  Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

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  Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

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  Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

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  SARS-CoV with corona

COVID vaccine development

WHO preventing coronavirus

Coronavirus: WHO declares COVID 19 a pandemic.

• Prevention
• FAQs on COVID
• Glossary of COVID

Treatments

The monoclonal antibodies treatments Bamlanivimab (made by Eli Lilly and Company) and the therapeutic cocktail Casirivimab/Imdevimab (made by Regeneron) called monoclonal antibodies that can be given to help treat patients with COVID-19.  

List of approved COVID-19 vaccinations in US

The following COVID-19 vaccines have received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of COVID-19:

• The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in persons 16 years of age and older.
• The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for use in persons 18 years of age and older.
• The Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine for use in persons 18 years and older.

External links

• US HHS dashboard