What that means for you.
The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus has sparked major news
outlets to call it a pandemic, and scientists are saying so, too. Now, the
World Health Organization (WHO) is saying that COVID-19 is a
pandemic.
The effects of coronavirus across the world are unprecedented. It has
entire countries on lockdown, cruise ships quarantining passengers
and crew members, and major tech companies calling off events and
instructing employees to work from home.
But what does it mean if coronavirus is labeled as a pandemic,
and how does that affect you? Here, learn the stance of the
WHO on coronavirus as a potential pandemic, and what it means for
you now that COVID-19 has been declared one.
What is a pandemic?
A pandemic is “an epidemic occurring
World Health Organization WHO
worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries
and usually affecting a large number of people.”
The WHO also has a defined set of phases that describe different
levels of a pandemic, from one to six, which the agency previously
used for the 2009-2010 H1N1 swine flu:
- Phase 1: No animal viruses circulating have been reported to cause
infection in humans. - Phase 2: An animal virus in domestic or wild animals has been
reported to cause infection in humans. - Phase 3: An animal or human-animal virus has caused “sporadic
cases or small clusters of disease in people.” Limited human-to-human
transmission may occur in certain circumstances. - Phase 4: sustained human-to-human spread and community
outbreaks. - Phase 5: human-to-human transmission in at least two countries within
a single WHO region. - Phase 6: The actual pandemic phase, wherein there is human-to-human
spread in at least one country outside of the two in the initial
infected WHO region.
Pandemic vs. Epidemic
An epidemic is uncontrollable transmission of a disease, and a
pandemic is when this occurs throughout the world.
There are two stages of a disease that come before an epidemic.
An endemic occurs when a relatively stable number of people become
infected with a disease in a particular locale (for example, malaria in
Africa).
An outbreak occurs when an infection shows up in an unexpected
location or there is an unexpected increase in the infected population
of a disease (for example, Ebola, at various points in time).
What does it mean that this coronavirus is a pandemic?
Just using the word “pandemic” in place of “outbreak” or “epidemic”
shouldn’t add extra, unnecessary fear to the existing public panic. It
doesn’t mean the disease has become more dangerous than it already
is, and it doesn’t mean that your personal risk of contracting
coronavirus has increased.
Can I travel during a pandemic?
One of the best ways to slow down the spread of the virus is to avoid
travel and large gatherings of people. If there is a threat of widespread
transmission, it is likely that events will be canceled and employers will
ask employees to restrict travel.
It is recommended that people in high-risk groups, such as the elderly
or those with certain medical conditions, stay home as much as
possible to avoid exposure to the virus.
What can I do to protect myself?
Pandemic or not, it’s not a bad idea to take simple precautions, it is a
good idea to prepare so that you will be able to stay home if you get
sick, for example by making sure you have some extra food at home
and an extra supply of any medications you take regularly.
However, you don’t need to clear your local store shelves of soap and
hand sanitizer, and you don’t need to stock up on face masks either,
unless you are already sick (face masks can help prevent sick people
from further spreading diseases, but they won’t necessarily prevent
healthy people from contracting them).
For more details on the state of coronavirus, travel advice, how to
prepare and how to protect yourself, Please visit the WHO website,
which is continually updated with guidance on how to slow the spread
of coronavirus, and take care of yourself and your loved ones.