Could warmer weather slow the spread of the coronavirus? If all goes well, the new virusSARS-CoV-2, may behave like the influenza virus. Then spring, with its rising temperatures, would kill the pathogens - and stop the spread of the COVID-19 disease. The coronavirus season would pass awayjust like the annual flu wave, which starts to ebb when winter ends.

Spring may be the season of hope, but it's still too early to say accurately whether SARS-CoV-2 behavesas the influenza virus. Virologist Thomas Pietschmann says, experts can't yet predict the trajectory of the virus because "honestly speaking, we do notknow the virus yet."

Pietschmann is a molecular virologist at the Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, called Twincore, in Hanover, Germany. He researches so-called RNA viruses, including for example the hepatitis C virus. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to this group.

Virus? Unknown!

"What's special about this virus is that humans are confronted with it for the first time. From the data we have from China, we can conclude that the virus has only once passed from an animal to humans and spread from there," says Pietschmann.

Unlike influenza viruses,which nearly everyone has been in contact with at some point, our immune system is not prepared for an attack with corona pathogens.

In addition, the external conditions in the northern hemisphere are currently virtually perfect for the rapid spread of the virus. For one thing, there's the temperature. Respiratory viruses, i.e. those that spread via the respiratory tract, have a particularly easy time when the weather iscool. "Viruses have greater stability at low temperatures. This is similar to food that keeps longest in the refrigerator," says Pietschmann.

Cool and dry, please!

The warmer it gets, the more difficult the conditions are for many viruses. "The corona virus is surrounded by a lipid layer, in other words, a layer of fat," Pietschmann explains. This layer is not very heat-resistant, which means that the virus quickly breaks down when temperatures rise. "Other viruses, such as the norovirus, are more stable because they consist mainly of proteins and genetic material."

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For other pathogens, temperature only playsa subordinate role. The dengue virus, for example, is mainly found in tropical and subtropical regions. But this has less to do with the pathogens liking warm weather:"In this case, it is not the temperature that plays the main role in the spread of the pathogens, but the animal that transmits the virus," Pietschmann says..

Air humidity also influences the transmissibility of respiratory viruses. Once the pathogens have been expelled from the respiratory tract with a strong sneeze, they literally hang in the air. "On cold and usually dry winter days, the small droplets, together with the viruses, float in the air longer than when the air humidity is high," Pietschmann elaborates.

In this way the pathogens can spread rapidly. However, at first they do this quietly and secretly. From the first contact with the pathogens to the first symptoms of the disease, several weeks can pass. The length of this incubation period depends on the characteristics and biology of the virus.

Double X chromosome and estrogen

Fever, pain and chills are typical symptoms of a viral disease and a sign that the body is fighting off the invaders. How successful this fight is depends not only on the age and health of the infected person, on his or her gender. In the case of the coronavirus, the data shows that women have higher survival chances than men. At 2.8 percent, themortality rate of menis significantly higher than that of women, at 1.7 percent.

According to Pietschmann, this difference can beexplained by genetics. "Some immune-relevant genes, for example genes that are responsible for recognizing pathogens, are encoded on the X chromosome. Because women have two X chromosomes and men have only one, the female sex has an advantage here."

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The female sex hormone estrogen also helps women fend of viral diseases. "Some immune-relevant genes also have binding sites for estrogens, where these genes are switched on. This means that these genes are also controlled by the hormones," says Pietschmann.

Perhaps the corona season will indeed end with the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), however, there are more than 20 cases of SARS-CoV-2 in Australia and one case in Brazil - in the southern hemisphere. Where winter is yet to come.

According to the World Health Organization, there is no evidence to support claims that a saline solution will "kill the virus and protect you.

Certain brands of mouthwash may eliminate particular microbes from your saliva for a few minutes, but, according to the WHO, this does not protect you from the new coronavirus.

This dubious claim has been spreading like wildfire across social media. Though it is possible that garlic may have some antimicrobial properties, there is no evidence to suggest from the current coronavirus outbreak that eating this bulb will protect people from the virus.

There is no evidence to suggest pets, such as cats and dogs, can be infected or transmit the coronavirus. Regularly washing your hands with soap and water after touching your beloved moggy or pooch will help stop the spread of bacteria that they commonly carry, such as E. coli and salmonella.

People receiving parcels from China are not at risk of contracting the new coronavirus, as the virus does not survive long on objects. Due to the poor survivability of the coronavirus on surfaces, there is a very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks.

The new coronavirus needs its own vaccine. Pneumonia vaccines such as the pneumococcal and the Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine will not protect you against the coronavirus.

Bleach/chlorine-based disinfectants, solvents, 75% ethanol, peracetic acid and chloroform can kill the 2019-nCoV on hard surfaces; however, they have little or no impact if you put them on your skin.

To avoid a coronavirus infection, always cook raw foods thoroughly. It is also advisable to avoid direct contact with people who are sick.

Frequently washing your hands with soap and water can help prevent an infection. You can also use an alcohol-based sanitizing gel instead. If you have to cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow. If you have contracted the disease without knowing it, coughing or sneezing in this manner might help to reduce the spread.

Author: Jessie Wingard

Read more from the original source:
Will warmer weather stop the spread of the coronavirus? - Deutsche Welle

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