BUILD ‘IMMUNITY TO FEAR’ AMIDST CORONA VIRUS CANKER.
Psalm 91:1-Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
BRIEFLY ABOUT A VIRUS
A virus is a small particle that cannot reproduce by itself thus, requires a host’s cell for its replication. Once it infects a susceptible cell, however, a virus can direct the cell machinery to produce more viruses. Most viruses have either Ribonucleic acid (RNA) or Deoxyribonucleic acid as their genetic material. The nucleic acid may be either single or double stranded. The entire infectious virus particle, called virion, consists of the nucleic acid and an outer shell of protein.
WHAT ABOUT CORONA VIRUSES?
Corona viruses are enveloped viruses with a positive sense single-stranded RNA genome. They were discovered back in the 1960’s and they happen to be zoonotic according to US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, therefore, can be transferred from animals to humans.
A new strain, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in December, 2019 in Wuhan, China which is closely related to a previous strain SARS-CoV and that was also preceded by Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
WHAT IS UP?
So many misconceptions have been built around the pandemic disease (COVID-19) caused by this viral strain SARS-CoV-2. This piece seeks not to emphasize misconceptions but rather build ‘fear immunity’. ‘We should never look back in anger, nor forward in fear but all we have to do is to look around in awareness’.
In the global effort to fight Corona virus, Molecular Biologists and other Medical Scientists are working assiduously to understand the novel corona virus genomics and understand how data analysis tools can help identify specific viral strains, understand multiple sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis and the significance of mutations in the context of the virus’s protein structure and function. This is because, the major cardinal principle of dealing with a disease is to eliminate the cause. It is a matter of time and we shall ‘discover the uncovered’ soon. Let us believe by God’s grace.
The fact that people have tested positive of the virus does not mean death is apparent for them. They have become carriers of the virus and those with strong immune systems can survive the battle between the immune system and the virus.
There is no specific treatment for the infection according to scientific findings therefore, symptomatic treatments are offered. There are precautionary measures which are infection prevention and control measures. The virus has been said to be transmitted through respiratory droplets thus the emphasis on ‘social distancing’.
WHY FEAR?
I wish to express that attention should be paid to people who have compromised immune systems and have tested positive in order to prevent any loss that may be caused by secondary infections that were not given due attention. Sanitation issues should be an utmost concern because poor sanitation is the breeding grounds for infections.
As the adage goes ‘prevention is better than cure’, let us take note that, microorganisms are everywhere though they do not have legs. Therefore we should be extra vigilant to practice hygiene but not practice fear.
WE CAN OVERCOME‼
We should all become more mentally immune and emotionally resililent and act responsibly. Let us endeavour to take precautionary and preventive measures seriously. Frequent washing of hands with soap under running water, application of alcohol-based hand sanitizer as soon as surfaces are touched and disinfection of our environment most importantly, surfaces that we touch with our bodies especially our hands. Let us cut the chain of spreading. These small things we will do can help a lot.
God is still God and He is in control amidst COVID-19. Stay safe without fear and panic.
SAY NO TO FEAR, ‘FOR HE WILL RESCUE YOU FROM EVERY TRAP AND PROTECT YOU AGAINST DEADLY DISEASE’, AMEN-PSALM 91:3.
LONG LIVE GHANA, LONG LIVE AFRICA AND LONG LIVE THE WORLD.
Ebenezer Eduam Afful
(Molecular Biologist)
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