On 31 December 2019, novel coronavirus was first reported from Wuhan, China. Sadly, now coronaviruses are common throughout the world after it has spread to foreign countries as well. It has never occurred to us that a novel virus can be so infectious and fatal. Do you have any idea what is coronavirus or how can we cope with it? If you don’t, here are top 10 books in virology that can help you understand coronavirus better.
What is Novel Coronavirus and How to Cope with It?
Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a virus closely related to the SARS virus. The virus first emerged in Wuhan, Hubei, China and is the cause of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic. Common symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. While the majority of cases result in mild symptoms, some progress to pneumonia and multi-organ failure.
The infection can be spread from one person to others via respiratory droplets produced from the airways. Therefore, hand washing, wearing mask and maintaining distance from other people are measures recommended to prevent the disease. Right now there is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19.
Frequently Asked Questions on novel coronavirus (COVID-19)Is COVID-19 the same as SARS?
No. The virus that causes COVID-19 and the one that caused the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003 are related to each other genetically, but the diseases they cause are quite different. SARS was more deadly but much less infectious than COVID-19.
How long is the incubation period for COVID-19?
The incubation period means the time between catching the virus and beginning to have symptoms of the disease. Most estimates of the incubation period for COVID-19 range from 1-14 days, most commonly around five days.
Is there any vaccine or medicine that can prevent or cure COVID-19?
Not yet. There is no vaccine and no specific antiviral medicine to prevent or treat COVID-2019. While some western or traditional remedies may alleviate symptoms of COVID-19, there is no evidence that current medicine can prevent or cure the virus.
Top 10 Books that Help You Understand Coronavirus Better
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, thousands of people have died after being infected. Though we are panicked, it’s highly necessary for us to get educated with related knowledge on virus disease. Only by knowing what causes the outbreak of coronavirus, we can efficiently prevent or cope with such deadly virus in the future. In order to better understand coronavirus, you can start with these top 10 books on virus disease.
1. Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic
Spillover reads like a mystery tale. It predicts the next big human pandemic perhaps on the scale of AIDS or the 1918 influenza, which is likely to be caused by a new virus coming to humans from wildlife. Experts call such an event “spillover” and they warn us to brace ourselves.
2. The Hot Zone
A highly infectious, deadly virus from the central African rain forest suddenly appears in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. There is no cure. In a few days 90 percent of its victims are dead. A military team of soldiers and scientists is called to stop the outbreak of this virus. The Hot Zone tells this dramatic story regarding the appearance of rare and lethal viruses and their crashes into human race.
3. Crisis in the Red Zone
Crisis in the Red Zone is an exquisitely timely book, a warning of viral outbreaks to come. It makes clear that the outbreak of 2013–2014 is a n emerging infectious virus which has never imagined. In our ever more interconnected world, viruses are being unleashed into more densely populated areas than ever before.
4. Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again
In Deep Medicine, leading physician Eric Topol reveals how AI can empower doctors and revolutionize patient care. AI has the potential to transform everything doctors do, from notetaking and medical scans to diagnosis and treatment, greatly cutting down the cost of medicine and reducing mortality. AI totally free doctors from the tasks that interfere with human connection.
5. Plague: One Scientist's Intrepid Search for the Truth about Human Retroviruses and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), Autism, and Other Diseases
Plague tells a story for anybody interested in and promise of science at the very highest levels. Dr. Judy Mikovits, PhD says that this book is his best attempt to tell the truth about his research, the culture in science today which is hostile to new ideas, and what science can really do if allowed to pursue promising areas of inquiries.
6. The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance
In The Coming Plague, Laurie Garrett looks deeply into human impact on the environment and how this could lead to a new danger in the form of deadly viruses. It is a long book, but each chapter is a different outbreak the doctors handled or mishandled over the decades. She basically predicted how the Ebola outbreak of 2014 would turn into a disaster, and it was written back in 1995.
7. The Panic Virus: The True Story Behind the Vaccine-Autism Controversy
In The Panic Virus, Seth Mnookin draws on interviews with public-health advocates, scientists, and anti-vaccine activists to tackle a fundamental question: How do we decide what the truth is? The fascinating answer helps explain everything. This book talks about a riveting and sometimes heart-breaking medical detective story that explores the limits of rational thought.
8. Flu: The Story Of The Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus that Caused It
In Flu, Gina Kolata, a well-known reporter for The New York Times, unravels the mystery of this lethal virus with a great adventure story. Kolata tracks the race to recover the live pathogen and probes the fear that has impelled government policy. This book addresses the prospects for a great epidemic’s recurrence and considers what can be done to prevent it.
9. How to Survive a Plague: The Story of How Activists and Scientists Tamed AIDS
How to Survive a Plague is the incredible story of the grassroots activists whose work turned HIV from a mostly fatal infection to a manageable disease. Though they are universally ignored, these grassroot activists learned to become their own researchers, lobbyists, and drug smugglers, established their own newspapers, and went on to force reform in the nation’s disease-fighting agencies.
10. On Immunity: An Inoculation
In this fascinating book -- On Immunity, Eula Biss addresses our fear of the government, the medical establishment, and what may be in children's air, food, medicines, and vaccines. Reflecting on her own experience as a new mother, she suggests that we cannot immunize ourselves against the world.
Tips
All these books are available on Amazon online store. If you want to back up purchased Kindle books to your disk, you can read this guide on how to remove Kindle DRM.
Amy Lopez crafts informative articles on eBooks and eReaders, uncovering optimal methods to enhance your eBook reading experience, and eagerly shares her findings with you.
