Coronavirus Infectious Disease Epidemic (COVID-19): where we are, what can be done and hope for.

Carbone, Michele; Lednicky, John; Xiao, Shu-Yuan; Venditti, Mario; Bucci, Enrico

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spreads mainly via aerosol (microdroplets) in enclosed environments where temperature and humidity are regulated via air-conditioning (A/C). About 30% of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 develop COVID-19 disease. Among them, ∼25% require hospitalization. In medicine “cases” identify those who become ill. During this pandemic “cases” has been used to identify those with a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, including ∼70% asymptomatic; this has caused unnecessary anxiety. Individuals >65 and those affected by obesity, diabetes, asthma, immune-depressed cancer patients, etc., are at higher risk of hospitalization and of dying of COVID-19. Healthy individuals younger than 40 very rarely die of COVID-19. Estimates of the COVID-19 mortality-rate vary because the definition of COVID-19–related deaths varies. Belgium has the highest death-rate 154.9/100,000 persons, because it includes anyone who died with symptoms compatible with COVID-19, even those never tested for SARS-CoV-2. The US includes all patients who died with a positive test, whether they died because of, or with, SARS-CoV-2. Countries that include only patients in which COVID-19 was the main cause of death, rather than a co-factor, have lower death-rates. Numerous therapies are being developed and rapid improvements are anticipated. Because of disinformation, only ∼50% of the US population plans to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. By sharing accurate information, physicians, health professionals and scientists play a key role addressing myths and anxiety, help public health officials enact measures to decrease infections, and provide the best care for those who become sick. We discuss these issues.