The first three months of the COVID-19 epidemic: Epidemiological evidence for two separate strains of SARS-CoV-2 viruses spreading and implications for prevention strategies

Knut M. Wittkowski

For most of the first three months of the epidemic, much of the response was driven by "fear, stigma, or discrimination" (Ren 2020) , including naming SARS-CoV-2 the "China virus" (Rogers 2020) , despite the fact that seasonal respiratory zoonotic pathogens typically originate in China, where lifeanimal markets provide chances for animal viruses to transmit to humans. (Malik 2020) On 03-23, the Veterans Health Administration issued a COVID-19 Response Plan envisioning a pandemic that would "last 18 months or longer and could include multiple waves of illness". (Stone 2020) Between 02-14 and 03-16, the Dow Jones fell 31% from 29,440 to 20,188, raising fears for the economy, in general, and retirement savings, in particular. By the end on 03-20, the Dow Jones was down at 19,173 (35%) from 02-14. On 03-26, the U.S. Senate approved a $2T stimulus package.