What is the Coronavirus?
By - TAY
In 2020, an illness called Covid-19 changed the way we live. The disease moved fast because people could catch it from one another and many don’t even know they have it. Last winter, it spread from China to other countries in the world, including the United States and Canada.
Many people who catch the virus do not feel sick at all. But others can become really sick and may even die.
The picture above shows the cause: a type of germ called a virus. It’s the new member of the coronavirus family, which includes germs that can cause less harmful diseases such as the common cold.
Covid-19 is short for COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (the year the virus was discovered).
A virus is a particle so small you need a special microscope to see it. When a person with the virus sneezes, coughs, or even talks, tiny water droplets carry the virus into the air.
When virus particles get into another person, they break into some of the trillions of cells that make up that person’s body. Then the virus tricks those cells into making copies of the virus to infect the rest of your body.
A body uses several responses to fight viruses and other germs. Together, these responses are called the immune system. As the immune system kills viruses, it makes antibodies, which help find and fight the virus if it invades again.
Scientists have made some vaccines that can help protect you from the virus and can also protect others around you. When a person gets a vaccin, the immune system can make antibodies before the person gets the disease.
You can help stop the spread of Covid-19. Wear a mask, wash your hands, and follow other safety measures. Also, when it’s time for children to receive the vaccine, try to receive it so that you and others can stay safe.