(Minghui.org) As the coronavirus continues to spread around the globe, it is important for us to have a basic understanding of the virus so as to better protect ourselves from it.
How Does It Spread?
The novel coronavirus COVID-19 can be spread in almost all known virus transmission routes, including:
1) direct physical contact between people or contact with infected surfaces or objects. It is reported that the virus can exist on objects’ surface from a few hours to several days.
2) fecal-oral route, which usually happens when an infected person doesn’t wash hands properly after using the bathroom. Hepatitis and tuberculosis are usually transmitted this way.
3) one can also be infected if inhaling the droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Seasonal flu is usually transmitted in the respiratory droplets.
4) aerosol infection, which happens when people get infected by inhaling small virus-containing particles floating in the air.
5) it has been confirmed that the virus can be spread through blood, such as intrauterine vertical transmission from mother to infant.
Incubation Period
Comparing to the 2-7 incubation days of SARS, the incubation period for COVID-19 is usually around 10-14 days. Longer incubation periods of up to 24 days has also been reported.
Asymptomatic Infections
Another dangerous aspect of COVID-19 is that patients in the incubation period may be asymptomatic and temperature checks cannot detect any infection. If the viral load is low, they may also have a negative nucleic acid test result.
The asymptomatic patients, left un-quarantined, can in turn infect other people.
Multi-organ Failure
While SARS usually attacks a patient’s lungs and respiratory system, COVID-19 also induces a fatal immune response known as “cytokine storm,” which affects one’s heart, kidney and other organs. This may explain why some patients suddenly fell ill and died, as the “cytokine storm” can induce acute heart failure.
So far, the novel coronavirus is known to be highly contagious and scientists are still racing to develop effective vaccines and therapeutic drugs. Even with medical intervention, it still depends on whether the patient’s own immune system is strong enough to fight the virus.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that diseases are a result of the lack of balance in the body and invasion of negative energy. Therefore, it is important to keep a positive and calm mind and not allow anxiety or panic to drain one’s energy.
Many Falun Dafa practitioners have shared how doing this ancient meditation discipline boosts their energy and helps them to keep fit. There are also stories of people recovering from the coronavirus infection by reciting “Falun Dafa is good; Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.”
While the mechanism of how meditation can improve one’s immune system is yet to be studied by scientists, one may want to give Falun Dafa a try.
