Insights From an Infectious Disease Physician During the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by the SARS CoV-2 virus, needs no introduction. Within a span of a few months, it has become a pandemic that has spread around the world like wildfire. Along with the pandemic has also spread panic, fears and fictions. Indeed, there is still much we need to learn about this virus, its biology, clinical features and treatments, but it is also true that we have learned a great deal about the virus in the last several months. A closer look at the virus It’s well understood that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is highly effective in its ability to spread from human-to-human. Some early studies estimate that the reproduction number (R₀) is likely between 2 to 2.5.¹R₀ is the number of cases, on average, an infected person will cause during their infectious period. Simply put, one person with the infection can spread it to 2-3 people.²