Last month, we witnessed much conversation and panic over the novel strain of coronavirus that originated in the Hubei province of China. The advancement in genome sequencing, vaccine studies and a rapid and collaborative response from the international community show great promise in faster diagnosis, control of transmission and effective treatment.

In the midst of panic and in the era of social media, I hope to dispense some scientifically informed news across campus. A common vocabulary benefits this conversation and as such, I will first go through some definitions and statistics before we can consider what the coronavirus outbreak means for scientific and medical communities as well as in ours. Hopefully by the end of this story you will have a better understanding of the reality of the coronavirus outbreak and will use this knowledge to protect yourself and others from both viruses and misconception.

Let’s start from the very beginning. A virus is a sequence of nucleic acids like RNA or DNA covered in a protein coat. Many biologists do not classify viruses as living because they require a host organism in order to reproduce. While commonly spread through respiratory droplets, Doctor Raghib Ali, Director of the New York University Abu Dhabi Public Health Research Center described another mode of transmission, “they can also live on surfaces, so shaking hands, doorknobs, et cetera …. these are all ways that viruses can spread. But they don’t live long outside of a biological host. So they don’t really have a life of their own.” This state of pseudo-life is important to remember when considering treatment because antibiotics do not target viruses as non-living entities and are not proper treatments for the current outbreak. The proper provisional name for the virus that is informally referred to as the Wuhan virus is 2019 novel Coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV. This virus can be transmitted from person to person, and although the exact mode of transmission is still being researched, it is likely to be spread through respiratory droplets. Viruses can usually only be viable on the surface of materials outside a host for a few hours, but exact measurements of the 2019-nCoV survival on surfaces have not been confirmed. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses and include strains that cause acute respiratory syndrome, such as SARS and MERS as well as some less severe reactions such as the common cold.

The SARS outbreak in 2002-2003 caused more than 8,000 people around the world to be sick, killing over 700 of those infected. One of the most effective actions against the spread of SARS was quarantine due to the high mortality rate and high rate of transmission. After the situation was managed, there have been no cases of human-to-human contact causing the syndrome. Similarly, the MERS outbreak in 2012 was a controlled viral situation. The mortality rate of the MERS coronavirus infection was three or four out of every 10 patients. Both SARS and MERS had a higher mortality rate than the 2019-nCoV, estimated at approximately two percent. This is considered to be an underestimation due to the ongoing nature of spread as there are likely many undocumented cases. Despite some key differences between the 2019-nCoV and other genetically similar coronaviruses, we can still learn from them.

A lesson from the SARS outbreak that has proven to be helpful in containing the novel coronavirus is early detection and diagnosis. The 2019-nCoV is a single-stranded RNA virus with a genome the size of approximately 30,000 nucleotide bases. The first genome of the virus was sequenced within two weeks of the outbreak announcement. The sequence of a genome is the order of nitrogenous bases that make up the information that is inherited in successive generations. This information has been made available worldwide and contributes to the ongoing advancements in research of the mechanism of infection, development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnosis. The genome sequence is essential for confirmation of patients because the 2019-nCoV has symptoms similar to other infections like pneumonia and influenza — the sequence can help make an exact diagnosis.

The strength of international science collaborations have allowed for potential therapies to be developed. An editorial in the journal Nature implores international researchers to keep sharing their advancing knowledge of the disease in order to resolve this outbreak faster and more effectively. One suggestion is to share preliminary data, standards and protocols with other labs. This is not very common due to the competition of publishing, but may be crucial to arresting the spread of the virus and helping those affected. Nature and other journals are encouraging or requiring that articles pertaining to the novel virus be published on open-access platforms such as bioRxiv. This allows the public to gain insight into the science as treatments come out. Not all the papers that are being published “pre-print” are peer-reviewed and as such, the public should be mindful of their sources.

As groups from around the world work to understand this virus, there are a few basic ways to protect yourself in the interim. The best solutions to avoiding infection according to the CDC and WHO is to cough or sneeze into your elbow, wash your hands with soap and water and do not travel into an area that is directly affected with an outbreak. You should also avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Around campus there are new hand sanitizers within doorways of the residential halls, and you can use your campus dirhams to make sure you have enough soap to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. As for masks, the CDC and WHO do not support or encourage the general public to wear any type of mask. There is no scientific evidence that wearing a mask will protect you from infection. If you are worried about infection, you can politely keep one meter of personal distance. If you are not feeling well, you can book an appointment with Health and Wellness or drop in during the week 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The CDC also disproves any prejudice against people of Asian descent. There is no greater risk for infection based on nationality or ethnicity. The main factor that increases risk is having been in contact with someone with a confirmed or suspected case of 2019-nCoV within the past 14 days. An effective way to limit the spread of the disease is therefore to place confirmed and suspected cases in quarantine. In order to be a person of interest for this virus on the NYUAD campus, a person must have fever, cough and should have recently travelled from China. If you meet these criteria, contact the Health and Wellness Center. Only when these three requirements are met will a person be considered for testing and possible quarantine. Despite the relatively low risk of infection for most people around the world, there have been personal accounts and articles from around the world citing acts of racism and microaggression. Our campus is no place for such actions. The diversity and acceptance on this campus are enduring values and a nanometer-scale virus should not get in the way of the inclusive space we have so carefully cultivated. NYUAD’s Health and Wellness Center Director, Doctor Ayaz Virji, addressed the social reaction to the outbreak with the words, “Stigma does not contain disease.” We should all remember the ineffectiveness of fear and prejudice at quelling the spread of infections.

Besides protecting yourself against infection with basic health practices, having compassion for your fellow community members and getting the proper vaccines, you should educate yourself on the developing situation of the 2019-nCoV. Some sources of accurate information are the CDC, WHO and the department of health in your particular region. On campus, always refer to the emails from Vice Chancellor Mariët Westermann as well as updates from New York via President Hamilton. Always be sure that you are getting your information from reliable sources. Linked here are some accessible videos that describe general information about the new outbreak, how the 2019-nCoV affects your body and recognizing symptoms.