The Dangers We Face:‘ Living on Earth may be expensive, but it includes a free trip around the sun every year’ says a joke. However, even if we disregard the dangerous 'survival of the fittest' instinct that propelled Darwin into a great thinker and demoted us from 'in his image', to the ‘un-photoshopped’ image of monkey’s cousins, living here isn't a joke. Even if we exclude the man-made millions killing great World Wars of the past that was given a 'STOP IT' by the fear of Atom Bomb, and global warming of the future that hasn't happened yet, these man-NOT-made ones seem to be even worse. This is because, almost reminding few smart Londoners ruling over India, just a few sick bats have managed to create this global epidemic. The Virus: And the culprit is called the Novel (new) coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2. And the disease is called COVID-19. Having an RNA core that allows it to replicate & a fat layer covering with protein studs that give it an appearance of millennium dome it is aptly named in Greek to mean crown. The Novel means new and 19 gives away the year it was found. Being much more virulent than the other corona family members e.g. SARS; true to its name, it rules the globe like a king today. But then, as it will be seen later, this virus is a 'quickie virus' in every sense of the term. Starting as a poison, the virus as a species climbed up to a living being till 1935, when its crystallization took place thanks to its outer structure. It was thus sadly downgraded to a nonliving chemical. With its fattest kind that allowed genome study in 1992 still being called a 'mini-virus', the change in attitude was gradual. But then, having the germinating power of a seed outside, it would breed like rabbits inside the cell - if only it got the entry ticket. Almost similar to a fact and fiction merging encyclopedia - scientists, who are only used to Mr Jekyll and Mr Hyde at best, would scratch their bald heads in trying to classify it. Thus, as if tracing dead unbaptized Jesus unsaved Catholic kids dwelling in limbo - who by the way were too innocent for eternal hell and too sinful to qualify for heaven, the COVID 19 virus is in a state of limbo too. As if rejecting it, and tracing the other one in limbo, the Terminator, it is demolishing us all. Almost like what it has done to the modern industries e.g. stopping productions, it has got a beautiful structure but doesn't produce a bacterium like energy. Also, unlike a body parasite relying on its host for its metabolism, the virus depends upon the host for activation of its genes. Although the means to destroy its studs isn't deliberated, its fat is 'dissolved' by heat and is hardened (rubber-like) by cold. Thus, while microwave kill$s, freezers keep it alive for long (28 days at 4C). Dissolving its fat, both alcohol and ordinary soap gives it a fatal blow. How it Spreads: Being a new virus and therefore less studied than its sister corona, SARS, there is more ignorance than knowledge about the ways of this ‘emergency virus’. Later however has been climbing towards very scary proportions. However, its fundamentals are that it travels either by touch or gets a ride on a water ‘bubble’ called an aerosol. Yes, it’s true that a sneeze projects the droplets to a distance of 5 meters. The bad news aired by the dependable guys is that not sneeze but talk alone is enough for a spread. Scaring us further, they assert that not even avoiding a chat will do - for the devil remains in the air for quite some time after a sweet chat or a satisfying sneeze! Although droplets can fit in more bugs, being heavy they get pulled down earlier by gravity - compared to an aerosol that is now said to enjoy a longer float. While this makes the present air much more dangerous than what global warming will bring for us in the future, ultimately it’s not the talked about ground that dangerously harbors the bugs for a much longer time! Although it can live in dry surfaces for many days and become available for the disease, it has to come to the nose/mouth region – the gateway - to do so. Like HIV, yes theoretically it can be transferred by sex, but it a glee, for doesn't need that; not even a kiss- let alone a French one. It just needs a touch to spread in human beings. Rest is done by the hand to mouth instinct. Although it lives for 28 days in 4 C its lipid coat is kind of leathery or frozen and not active. Heat activates it and makes it infectious but not beyond 40C; which tends to kill the sod. Before the tropical people show transmission in a hot sunny area depends on humidity too. Yes, needing water for travel; humidity plays a big role in the causation of infection.

The coronavirus

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Aerosol projectile

The Local Spread

CONTENTS

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1. The Danger We Face 2. The Disease And Global Spread 3. Work From Home 4. Bad Effects of Lockdown 5. Good Effects of Lockdown 6. Effects on Faiths 7. Preventive Measures 8. How to Deal With Groceries & Posts 9. Conspiracy Theories 10. Future: Relax Lockdown 11.Segregation The Only Way 12. Anarchy & End of Life if Not 13. Inactive Scientists