COVID-19 better known as the coronavirus is a new respiratory disease caused by a virus that was first detected in China in December 2019. As panic begins to spread globally it’s best that people learn what exactly the coronavirus is and how it affects people.  

The perception of the virus varies depending on the person and their knowledge about what the virus does. The more that you know about the virus, the more you know that the virus isn’t as dangerous as the panic makes you believe. The virus is dangerous, but it is not something that will kill you instantly, this fear is something that comes from the spread of misinformation and mass hysteria of the unknown. Things like this can even be found in the Hunter community in things like the spread of fear on social media. This spread of misinformation creates a stigma toward people and places. This stigma is when people associate a certain place or type of person with the virus. An example of this would be the discrimination against chinese people just because the virus originates from their country of origin. This is unfair to people because they can not control their heritage or where the virus starts off. It’s important to stop this stigma as this hurts these people and it makes it harder to form a closer, tighter community.

How to protect yourself from this virus. Always wash hands regularly, throughout school hours, when you get home from school, before eating, and after using the restroom. Wash hands with warm water, and scrub for 20-30 seconds. Try to avoid close contact with other people that appear to be sick, and if sick stay at home until recovered from the sickness. Clean and disinfect regularly on touched surfaces daily. These include tables, doorknobs, toilets, etc. Protect others around you, cover your mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing, immediately wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds or more or clean hands with sanitizer that contains 60% or more alcohol.