As the CCP coronavirus lockdown nears the 30-day mark in some nations, a few people have raised doubts as to whether or not isolation is really effective. A couple of studies on isolation and virus outbreak control do show that such measures can really be helpful in keeping a pandemic from getting worse.
Does isolation work?
One study published by The Lancet looked at how contact tracing and isolation of cases will aid in controlling coronavirus-like pathogens. The researchers put their theories to the test using a mathematical model in which various scenarios were played out. If a viral transmission were to end within 12 weeks or prior to 5,000 people being infected, it was deemed that the outbreak was successfully controlled.
In most scenarios, a combination of contact tracing and isolation was found to be effective in controlling a COVID-19 outbreak within three months. The longer the isolation was delayed from the onset of symptoms, the probability of control kept decreasing.
Another study published in the journal American Society of Cytopathology looked at data and research from papers dating as far back as the 1918-19 Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50 million people worldwide and infected almost one-fifth to one-third of the global population.
Researchers found that cities that had adopted isolation and prevention policies early on had lower infection and mortality rates. Such policies included shutting down churches and schools, insisting that people wear masks, banning mass gatherings, and so on. Cities that followed these policies included San Francisco, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Milwaukee, which collectively had about 30 percent to 50 percent lower infection and death rates than others.
“An estimated 675,000 people died in the U.S. from the Spanish flu in 1918 and there was skepticism that these policies were actually working. But they obviously did make a difference… Although the world is a much different place than it was 100 years ago, the efficacy of the measures instituted during the 1918-19 pandemic gives us hope that the current measures will also limit the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” researcher Stefan E. Pambuccian said, as reported by KalingaTV.
This is why experts keep telling us that isolation is the best way to get the CCP coronavirus outbreak under control. Do not go out unless absolutely necessary. And even if you go out, follow the CDC recommendation of maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet from others. While at home, you might feel the need to physically interact with your family or friends.
Resist such thoughts. Keep in mind that the virus will go away eventually and you will be free to interact with people as much as you want. But if you act rashly, people you care about might get infected with the virus and may even die. So until the government gives the thumbs up, follow the isolation protocols.
Environment and the CCP coronavirus
William Bryan, the acting undersecretary of science and technology for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), recently revealed the potential conditions that enable the CCP coronavirus to thrive or die. Government researchers apparently found that the virus best survives in indoor and dry conditions. But if it is exposed to hotter and more humid conditions, it is less likely to survive.
In fact, sunlight was observed to be the single most powerful factor in killing the virus, both in the air as well as on surfaces. However, he did warn not to be too naïve to think that the summer season might kill off the virus entirely. Nope. We would still need to follow proper safety guidelines if we want to avoid being infected by COVID-19. It is just that things might be a bit easier with the sun shining brightly.
