We are currently living in one of the largest pandemics in history. COVID-19 has transformed the world into a place where grocery stores are empty, toilet paper and hand sanitizer are nowhere to be found, stores are shut down, and people around us both old and young are succumbing to the disease.

As of now, doctors are researching methods to fight the novel coronavirus and presenting their solutions to leaders. COVID-19 is a virus that affects the respiratory tract by spreading from one individual to another through droplets that discharge from the mouth and nasal cavity. The virus is hypothesized to have spread during an interaction of fluids between a bat and an unknown mammal at a wildlife market in China due to unhygienic processes.

While we see that science is approaching this problem from different angles and we are left with no solution, some in the world still do not understand the magnitude of this deadly virus and neglect the practice of social distancing.

Just so we are all on the same page on what this virus can do to us, here are some historical statistics before we dive into the biology of the brain and the connection to the virus. Remember, this information is to debunk the myths about the virus and show its true colors, not to stress people out any further! If you are practicing your social distancing, you should be fine.

Both Northern and Southern Italy (just today, as I write this!) add up to a total of ninety-seven thousand six hundred and eighty nine cases, from which thirteen thousand and thirty people have recovered, and ten thousand and seven hundred people have passed away. Nurses, doctors and health officials had been shown on TV to have been praying at hospitals.

The SARS coronavirus, which spread in 2003, allowed for further research to be done on COVID-19. Through research on mice, it was concluded that the culprit which allowed the virus to enter our body was none other than our central nervous system.

The olfactory nerve is a cranial and it delivers sensory information of different smells to the brain when something enters the respiratory system. Since this is a nerve cell, the virus can enter the body through this nerve cell and travel up the brainstem and obliterate the cells that are responsible for breathing. The virus travels through neuron-fibers (axons) which connect to other neurons that involve monitoring oxygen levels in the blood and monitoring lung expansion while respiration (ex. The medulla oblongata). Once the medulla is affected, the body loses the ability to recognize that oxygen levels are low in the body.

When we sleep, the autonomic nervous system controls for breathing to happen for us to stay alive. However, the virus eventually makes its way through crossing multiple synapses into the cardiorespiratory neurons. These neurons have control over the heart, the diaphragm and responses such as fight-or-flight. When these neurons are affected, spontaneous breathing becomes impossible.

Having explained the science behind the virus, there is a way to make sure you stay safe. The answer is simple: like websites such as CDC.gov have told us, limiting contact with others, avoiding any touch to your face and nose, coughing to yourself and staying in quarantine if affected are all methods to limit respiratory contact with this virus.

Stress and anxiety can weigh down on an individual, and during a time like this, it’s crucial to take care of oneself. Practicing mindfulness, self-care, and focusing on prevention and steps to protect yourself are all examples of things you could do to try to stay healthy during this confusing time.

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