2020 Hometown Heroes

Page 178 2020 Hometown HEROES Magazine LINCOLN DAILY NEWS May 14, 2020 Some wonder which is the most correct, and why both words are being thrown out there so often. Coronavirus (all one word according to the CDC) is the name of a strain of viruses that have been in existence for a while. Covid-19 is the name of the particular strain the world is dealing with at the moment. There are other coronavirus strains that we are familiar with, such as SARS and MERS. The name Covid-19 contains the number 19 because technically the disease started in 2019 in China. It did not become widely known that the disease existed until early 2020. The source of the virus is being attributed to animals, and more specifically open air markets in China. The disease can be carried by many animals including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. The CDC does not spell out specifically how that connects to open air markets, but it is known that the disease was first spread from an open air market with live animals and seafood for sale, in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Covid-19 is currently reported to be impacting people in their older years or with ongoing health issues. Reports of deaths from Covid-19 show that mortality rates are highest among those who are age 75 and above, but also has infected and taken the life of much younger people on a smaller scale. Similarities in the two pandemics The two pandemics do share some similarities. Both have proven to be deadly and highly contagious. Both have their deadliest impact on the respiratory systems. In the days of the Spanish Flu, one of the largest controversies associated with the disease was the necessity of quarantine and its effectiveness in battling the spread of the influenza. Today, one of the biggest controversies with Covid-19 is that of the shelter in place. As time progresses, more and more people are becoming impatient with the situation and are choosing to protest the orders to stay at home. Both Spanish Flu and now Covid-19 negatively impacted the economy. In 1918, local governments implemented what was called non-pharmaceutical interventions and that included the closure of businesses as part of controlling human interactions. While that proved to be a devastating blow for many businesses at the moment, the government reported that after the virus was annihilated, the economy bounced back. The country enjoyed prosperity until the Great Depression of 1929. Today, many government officials from the CONTINUED u