Viruses have been with mankind before there was mankind. I don’t even know if we can determine when they were created. As with all things that persist for a very long time, they have grown and adapted in surprising ways in order to stay alive and flourish. Our newest, and certainly not the last, virus is CoVid-19, which has thrown the world into a pandemic. This virus, and other corona viruses, may not have a brain, but are extremely smart in knowing how to use our human behaviours in order to proliferate. We do need to give credit where credit is due: These viruses are remarkably efficient.
Virus vs Human
V: Needs a mammalian host in order to survive and proliferate. Needs to have close contact between hosts in order to transmit
H: Needs to be with other humans, to be social. This virus knows that we are a social animal and need others to survive. It uses this social aspect to its advantage.
V: Needs 2-3 weeks in order to show symptoms. This allows the virus to proliferate for quite a long time before the host human even realizes they are infected.
H: No symptoms means we don’t usually check for disease. This allows the virus to unknowingly transmit
V: Virus attacks in waves, but never significantly goes away. A large wave, followed by a lull, allowing the Human to believe they are improving, but this is only a facade
H: We are lulled into a sense of accomplishment of overcoming a wave, drop our guard and relax, only to be more susceptible to the next and more deadly wave.
V: Virus is airborne, can waft in the wind, from person to person for transmission.
H: We need to be in enclosed spaces for protection, living and socialization, especially in winter. This is the perfect closed environment for the virus to proliferate.
V: The virus changes constantly, with stronger, more effective attributes proliferating and lesser, weaker attributes dyeing. This is evolution on the fast track.
H: As the human immune system, through naturally built up immunity defeats the virus, the virus mutates in order to stay alive. Today as we develop vaccines the virus has the ability to mutate and try to escape. It is a cat and mouse game on a microscopic level, but a critical fight.
Is it not remarkable that the virtues that make us human can be so easily turn against us by a small blob of fat and virus? Humans live in clusters, need to live with others, need shelter for protection, need to be indoors during winter. All these basic aspects of being human are used by the virus to attack us and allow the virus to proliferate and therefore live another day.
That said, modern day governments and living give the virus even better tools to proliferate and survive. As the virus proliferates from person to person, we all lockdown and start to practice anti-social behaviour such as isolating ourselves. We grow weary of our lack of socialization. The virus patiently waits until we can no longer tolerate our isolation and then is able to proliferate.
The slowness and deliberate movements of science on one hand tries to find the truth to claims of efficacy, but as well, are steadfast in their scientific method or proving a theory is true using data. This virus is so unknown that much of the data needs more time that we have. Discovery is pitted against the need to verify a theory through data. The scientific method is very slow and deliberate, better suited to evolution than revolution. With this novel corona virus, we cannot wait for the data to come in. The only way is experimentation. Try it and see its efficacy.
