[Kim Jaeho's Life Story]<188> The World Created by the Coronavirus

The coronavirus is changing the world significantly. The world has changed so much in a short period that it might be more appropriate to say that we are creating a new world. On December 30 last year, China notified the World Health Organization (WHO) China office about the discovery of a novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Wuhan, and based on this, WHO officially confirmed the outbreak of COVID-19 in early December.

COVID-19, with its high transmissibility and high fatality rate, has nullified desperate containment efforts by various countries and spread at an incredible speed, plunging the entire world into fear. Despite extreme lockdown measures taken by several advanced countries that restricted even minimal routine activities, the spread could not be curbed. In just five months, it infected more than 3.8 million people worldwide and claimed over 260,000 precious lives.

Historically, before the existence of pathogens was known and without vaccines or proper treatments, infectious diseases caused tremendous damage. In 14th century Europe, the Black Death killed over 25 million people; in the 18th century, 60 million died from smallpox; in the 19th century, one-quarter of adults died from tuberculosis. In 1918, the Spanish flu caused 25 to 50 million deaths, and even today, 250,000 to 500,000 people die annually from the flu.

Among infectious diseases, those caused by bacterial pathogens are relatively easier to treat due to the development of many antibiotics. However, the recent overuse of antibiotics has led to an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria (superbugs), limiting treatment options. Viral infectious diseases like COVID-19 are much more challenging to treat because antibiotics are completely ineffective against viruses. The medical community dedicates itself to developing vaccines and treatments whenever a viral infectious disease is discovered, but development is not easy.

Vaccines are effective in preventing infectious diseases but have many limitations. As seen in past examples where development took over ten years, developing viral vaccines requires a long time. Currently, various studies aim to develop a vaccine within 18 months, but until then, other methods must be used to respond. Additionally, antibodies produced by vaccines only prevent the same type of virus, and since coronaviruses tend to mutate easily, vaccines developed with great effort may become ineffective.

Research to develop treatments is also active, but treatments are difficult to develop and often have limited effectiveness. So far, antiviral drugs do not kill viruses but inhibit their replication; these are commonly called antiviral agents. As seen with Tamiflu, most are effective only against specific viruses, so new drugs must be developed whenever a new virus emerges.

COVID-19 has very high transmissibility and fatality rates, infecting many people in a short time and recording the highest death toll since the 1918 Spanish flu and the 1968 Hong Kong flu. Without vaccines or treatments currently available, blocking infection is the best short-term method. The entire world bows before an invisible virus, abandoning even traditions that have lasted thousands of years, focusing solely on virus containment?this is the world that the coronavirus is creating.

Viruses move through various routes such as direct contact with infected people or infected bodily fluids or secretions, so behaviors like social distancing, wearing masks, and handwashing are greatly changing our lives. If the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the world will experience more changes than ever before.

Especially in South Korea, the world created by the coronavirus is showing great effectiveness in blocking infections. These changes will significantly alter the entire world over time. Nevertheless, completely blocking the virus is very difficult. This means that despite these efforts, some people may still become infected.

People tend to think that once a virus enters the body, illness is inevitable, but as seen in the example of the Guro-dong call center, many people around us do not develop symptoms even if pathogens enter their bodies, or if they do, they recover naturally over time. This is because our bodies have an excellent shield capable of overcoming any virus, and at the core of this shield are immune cells.

Even if a virus breaks through all defenses and causes illness, the attack by immune cells continues until the virus is eliminated. While blocking viral infection is desirable, if infection occurs, it is crucial to remember that maintaining strong immunity so that the immune cells?the last line of defense?can protect our bodies from the virus is the best way to overcome the virus. Efforts to strengthen immunity must be made (see Life Story episode 68).

Kim Jae-ho, Independent Researcher

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.