Coronavirus (covid-19) is real!

The following is directly from the CDC page:

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus.

Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment.  Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.

The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol based rub frequently and not touching your face. 

The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s important that you also practice respiratory etiquette (for example, by coughing into a flexed elbow).

The following is from the Cleveland Clinic

To better understand the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19, the disease it causes, from an infectious disease perspective, some experts advise viewing coronaviruses categorically as “old” and “new” in terms of how long these viruses have been infecting humans.

Frank Esper, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic, notes that genetically they are separated into four groups: alpha, beta, gamma and delta coronaviruses; only alpha and beta coronaviruses have been found to infect humans.

The older human coronaviruses were first identified in the mid-1960s, but have likely circulated in humans for centuries. These include 229E (alpha coronavirus), NL63 (alpha coronavirus), OC43 (beta coronavirus) and HKU1 (beta coronavirus).²  For the most part, these older iterations present with a mild respiratory infection, except for HKU1, which can also cause gastrointestinal infection, he notes.

Dr. Esper refers to the newer coronaviruses as “true emerging infectious diseases.” These include SARS-CoV (SARS), MERS-CoV (MERS) and, of course, SARS-CoV-2. He explains, “These are strains that have undergone recent animal-to-human transition.” This can happen when a virus either mutates directly to humans, or through a second (intermediary) species that then further mutates into a human pathogen.

The new (or “novel”) coronavirus is one of several known to infect humans. It’s probably been around for some time in animals. Sometimes, a virus in animals crosses over into people. That’s what scientists think happened here. So this virus isn’t new to the world, but it is new to humans. When scientists found out that it was making people sick in 2019, they named it as a novel coronavirus.

Human Coronavirus Types

Scientists have divided coronaviruses into four sub-groupings, called alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. Seven of these viruses can infect people:

• 229E (alpha)
• NL63 (alpha)
• OC43 (beta)
• HKU1 (beta
• MERS-CoV, a beta virus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)
• SARS-CoV, a beta virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
• SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19

Now that you have learned a little bit. I will say it again – this virus is REAL! Early on when the pandemic was picking up speed I would see posts in social media about this is all fake, there is no virus. I was confused about such an attitude. People around the world hospitalized, dying by themselves because family were not allowed to be with their loved one. Confused!

Then as time went on, this wicked virus started to hit close to home. A few bowling acquaintances passed away. Then my mom contracted this terrible thing at her care center – where at 70 years old she endured with fever, coughing, fatigue and chills – but she won the battle! Now you have to understand something here; my mom has gone through a lot in 70 years of life and she has never complained about being down or sick, this time it was different and she told me that she hoped and prayed I, nor my wife, would ever get this – as its horrible. Oh and over 80% of residents came down with it, one nurse passed away along with multiple residents as well lost their lives. IT’S REAL!

Not too long after my mom recovered my stepson’s group home all came down with this virus – all recovered! IT’s REAL!

More and more people every day sharing in social media spaces saying this virus is fake. I have gone from confused to anger. I cannot believe with the amount of lives taken so far and the amount of positive cases that are currently spiking that there are people who will choose to live in denial. HOW!?!?

They don’t understand that most likely they are just 1-2 people away from being affected by this. Thirteen weeks ago someone I care very much about and even call her “my adopted daughter” contracted this and to this day she still doesn’t have complete taste nor smell back. And then most recently we have multiple family members and friends that have been or are in battle with this virus. Again folks, this is REAL!

As I sit here thinking through all of this, perhaps I am working through some anger as well. Emotions are high, I have 2 friends that I know have this. One desperately fighting in the hospital and it doesn’t look good. The other – I know he will come through, he’s a tough guy with a huge heart. I saw him via video the other day, you can tell the spark is missing, but you can also tell he will come through. IT’S REAL!

I am tired of hearing its fake. I am tired of hearing that people choose to blame the leadership in the White House. I am tired of mankind refusing to take responsibility for their own actions! People are hurting everywhere and they are lashing out in negative, hurtful ways and they don’t understand that is not helping anything.

By now we have all heard the following words: stay at home orders, shut downs, mandates, tiers, pandemic, masks and more. All of them are becoming “trigger” words and will invoke a reaction just about out of anyone these days. IT’S REAL!

Listen, I am not an expert. I am not a doctor or medical professional. I am just a man blessed to be an executive pastor helping to lead a great group of people. I am a human that values taking responsibility and heeding the advice of the experts. If wearing a mask will help prevent myself or others becoming ill – than I will wear a mask. No, it isn’t always comfortable, but you know what? Being dead is just not an option right now in my life! IT’S REAL!

Those of you that are complaining about wearing masks, shutting things down, that you have freedoms and rights, etc. Yes you do. But I am willing to bet when you get in your car you don’t step on the gas and cruise around at 90mph. Why? Because there are laws set in place to help prevent us from killing ourselves or others. (Thanks J.G. for this one!) You still have your freedoms and rights, you are also being empowered to follow something for your own good. WEAR the mask – don’t play russian roulette with your life or those around you. Take a STAND TOGETHER – WEAR the masks, follow the rules and we could just maybe end this virus – sooner than later. IT’S REAL!

Strangers, friends, family – this is real and I am praying for you, I am praying for us.

Thanks for stopping by the fire,

Pastor Dennis