There
remains considerable confusion regarding the differences between seasonal
influenza and COVID-19 (the illness caused by SARS-CoV-2). While both viruses
are capable of causing severe illness and can spread rapidly, it appears that
SARS-CoV-2 is a more deadly pathogen on a case-by-case basis, can be spread
during the asymptomatic phase, and is capable of much more rapid spread. The
higher burden and mortality may be attributed to the fact that SARS-CoV-2 is a
“newly emerged” virus, and consequently, there is very little innate immunity
to it among humans, unlike with influenza where both prior infection and annual
vaccination can provide protection. Overall, however, the sheer contagiousness
of this new virus has led to the high morbidity and mortality seen globally –
simply put, healthcare systems have been unable to cope with the number of
infected persons seeking care. Indeed, a proportion of the reported deaths are
due to overwhelmed medical systems rather than the virulence of COVID-19. This
is a crucial factor explaining the “flatten the curve” strategy adopted by many
countries.
Now
that more scientific data are available on COVID-19, the Global Sepsis Alliance
can more definitively state that COVID-19 does indeed cause sepsis.
Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)
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Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources