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The Unprofessional Guide to COVID-19
A Plain-Language Guide for Patients and Caregivers — What You Need to Know, What to Expect, and How to Cope. For Informational Purposes Only, Not Medical Advice.
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: What Is COVID-19, Really?
Important notice: This guide is for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice because of something you read in this guide.
Right now, you are probably feeling a mix of things, and fear is probably sitting right at the top of the pile. That is completely normal. Someone just told you that you have COVID-19, and suddenly your body feels like a battleground and your mind is racing through every worst-case scenario you have ever seen on the news. Breathe. Just take one breath.
I am not going to tell you not to worry, because that isn't honest. But I am going to tell you exactly what is happening in your body, in plain words, so that the scary unknown starts to become a known, understandable — and manageable — situation. Knowledge really does help here. It is the difference between lying in the dark hearing strange noises and turning on the light to see that the noise is just a branch tapping the window. It's still annoying, but it stops being terrifying.
So, what is COVID-19? Let's start with the name, because it's confusing on purpose. COVID stands for "Coronavirus Disease" — and the 19 is because the virus was first identified in 2019. The actual virus itself is called SARS-CoV-2,