The 2003 SARS horror was unforgettable
In the winter of 2003, a terrible virus called SARS quietly swept through China, plunging thousands of families into extreme panic and uneasiness.
Do you still remember what happened to Xiao Ming's family at that time? As soon as I opened the door, I could vaguely smell a pungent smell of white vinegar in the house. It turned out that my mother was worried about the spread of SARS, so she wiped and disinfected the dining table and doorknobs repeatedly.
The symptoms and news of SARS were also broadcast on a loop on TV, which made people in it panic.
The symptoms of SARS are very frightening, mainly manifested by high fever, severe cough and lung infection. Once the condition worsens, it can easily lead to pneumonia, difficulty breathing and even death.
According to statistics, the mortality rate of SARS patients is as high as 10%, which means that 1 in 10 people may not escape. So during that time, no one dared to take it lightly.
In order to prevent infection, the streets and alleys were filled with a strong smell of sterilizing water during the SARS epidemic. People who go out basically have a bottle of banlan root in their hands, for fear that they or their family members will be infected with SARS.
The banlangen in major pharmacies is in short supply, and it is empty again and again. Looking at the empty shelves, many people will sigh when this SARS will disappear.
The above preliminarily depicts the scene of the SARS epidemic in China in 2003, if you need to continue to refine and refine, please point out, thank you!
Why did SARS suddenly disappear in 2004?
So the question is, why did the SARS virus, which suddenly swept in, disappear without warning in July 2004?
Experts believe that this is mainly related to the characteristics of the SARS virus itself. SARS virus is a coronavirus with the professional name SARS. Its biggest feature is that the human body is weak in transmission before the onset of the disease, and once the disease occurs after the onset of the disease, it is very easy to spread through the droplets produced by coughing and sneezing.
Because of this, during the SARS epidemic in 2003, China adopted many strict control measures. Temperature monitoring stations have been set up in various places, and the state has also invested a lot of money in research on virus prevention and control.
When traveling, people will also consciously cooperate with body temperature measurement and flow registration. Once a confirmed case is discovered, it will be isolated and treated immediately, and all close contacts will be placed under home medical observation for 14 days.
Under such layers of prevention and control, the transmission chain is broken, and the SARS virus cannot be sustained. Coupled with the increasingly hot weather, experts believe that the SARS virus is more suitable for low temperature environments. So when the whole of China entered the middle of summer, SARS also disappeared with the climate.
Compared with SARS, why is the new coronavirus difficult to eliminate?
Compared with SARS in 2003, the new coronavirus that broke out in Wuhan for the first time in 2019 was much more transmissible and harmful. To this day, it is still circulating in many parts of the world and is difficult to eradicate.
In terms of the scope of infection and the number of people alone, the new crown far exceeds SARS. During the SARS epidemic, about 8,000 people were infected worldwide and more than 900 people died. And as of 2023, the new crown has infected more than 5. 100 million people have taken more than 6 million precious lives.
What's even more frightening is that there may be a large uncounted blind spot in these data.
So why is the new coronavirus so difficult? Unlike SARS, which is only transmitted after the onset of the disease, the new coronavirus can be transmitted through asymptomatic infections.
According to studies, the incubation period of the new crown is as long as 7-14 days. During this time, ordinary people are completely unaware that they have been infected, but the virus is fully active and can be transmitted to friends and colleagues around them at any time.
In addition, the new coronavirus can mutate repeatedly in humans. After three years of evolution, the mutant strains of the new crown have been constantly updated and replaced, with stronger virulence and wider transmissibility.
That's why you need a booster shot. In contrast, the SARS virus only mutates in animals, and it is difficult for humans to continue to change.
It can be said that the new crown is one of the fastest and most harmful viruses in human history. Its sensitive and mutated nature has also discouraged many scientists and made it difficult to completely eliminate it.
Now it seems that the new crown will coexist with humanity in the visible metropolis.
How do we deal with the terrible coronavirus?
In the face of the new coronavirus, which is far more transmissible and harmful than SARS, we must face up to its horror and take effective protective measures.
Indicators of the coronavirus, such as the extent of infection, the number of deaths, and even asymptomatic transmission, have made people feel creepy. It is no longer comparable to SARS in 2003, let alone an ordinary influenza virus.
The coronavirus has invaded almost every corner of the globe, leaving more than 2 billion people living in its shadow.
Years of experience in epidemic prevention have taught us that personal protection is the key to containing the pandemic. Wearing a mask, washing hands frequently, and avoiding gatherings are seemingly simple measures that can greatly reduce the risk of infection.
Maintain good Xi at home and ventilate and disinfect frequently. It is also necessary to change clothes and take a shower after going out.
Of course, it is not enough to rely on individual strength. We need a more systematic and rigorous prevention and control network. The government should increase investment in testing and closely track virus mutations.
All units should also cooperate with medical record reporting, personnel management and other measures. Only by linking up and down can the social side form a strong synergy to defeat the new coronavirus.
Humanity will always overcome the disease. Looking back at 2003, the severe SARS epidemic also retreated under the unity of the people.