Was it a bat?

This story begins with a medical lesson from mum. Mum is going to ask Grace and I five questions.

1. What is a coronavirsus?

Finn: Gosh mum wasn’t joking it was a medical lesson! It is a virus that causes watery eyes, head colds and lung problems.
Grace: said it was a really BAD flu and Black Death.

Mum said that’s right. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause respiratory infections, from the common cold to more serious respiratory diseases. Mum also told Grace she had great answers but the Black Death was from a bacteria, not a virus.

Mum said the World Health Organisation has named the new disease COVID-19 (for coronavirus disease 2019).

Mums showed us these microscopic pictures of the Covid-19. The spikes on the outer edge of the virus particles gives the coronaviruses their name – as ‘corona’ means crown or halo in Latin. My mum gets excited about anything to do with science!

2. When did Covid-19 start?
Grace: in December.

3. In which country did it begin?
Grace: China

4. The virus is now a pandemic. What is a pandemic?
Finn: a pandemic is when it is a new disease that spreads around the world.
Grace: I don’t know.

5. How did it start?
Grace: someone couldn’t cook a bat right before they ate it!
Finn: I did wonder whether a bat would be tasty and if it would taste like chicken?! Mum said it hasn’t been proven the exact beginning of the virus.

I hope they find a cure quick! In the meantime Grace, mum and I will continue to write Covid-19 blogs!

By Finn