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The world is facing a new challenge as the novel coronavirus has now spread globally, demanding our full attention. The question remains: How quickly and effectively will governments take action? Let’s briefly look at what we already know.

Incubation Period and Asymptomatic Transmission

The new virus has a relatively long incubation period (5-7 days), meaning the time from infection to the onset of symptoms can be quite long. During this phase, infected individuals can unknowingly spread the virus since they show no obvious signs of illness. This presents a significant challenge as it becomes difficult to identify infected people and break chains of transmission early.

Reproduction Numbers

The reproduction number (also called the R-value) is an indicator of how quickly an infection spreads. Current data suggests that the new virus has a relatively high reproduction number, meaning that one infected person can, on average, infect several others. The higher the reproduction number, the harder it becomes to contain the virus.

Government Measures

Government decisions in the fight against the virus are crucial at this point. Effective measures such as testing and contact tracing programs can help lower the infection rate and relieve healthcare systems. In emergencies, lockdowns may also be imposed.

Closing Words

The coming weeks and months will show how we, as a global community, respond to this crisis.