Summary of Sawbones: Coronavirus

Sydnee McElroy and Justin McElroy

Editorial Rating

The rating – what does it mean?

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We rate each piece of content on a scale of 1–10 with regard to these two core criteria. Our rating helps you sort the titles on your reading list from solid (5) to brilliant (10). Books we rate below 5 won’t be summarized. Here's what the ratings mean:

10 – Brilliant. A helpful and/or enlightening book that, in addition to meeting the highest standards in all pertinent aspects, stands out even among the best. Often an instant classic and must-read for everyone.
9 – Superb. A helpful and/or enlightening book that is extremely well rounded, has many strengths and no shortcomings worth mentioning.
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Qualities

Analytical
Scientific
Applicable

While the rating tells you how good a book is according to our two core criteria, it says nothing about its particular defining features. Therefore, we use a set of 20 qualities to characterize each book by its strengths:

Applicable – You’ll get advice that can be directly applied in the workplace or in everyday situations.
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Well structured – You’ll find this to be particularly well organized to support its reception or application.

Recommendation

While uncertainty about China’s current novel coronavirus outbreak strikes fear into many a traveler’s heart, this podcast puts the situation into perspective. Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy explore the origins of the novel coronavirus and its relatives that caused SARS and MERS, and provide realistic context concerning the dangers they pose to humans. They discuss where coronaviruses originate, how they affect humans and how likely individuals are to contract one. Their overall advice is to relax for now. People don’t know enough about the novel coronavirus to justify panic.

About the Podcast

Dr. Sydnee McElroy and husband Justin McElroy host Sawbones, a lighthearted but informational podcast about medical history.

Summary

A number of coronaviruses predated the current one.

In 1965, researchers discovered that viruses cause the common cold. Over time, scientists identified a number of viruses which cause an array of upper respiratory illnesses in humans and animals. The name “coronavirus” was given to a group of viruses that, under a high-powered microscope, appeared to be covered with crown-like spikes. Other viruses were named enterovirus or rhinovirus.

Rumors continue to fly around social media about how the latest coronavirus is spread. No, your pets can’t give you coronavirus. No, it was not leaked from a Chinese lab and intentionally spread by malicious scientists. It’s not a big pandemic mystery, it’s simply a new coronavirus, which is still being studied.

[Editors Note: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious viral respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as “novel coronavirus.” Reports in December 2019, from Wuhan, China, first cited the disease, which has spread globally, resulting in the...

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M. B. 2 years ago

We need to stop comparing COVID19 aka Corona Virus to what this reading is referring to as ordinary flu. "as it is 10 times the death rate from seasonal flu"1
It's important to take this seriously while being calm, we humans are in this together, I usually don't like to engage in the comment section but I thought I should say something.
Stay Home, Stay safe everyone.

Reference
1- https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-vs-flu.html