A Positive Outlook

September 12, 2020

MHS NEWSLETTER A LITTLE SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT DURING DIFFICULT TIMES

A Group of COVID-19 Viruses. 2020. WebMD, 2020, www.webmd.com/lung/coronavirus.

Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.

A Positve Outlook Written by Rebecca Dontje The COVID-19 pandemic has left the world in a state of worry and uncertainty. Every day we see higher numbers of deaths, confirmed cases, and new information about what we should or should not be doing. I want to share with all of you some of the positive things that have happened that may not have if the world had not been forced to shut down. It is important to acknowledge that although I will be focusing on the positive changes that have occurred during this time, the purpose of this newsletter is not to take away from the severity of the situation but to share things that can give us all something to look forward to and think about. I hope this puts your mind at ease even if it’s just for the duration of time you read this.

Stevens, Josh. "Satellite Pictures of the Difference in Air Pollution Levels in China." 25 Mar. 2020. Earth Observer, Mar. 2020, earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/earthmatters/2020/03/05/how-the-coronavirus-is-and-is-not-affecting-theenvironment/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.

We are all aware of global warming being one of our planet’s biggest threats and have heard the many discussion on how we can improve and slow it down. While we were in quarantine scientists started to see vast improvements our lack of travel is having on the environment.

According to the Australian Academy of Science, “Around the world, levels of harmful pollutants

"A Globe with Spikes Meant to Look like a COVID-19 Virus." Xconomy, 11 June 2020, xconomy.com/boston/2020/06/11/moderna-finalizes-plan-dose-for-phase-3-test-of-mrnacovid-vaccine/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.

like NO2 (nitrogen dioxide), CO (carbon

about what they buy and mindful to only

monoxide), SO2 (sulfur dioxide) and PM2.5

get what they need and will use. No one

(small particulate matter) have plummeted—at

wants to be out in crowded places longer

least, while shutdowns continue.” Due to

than needed, therefore, people are being

lockdowns, there have been significantly fewer cars, trucks, and planes which are one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions. With less toxins going into the environment the planet has been able to heal parts of itself.

(What impact will COVID-19 have, 1) In an article written by Burak Bir, they said, “Virus-induced measures like lockdowns led to a

more productive with their shopping. This has also lead to grocery stores having less waste because they are selling out of almost everything that gets shipped in.

(Nassos 1) In addition to improvements in climate change and natural resources, there has been an improvement in our water quantity. Power plants and other such

9.3% decline in the ecological footprint of

agricultural industries are estimated to use

humanity this year, compared with the same

60-70% of our water supply but because of

period in 2019, according to a study by Global

lockdown orders, they have been in less

Footprint Network, an international research

use. There has also been a dip in the

organization.” (Bir 1) Overconsumption of

amount of water people use at home, now

natural resources has been an ongoing issue for

that we aren’t using public bathrooms or

years, however, COVID 19 lockdown has lead to people being more selective

staying in hotels. People are more likely to use less water when they are the one paying the bills. (Nassos 1)

Since the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic one major area of change has been the way we as a population take care of our hygiene. We have improved the most in this area because people are more aware now of how viruses and germs spread. Viruses and germs find their way into our bodies through our eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and open wounds therefore when we continue to wash our hands after touching something that could be contaminated we are less likely to fall ill. When germs find their way into our body we have an immediate line of defense called the innate immune response. This part of the immune system is intended to stop viruses from infecting the body. Skin, mucus membranes, and the hair inside our nose and ears are all part of the innate immune system. Skin is a group of dead cells that create a shield using chemicals and bacteria to stop viruses from entering the body.

However, sometimes an antigen can make its way into the body through cuts and open wounds which is when the body begins the process of inflammation. (Monar, Gair 1) The inflammatory response is when blood flow increases and gets cells to where the body has been infected. Macrophages are one type of cell that shows up to a sight of infection, they act as soldiers that look for foreign objects in the body and then absorb them.

After a macrophage absorbs an antigen it enters enzymes into it to break it apart then releases the pieces. Once the parts of an antigen have been released a CD4 helper Tcell attaches to a piece and activates Kill Tcells. Killer T-cells then travel around the body looking for antigens that look the same and destroy cells that have been infected.

(Paul 3:12)

"A CHILD HOLDING OUT HIS SOAP COVERED HANDS." NORTON CHILDREN'S, 22 JUNE 2020, WWW.GOOGLE.COM/AMP/S/NORTONCHILDRENS.COM/NEWS/WHENSHOULD-YOU-WASH-YOUR-HANDS/AMP/. ACCESSED 11 OCT. 2020.

There has been a drastic change in the number of people that are being infected with other diseases not having to do with COIVD-19. Once the world was put into lockdown people have had less contact with each other and if you add that on top of improved hygiene, illnesses are less likely to be passed from person to person. Take the flu for example, the number of cases not only dropped but the season stopped 5 weeks earlier than previous years. In Hong Kong the flu season was 63% shorter than usual. Other diseases such as Chickenpox cases have dropped by half, along with Measles and Rubella cases that are lower than they have been since 2016. (Jones 1) Although there have been great changes in the environment and our general hygiene overall there is a chance all this progress could be proved futile. (Nassos 1) If we go back to putting little thought into how we treat the environment, carbon dioxide levels are going to rise again when life returns to some form of normal. We also have to be mindful in the way we interact with each other and continue to be thoughtful of keeping our hands clean in order to protect ourselves and others from illnesses. It is also important to keep in mind that although times are difficult and it may feel as if there is going to be no end. We have to look for the good in order to keep ourselves feeling positive and able to get through it.

Work Cite: Andersen, Paul, narrator. Immune System. Bozemans Science, 2019 Bir, Burak. "Natural Resource Consumption Fell amid COVID-19." Anadolu Agency, 21 Aug. 2020, www.aa.com.tr/en/environment/natural-resource-consumption-fell-amidcovid-19/1949253. Accessed Oct. 2020.

"A Child Holding out His Soap Covered Hands." Norton Children's, 22 June 2020, www.google.com/amp/s/nortonchildrens.com/news/when-should-you-wash-yourhands/amp/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.

"A Globe with Spikes Meant to Look like a COVID-19 Virus." Xconomy, 11 June 2020, xconomy.com/boston/2020/06/11/moderna-finalizes-plan-dose-for-phase-3-test-ofmrna-covid-vaccine/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.

A Group of COVID-19 Viruses. 2020. WebMD, 2020, www.webmd.com/lung/coronavirus. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.

Jones, Nicola. "How Coronavirus Lockdowns Stopped the Flue in Its Tracks." Springer Nature Limited, 21 May 2020, www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01538-8. Accessed 9 Oct. 2020.

Molnar, Charles, and Jane Gair. Concepts of Biology. 1st Canadian ed., Pressbooks, 2019. BCcampus, Pressbooks, opentextbc.ca/biology/. Accessed 9 Oct. 2020.

Nassos, George. "How Corona Virus Will Effect 4 Key Environmental Issues." Green Biz, 19 May 2020, www.greenbiz.com/article/how-coronavirus-will-affect-4-keyenvironmental-issues. Accessed 27 Sept. 2020.

Stevens, Josh. "Satellite Pictures of the Difference in Air Pollution Levels in China." 25 Mar. 2020. Earth Observer, Mar. 2020, earthobservatory.nasa.gov/blogs/earthmatters/2020/03/05/how-the-coronavirus-isand-is-not-affecting-the-environment/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2020.

"What Impact Will COVID-19 Have on the Environment." Australian Academy of Science, 2020, www.science.org.au/curious/earth-environment/what-impact-willcovid-19-have-environment. Accessed 9 Oct. 2020.