If your symptoms are severe, you may need medical care until you recover.

Most people have not spent the time to learn more about the virus. The media talks all day about death and not the survivors. Many people that were affected by the disease rose above the challenge and survived. Many people will quote that what you don’t know will not hurt you. It isn’t the case here. What you don’t know will destroy you. Lack of knowledge will destroy you. Ignorance is no bliss. Ignorance can kill you.

What does COVID-19 stand for? When it emerged, the virus was known as a “novel” strain of the coronavirus family. Scientists gave the strain an interim name of 2019-nCoV, accounting for the year of discovery, its status as a “novel” virus, and its family name (CoV). COVID-19 stands for Corona Virus Disease 2019. The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced the official designation on February 11, 2020, and commented on the importance of the name. The WHO had to find a name that did not refer to a geographical location, an animal, an individual or group of people, and which is also pronounceable and related to the disease. With Covid-19, the world is in a state of fear and panic.

Now let’s analyse some staggering data:

• As of 16:04 Hrs GMT, on September 26, 2020, there have been 32,429,965 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 985,823 deaths, reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
• The total population of the world by Worldometer is approximately 7.8 Billion.
• 23,994,043 people recovered.
• 174 Total Vaccines are in Development.
• 4.16% of the world population were confirmed cases.
• 0.013% of the world population were confirmed dead.
• 73.99% of the confirmed cases recovered.
• 3.04% of the confirmed cases died.
• 22.97% affected are yet to survive or die.

We were forced into lockdown, even though 95.84% of the world population had not contracted the disease. In the absence of treatment or a vaccine, ceasing most human contact is the only way to stop the spread of the virus. The reason for the lockdown is an attempt to ‘flatten the curve’ or reduce infections and spread cases out over a longer time frame to avoid overwhelming health systems. The rationale is to ensure that people with a serious illness can seek medical care, and those who are infected but asymptomatic or have a mild illness, do not pass it on to anyone else.

A little caution. Limited testing and challenges in the attribution of the cause of death mean that the number of confirmed deaths may not be an accurate count of the true number of deaths from COVID-19.

Only 3.04% of the world population died of the Coronavirus. We all must come together in sacrifice and work together so we can collectively defeat the spread of the virus. We cannot accomplish all that we need to do without working together. A social restriction is the only way to stop the spread of the virus. It requires we work together for it to be a success. Sacrifice is part of life. True success requires sacrifice.

The stay home and social distancing order are your sacrifices. Without sacrifice, there is no victory. If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.

There are rules and guidelines set by the World Health Organisation. These rules are not prevention. Don’t allow the fear of Covid-19 to paralyse you. You need to understand the symptoms so you can rise above it. Symptoms can include fever, cough and shortness of breath. In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia or breathing difficulties. The disease can be fatal. These symptoms are similar to the flu (influenza) or the common cold, which are a lot more common than COVID-19. Testing is required to confirm if someone has COVID-19. There is no currently available vaccine for COVID-19. However, many of the symptoms can be treated and getting early care from a healthcare provider can make the disease less dangerous.

What are your values in life? Your values are the things that you believe are important in the way you live and work. They should determine your priorities, and, deep down, they're probably the measures you use to tell if your life is turning out the way you want it to. The starting point for changing your life, so that you are happier and living better, is to know yourself. To know yourself is the beginning of wisdom. You will be happier when you can express who you are. You will feel more alive.

We have been given some values and standard that will keep us safe and from spreading the Coronavirus. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after being in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. Avoid close contact with people who are sick, and practice social distancing by keeping at least six feet away from others if you must go out in public. Wear a cloth face covering to cover your mouth and nose when around others and when you must go out in public. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. Keeping these values is mandatory.

The heartbeat of your authentic self is made up of your values. When you live by your values, they are the compasses that guide everything you do. They ground your decision-making and root your actions in a purpose greater than yourself.

At the moment, there is no cure for Coronavirus. There might never be a cure even if there is a vaccine. A vaccine stimulates your immune system to produce antibodies, exactly like it would if you were exposed to the disease. After getting vaccinated, you develop immunity to that disease, without having to get the disease first. This makes vaccines such powerful medicine. Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases. A vaccine does not cure the disease. A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease.

Vaccines teach your immune system how to create antibodies that protect you from the diseases. It is much safer for your immune system to learn this through vaccination than by catching the diseases and treating them. Once your immune system knows how to fight a disease, it can often protect you for many years. Now, we have been hearing all the unproven rumours of the yet to be developed Coronavirus vaccine.

As we all fight to survive by staying safe and rising above the pandemic, make sure you are connected to others. Do not isolate yourself. Meditate as often as possible and stay positive. Walk or jog and clear your mind. Keep calm and read a new book.