When it comes to protecting yourself against COVID-19, staying informed about what it is and what can be done to prevent it is vital. However, that’s easier said than done especially when social media is filled with inaccurate prevention tips and conspiracy theories that do more harm than good.
So if you’re looking for ways to broaden your knowledge about the current situation, we’ve put together a list of videos that are hosted by professionals and health experts who are currently studying and are on the frontlines of the crisis.
Stated Clearly, “Where Do New Viruses Come From?”
While scientists are still conducting studies on the origin of COVID-19 in humans, Stated Clearly offers an explainer on the origins of known viruses. Their animation gives viewers a crash course in virology, focusing on how viruses evolve to infect new hosts and how viruses are different from other microbes.
The Great Courses Plus, “Viral Intelligence: What Is Coronavirus?”
The Great Courses Plus’ video explains how viruses in animals can mutate and infect humans and why COVID-19 is different from viruses that we’ve encountered before. The video also explains how the virus affects our body through a scientific lens and what needs to be done in order to prevent its spread.
Science Insider, “What Coronavirus Symptoms Look Like, Day by Day”
COVID-19 symptoms can set in between two to 14 days, with cases ranging from mild to critical. This video explains the kinds of symptoms that might set in during different stages of the cases, visualizes how these symptoms affect COVID-19 positive cases from day to day and explains how long it might take someone to recover from COVID-19.
Verge Science, “See How The Coronavirus Spreads So Easily”
Using Glo Germ powder, this video visualizes how a COVID-19 transmission could occur and how it can spread in a controlled environment like an apartment. The video also offers a short explainer on how COVID-19 spreads in the human body, and what we can do to prevent it from spreading in our home.
Vox, “The Big Lesson From South Korea’s Coronavirus Response”
For a time, South Korea was registering one of the highest number of COVID-19 cases worldwide. Vox’s video explains how the country was able to contain the spread of the virus by using what they’ve learned from the MERS-CoV outbreak as well as the importance of mass testing during this outbreak.
The Washington Post, “On Shift In A New York Hospital Overwhelmed by Coronavirus Patients”
For people who want to learn more about what it’s like for people in the medical field during a pandemic, this video follows how staff members are adapting to the effects of the pandemic in the Maimonides Medical Center in New York—where more than 80 percent of patients tested positive for COVID-19.
TED, “How The World Could Change After The Coronavirus Pandemic”
As part of the TED Connects series, journalist Fareed Zakaria shares how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting countries around the world and how it is different from the pandemics that we’ve faced. He also discusses how certain countries have avoided major outbreaks and how they can recover from the economic fallout caused by the pandemic.
Header photo by Kon Karampelas on Unsplash
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Read more:
A guide to everything you need to know about COVID-19
Learn more about COVID-19 through these free courses by WHO and Johns Hopkins