COVID-19: Not just another respiratory virus—2020

In late 2019, a new respiratory disease emerged in Wuhan, China. It was highly infectious and spread worldwide. It was caused by a new coronavirus; SARS-2 and was named Coronavirus Disease (COVID)-19. It reached the United States in early 2020. COVID is especially lethal for the elderly and within a year, over half a million victims had died in the United States. Attempts to control the spread by social distancing and mask wearing were unevenly applied and some places suffered more than others. Economic considerations affected the degree to which social distancing rules were enforced. The disease occurred in waves reaching its greatest prevalence in December–January of 2020–21. Fortunately, effective vaccines were developed rapidly, and mass vaccination began in January 2021. As a result, the number of new cases dropped rapidly and social restrictions were gradually restricted. The disease has not disappeared and will likely remain a common respiratory infection.