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Coronavirus: In it for the long pall

By
QZ
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Hello Quartz readers,

Ask us what we’re wearing tomorrow, and we couldn’t tell you (just kidding, it’s sweatpants). But ask us what the world will be like in five years, and we can’t shut up.

You get it, though. Here are just a few of the answers you sent in to our new favorite question: How do you think coronavirus will have changed things by 2025?

  • “I see a mass exodus from the USA, assuming that more livable parts of the world will allow us in.”
  • “Due to more fear of illness, parents will overdo it on the hygiene of their children. The next generation will be the ones who don’t get to play in dirt and live in too-pristine environments.”
  • “Shaking hands and hugging hello will go away, especially with strangers and acquaintances.”
  • “Quartz may get more online subscribers, just like streaming services and Amazon.”

Perhaps we’re biased towards one of these answers 😏, but they all speak to how Covid-19 could upend our lives for the long term.

If you’re interested in reading predictions from 50+ experts, check out our latest project: The New Normal. And if you do want to get a jump on 2025, try Quartz membership with a 7-day free trial, or take 40% off your first year. Then imagine Future You elbow-bumping Present You to say thanks.

Making it slow

The World Health Organization estimates that most mild cases of Covid-19 should resolve in two weeks. But a growing number of people report feeling symptoms after six, eight, and even 12 weeks.

Online support groups have thousands of members, each of whom is navigating lingering symptoms their doctors can’t explain. Some are still easily winded, losing their breath after taking a flight of stairs. Some develop blood clots, which can lead to strokes or kidney problems. And others complain of extreme fatigue—the kind that chains you to your couch for days at a time—and neurological weariness that makes planning and focusing difficult.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, infects cells through ACE2 receptors; it causes respiratory symptoms because cells in the lungs have a high number of clustered-together ACE2 receptors compared to other cells in the body. But unlike SARS-CoV (a cousin virus), SARS-CoV-2 can worm its way into cells with lower concentrations of ACE2 receptors, says Panagis Galiatsatos, a pulmonologist at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. That includes cells along the back of the throat, in the digestive tract, in the heart, in the kidneys, and even in the brain.

The virus’s ability to infect so many types of cells is partially responsible for symptoms not typically associated with respiratory infections, including gastrointestinal distress and neurological problems. It also means that people with Covid-19 can have more severe complications, depending on which other organs have been infected. Scientists now realize that SARS-CoV-2 can result in damage to the kidneys and heart, additional infection sites that Galiatsatos says “rocked our world.”

Knowing that Covid-19 can impact all of these organs, it’s not surprising that some people feel its effects long after their healthcare providers would have predicted. Galiatsatos pinpoints two likely explanations: 1) Covid-19 is exacerbating existing conditions that the body was able to compensate for previously, or 2) The immune system’s damaged-organ repair job left something to be desired. For example, scars may form on the lungs, leaving that tissue unable to perform the vital gas exchange that it used to.

Both scenarios could have consequences for a person’s long-term health. But there hasn’t been enough time to study these impacts in-depth. By documenting Covid-19’s long-term effects, scientists will hopefully nail down a root cause—and with that, treatments to support complete recovery.

What to watch for

Well-designed data visualizations can pack a more powerful punch than words alone. But poorly-designed charts—even those made with the best intentions—can mislead their audience.

Take this one, out of Arkansas. The state’s department of health uses software called ArcGIS to update its Covid-19 statistics every weekday. But the graphic below (from this page) doesn’t communicate its message particularly well.

A chart showing the cross-section of people with preexisting conditions who get sick with Covid-19 in Arkansas.

It intends to show the cross-section of people with preexisting conditions who get sick with Covid-19. That’s a vulnerable overlap: Research has shown that people with such conditions are more likely to have severe cases. But because all of these percentages are so low—and depicted on a scale that goes up to 100%—the graphic makes it seem like having a comorbidity is of little concern. Data is only meaningful if you put it in the right context.

We pulled a few other examples of the best and worst practices in Covid-19 data viz, based on the same principles we use to guide our own chart-making. Stay savvy out there.

Face it

Masks may be everyone’s favorite bugbear, but a new report from Goldman Sachs says mandating them would help the US’s bottom line.

The investment bank calculated that a national mask mandate could reduce GDP losses by 5%, in large part by staving off shutdowns. Goldman calculated that social distancing and government restrictions to curb the spread of the virus reduced US GDP by 17% between January and April. It concludes:

So will the US adopt a national face mask mandate? This is uncertain, partly because masks have become such a politically and culturally charged issue. However, even in the absence of a national mandate, state and local authorities might well broaden mandates in ways that ultimately mimic the impact of a national mandate. Either way, our analysis suggests that the economy could benefit significantly from such moves, especially when compared with the alternative of a return to broader lockdowns.

Catch me outside

A few weeks ago we checked in on dining out. Are you doing it? What’s the vibe? Do breadsticks taste as good as we remember? Here’s what you told us:

🥡 “I dined outdoors and I was uncomfortable. I felt sorry for the waitress—she wore a mask but we didn’t. Also, when other diners exited, they didn’t put on masks even though they were only about three feet away from us. In the future, I would rather get takeout.”

🧼 “I’m a prep person in a restaurant. Covid-19 is always on everybody’s minds. We always wear masks and gloves. We take breaks to go outside and take off our masks and gloves for a few minutes. Back to work, we scrub and wear new masks and gloves. Sanitizing the areas that customers order and pick up their food is a constant ongoing task. This is our ‘new normal.’”

🇨🇭 “Swiss restaurants have been open for awhile now. One out of three tables are available; names, contact details, date and time of visit are noted and the information stored for a max of three weeks. It helps that we’re enjoying wonderful weather and most folks choose to eat outside.”

😷 “My husband and I have eaten out a few times, and have a specific algorithm we use: 1) Is it Covid-worthy? Is the food worth the risk for a possible exposure? 2) What is the seating like? I look for ceiling fans, open windows, or better yet, outdoor tables. 3) Is the restaurant complying with the current reopening rules as set forth by the governor such as masks, fewer tables, service staff wearing masks etc.? If all our criteria is met we go on in and enjoy ourselves.”

Essential reading

Our best wishes for a healthy day. Get in touch with us at reply@qz.com, and live your best Quartz life by downloading our app and becoming a member. Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Katherine Foley, Karen Ho, and Kira Bindrim.