SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic, perspectives and challenges

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 epidemic started at the province of Wuhan, China in late 2019. This coronavirus, identified as the etiologic agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), spread rapidly becoming a pandemic with worldwide repercussions. Once again, a virus has jumped across species and has had serious consequences, as this virus has adapted to the new host quickly with highly efficient transmission and spread worldwide in just a few weeks. The aim of this review is to report new information, that can be considered important, and to offer some perspectives of the current situation about the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, the breakthrough will happen when scientists obtain a safe and controlled drug that can be used against SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or have a safe and effective vaccine that generates immunity on the medium, or if possible, on the long term. A race against the clock has been launched, with the participation of many scientists around the world, to develop some medicine and/or vaccine that could mitigate this pandemic. For now, the recommendations made here are focused on improving our health through lifestyle changes, which could help against the infectious process of this or any other agent, with better prognosis.