In December 2019, a new coronavirus appeared in Wuhan, China. It has since infected thousands across the globe, and the World Health Organization declared it a pandemic, which refers to how far it’s spread.
A guide to the COVID-19 pandemic
The science, the tech response, and what you can do
Illustration by Grayson Blackmon and Alex Castro / The Verge
The new coronavirus causes a disease called COVID-19, with symptoms such as fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. It can be deadly, particularly in people over the age of 60 or with underlying health conditions.
In response, US tech companies have canceled events and ramped up efforts to avoid spreading misinformation. Scientists have tried to figure out exactly how the virus works, in the hopes that we can eventually develop medicine. And many people are staying at home to try to slow down the pace at which the disease goes through the population.
We’ve rounded up our reporting on the virus, the illness it causes, things you can do to protect yourself, and the way the tech sector has been affected here.
We’ve got to be ready for the long haul
Mary Beth Griggs
Wear a mask anyway
Nicole Wetsman
A grim milestone for the ongoing pandemic
Russell Brandom
If you’re young and healthy, it’s more likely that you’d spread the virus than get severely sick
Nicole Wetsman
The FDA can issue emergency authorizations quickly, but the process is less rigorous
Nicole Wetsman
A robotic helping hand in a crisis
James Vincent
It’s easy to track the virus in a place where everyone’s on a schedule
Nicole Wetsman
Strategies to stop transmission may be harder to implement now than they were in March
Nicole Wetsman
Courtesy on the part of both parties may be the only strategy available
Barbara Krasnoff
NASA, ESA, and JAXA took snapshots of COVID-19’s effects on economic activity and pollution
Justine Calma
We’ve got to be ready for the long haul
Mary Beth Griggs
Wear a mask anyway
Nicole Wetsman
A grim milestone for the ongoing pandemic
Russell Brandom
If you’re young and healthy, it’s more likely that you’d spread the virus than get severely sick
Nicole Wetsman
The FDA can issue emergency authorizations quickly, but the process is less rigorous
Nicole Wetsman
A robotic helping hand in a crisis
James Vincent
It’s easy to track the virus in a place where everyone’s on a schedule
Nicole Wetsman
Strategies to stop transmission may be harder to implement now than they were in March
Nicole Wetsman
Courtesy on the part of both parties may be the only strategy available
Barbara Krasnoff
NASA, ESA, and JAXA took snapshots of COVID-19’s effects on economic activity and pollution
Justine Calma
