A young doctor from China discovered something strange first in December 2019: One of his patients in the large city of Wuhan developed a severe type of flu. But actually the new coronavirus was to blame. The virus got its name coronavirus due to its spires that look like a crown under a microscope, corona being the Latin word for crown.

It’s certainly annoying, but it has a purpose! The virus is very small, but also very contagious and active. If you sneeze, hug your friends, or shake someone’s hand, you could infect others. This can happen even faster when many people are in a room, like at school.

To be honest, no idea. That observation is correct and is also confirmed by a press spokesman from one of the big drugstores. "We notice a strong demand in some parts of our range, including toilet paper," he said.

A virus is a very small pathogen that you can only see under a microscope. The pathogen is lifeless, but it can occupy living cells and cause them to produce more viral pathogens, thus infecting the person. When people develop this infection, they could get a cough, fever, have shortness of breath, or become seriously ill. However, many people with the infection notice nothing at all.

The coronavirus quickly found its way from China to Europe. The virus is being fought in Italy, Germany, France, Austria – practically everywhere. The World Health Organization classified this virus as a pandemic, meaning it has spread around the globe to many different countries and continents.

Wash your hands! With soap and water. Don’t meet up with people very much, especially your grandparents. And when you do meet someone, try a wave or other greeting without contact. If you must cough or sneeze, do so in a tissue or in the crook of your arm, but certainly not in your hands! And yes, wash your hands!

Hey, you should be studying! But it could be something else. Have you ever made your own newspaper? You could also gather information about all the countries currently being discussed. It’s pretty exciting to see how many people live in China. Where exactly is South Korea? Sports are also good, something possible in the apartment or garden. And if nothing else helps, television? In the morning there’s a special children’s program, and we always provide you with ideas.

Grandparents are at a much higher risk than children and adolescents. Scientists say that older people, those with pre-existing illnesses, and less fit people are at higher risk of developing a more severe infection.

Of course, everyone would like to know the answer to this, including us, but unfortunately, we are unable to predict the future. It also crucially depends on how well the different measures work. No matter what, schools will remain closed until after Easter.

You probably thought that at first. However, Educations around the world do want to continue learning. Luckily, it’s not new stuff, and it’s also possible to sleep in.

Your teachers probably gave you a lot of worksheets. Wherever possible, e-learning is used. There are also journal services in the schools if you need a book, so the schools are not completely closed. (Peter Mayr, Karin Riss, Translation: Emily York, 2020-03-14)