The COVID-19 pandemic: impact in Health and Economy

Contrary to what most of the population believes, viruses are not living beings but particles (size in the order of tenths or hundredths of microns) composed of biomolecules (proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates) whose function is to transfer gene material (RNA or DNA) from one cell to another by entering into cells. Due to this insertion of new material, the receiving cell acquires new genotypic and phenotypic characteristics that are inherited to new generations of cells and therefore to organisms. That is, viruses, and bacteria as well, are not synonymous with disease; they are only a strategy that allows for the adaptation and evolution of living beings through these new characteristics. In addition, viruses do not exclusively enter animal cells but also associate or infect plants, bacteria, and fungi, contributing significantly to the diversity and biological evolution on the planet.