Ana de Barros is a doctorate (Ph.D.) in Immunology and a wonderful bass guitar player. Living in Lisbon, the also Genetics graduate is currently working at Bio news Services, a company that engages rare disease communities, offering to patients, medical staff and caregivers all the most accurate news and information from highly rated publishers and medical institutions.

Still, despite all the current turmoil and disbelieve that the world is facing, Ana managed some time to do a quick Q&A about this new invisible enemy. One thing is certain, the scientific community is working faster and more united than ever to find a way to stop this global threat.

HOW ARE YOU WATCHING THE CURRENT SITUATION? DO YOU THINK THE IMPLEMENTED MEASURES ARE SUFFICIENT SO FAR?

I’ve been trying to stay calm and separate myself from what is valid information and non-valid information. Because my job involves scattering science news, it’s a bit easier for me to have access to valid scientific sources. I think the measures being taken are good, even though I believe the state of emergency should’ve been declared earlier.

But, many people (not all) have a good sense of the gravity of the situation and had already been staying home for many days before the government decided to officially do it. And those kinds of educated attitudes can go a long way in my opinion.

WHEN WAS THE 1ST TIME YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE VIRUS; DID YOU REALIZE AT THAT MOMENT HOW BIG AND DANGEROUS IT COULD BECOME?

I heard about it a while back ago, but roughly at the same time most people who watch the news hear about it. I must confess I did not believe this could become so big. But I was already taking some measures by the time many people turned a blind eye on this. Just before the first case was confirmed in Spain, I went to Madrid and I was already wearing a mask that, airport security asked me to remove to go through metal detectors, even though I asked them not to. So you can see that we as a country were not educated or prepared for what is currently unfolding.

WHY IS THIS VIRUS MORE AGGRESSIVE IN SOME CASES (NOT ONLY IN THE CONTAGIOUS LEVEL) AND IN OTHERS A PERSON CAN SIMPLY SHOW NO SYMPTOMS, CAN CARRY IT, AND PROBABLY GET WELL/ CLEAN WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING HE OR SHE WAS INFECTED IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Well, this mainly has to do with our immune system and our general health. Why do some people die with a bacterial infection while others don’t? Why can old people die of the flu while a healthy younger person will probably not? The difference here is that for most bacterial infections, there are antibiotics. For the flu, there are vaccines. But for this virus, there is nothing. I think that is the trickiest part of the whole thing. I’m not sure this virus is more “deadly” than other similar viruses, but the fact that we know little about it makes it more dangerous.

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE VIRUS COULD BE PRESENT EVEN BEFORE THE FIRST CASES WERE KNOWN? IS IT POSSIBLE THAT 16 CONTAGIOUS CHAINS COULD HAVE GROWN SO FAST SINCE THE 1ST INFECTED OR HAD THE VIRUS TO BE PRESENT BEFORE?

We don’t know yet for how long this virus has existed. It belongs to a big family of viruses (there are many coronaviruses) and some of them are common (we get flu-like symptoms) and others mutate and are less common and dangerous, like the virus that causes SARS or this new one.

People believe it came from wildlife markets in China, maybe from a type of bat. The thing is these viruses can exist in wildlife and not affect these animals. But if humans eat raw meat, for example, or are in close contact with those animals, they may get it and become sick. Now, it is known that in China, after genetic sequencing the new coronavirus they found that there are already two different strains: one is more dangerous than the other. Now, if the virus evolved in animals or in humans, it’s not known yet.

But as scientists analyze more and more isolated SARS-COV-2 virus, they have found that throughout Europe for example, there have been new mutations, If these make the virus more or less “strong” it’s not known yet.

"SPREAD TO IMMUNE" - WHAT DO IMMUNOLOGISTS THINK ABOUT THIS? 

Although this is something that will occur naturally as we become exposed to this virus and that’s how we, as we grow, gain immunity to so many things, due to the lack of knowledge there is about the new coronavirus it can have devastating consequences.

It’s wiser for governments to implement measures of social distancing for example than to just wildly let nature take its course. A vaccine will likely come, although it will take time. But until then, people need to understand that natural immunization in many cases, if it’s not something done gradually, will have its costs. 

CAN YOU PREDICT OR DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA (BECAUSE OF YOUR SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND/EXPERIENCE) HOW LONG WILL THIS LAST EVEN AFTER THE PEAK IS REACHED?

Well, China is already seeing it go down substantially. So, if things are done right and if what we see in China also happens in Europe, maybe in 3/4 months or so? It’s hard to predict such things but with the measures being taken, and after the numbers peak, the tendency is to go down. 

FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? HOW DO YOU SEE LIFE ONCE THIS STARTS TO END?

 I think that, if anything, this makes us (more developed countries) realize that calamities don’t only happen in “other” countries (less developed ones). We are all children of Mother Nature, and we’re all on the same boat. I hope many people can put all of this into perspective and realize that if we don’t act as a big global community, what one country, or even one person alone (!) does can affect us all.  

What a crazy idea right? We must learn to respect Nature. Stop wildlife markets, for example. Reduce pollution (if there is one thing fear and social isolation did was drastically reduce the levels of pollution).

This is our turn to evaluate our own behaviors as humans and understand what is important and what is not. Re-evaluate the way we live in modern societies. I could go on and on but right now it’s one step at a time.

Stay home and stay safe. 

Interview & words by Claudia Silva