The Study of the COVID-19 Virus: A Review

Abstract

COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in 2020 and spanned a three-year period, causing devastating effects across the globe. The death toll from the infection rose to millions, with medical experts and government officials worldwide working tirelessly to control its spread. Symptoms from the virus ranged from mild (i.e., fever and cough) to severe (i.e., respiratory failure and multi-organ dysfunction), creating difficulties in tracking its progression and developing appropriate treatments. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the COVID-19 virus and its varied characteristics studied throughout the pandemic, including its structure, common comorbidities, and the numerous treatment options made available. Viral and host genetics are described as well, as multiple studies have linked molecular variants to differing degrees of disease severity. Polygenic risk scoring (PRS) has been an approach used for the determination of risk for severe outcomes, assisting with the identification of significant genetic variants and high-risk population groups.