Infectious Disease Across the Tree of Life

The COVID-19 pandemic mounted an unprecedented global effort to curb the impacts of its spread. Because of the unprecedented impacts the pandemic has had on our society and culture, the underlying biological mechanisms of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) are currently under extensive study and can be applied to our existing understanding of the mechanisms and evolution of infectious diseases. A complete understanding of the pandemic involves looking at the evolutionary origins and molecular features of the virus, trends in transmission, behavioral and cultural responses, and the rapid development of novel vaccine technologies. This case examines the evolution, the biological mechanisms, and the societal impacts of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 disease.