The Coronavirus Disease, commonly known as COVID-19, was first detected in Wuhan Province, China. An infectious pneumonia like disease, China reported its first cases to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the 31 December 2019. By 30 January 2020, it was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern as it began to spread to new countries, the first being Thailand, through international travel. 

As the number of positive cases increased, WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March 2020. While cases have slowed down in China, other countries are considered new epicentres for the virus including the United States of America and Europe.

The COVID-19 virus is spread primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Majority of people infected with COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and will recover without requiring special treatment. The elderly or those with underlying health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease or cancer, are more likely to develop serious illness.

At this time, there are no specific vaccines or treatments. There are however, many ongoing clinical trials around the world to evaluate potential treatments. 

Women in particular feel the effects of entering a marketplace previously closed to them, providing dependable income, self-reliance, and even safety, to them and their children.