Coronavirus (COVID-19): Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Updated: April 18, 2020
ARTICLE

You likely can’t escape news stories about the COVID-19 coronavirus, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled a pandemic. While you likely don’t need to worry, it’s good to be informed so you can help stop the spread of the virus. Since this is a new disease, you likely have lots of questions about it. Many of the common questions about coronavirus are answered here, though there is still a lot scientists don't know about this disease.
Method 1 of 3:
Basic Disease Information

1
What is a coronavirus? The term "coronavirus" refers to a large family of viruses that make people sick. Most of these viruses cause the common cold and are very prevalent. Less common strains of coronavirus also cause Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which are serious variations of the virus.[2] COVID-19 is a new, rare type of coronavirus that began in Wuhan, China in December of 2019.[3]
• COVID-19 is a new coronavirus, meaning that it hasn't been seen in people before.
• COVID-19 itself is a respiratory syndrome, meaning that it causes you to have difficulty breathing. In some cases, it can cause pneumonia.

2
What are the symptoms of COVID-19? Most people who get COVID-19 have few to no symptoms. You might think you have a cold or the flu and be better in a few days. However, up to 1 in 5 people who get coronavirus will become seriously ill and may have trouble breathing. Symptoms to watch for include:[4]
• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty breathing
Tip: If you have these symptoms but have not been in close contact with anyone who has COVID-19, you probably just have a cold or the flu. However, it's still a good idea to isolate yourself until your symptoms have passed.

3
If you get COVID-19, are you going to die? Not likely. Although COVID-19 seems to be more deadly than more common diseases, such as the flu, the fatality rate has been estimated to be around 3.4% as of March 2020. Most cases are mild, but patients who are elderly or already battling a chronic disease or condition typically get hit the hardest.[5]
• Compared to SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), another coronavirus, COVID-19 is more easily transmissible but not nearly as deadly.
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Did you know? Around 81% of all cases of COVID-19 result in only mild pneumonia or no pneumonia at all.

4
Where did COVID-19 come from? COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in 2019. Although the first infections were linked to a live animal market, the disease is now spread person to person.[6]

5
Can you get COVID-19 from products shipped to you? Not likely. Although a lot is unknown about COVID-19, it doesn't appear that the virus can survive on dry surfaces, such as paper, plastic, or cardboard. Any products shipped to you should be safe to use without risk of contracting the disease.[7]
• Even if someone with COVID-19 had coughed or sneezed on products before shipping them, it is unlikely that the virus would survive through the shipping process to infect another person.

6
How can I fight the stigma associated with COVID-19? Help educate those around you about the fact that, although COVID-19 might have first been discovered in China, the disease itself doesn't target specific races of people, nor are particular races more likely to get it than others. In fact, countries across the world, including most of Europe and the United States, have confirmed cases of COVID-19. It affects people of diverse populations, and anyone can catch it.[8]
• Chinese and Asian people who you meet are no more likely to be infected than someone of any other race, unless they recently returned from China or were around someone who is sick.
• Tell people that the disease is spread person to person through close contact. Even though the disease originated in China, you're not at risk of getting the disease if you, for example, go to a Chinese restaurant or shop at a Chinese-owned business.

7
Will the COVID-19 outbreak stop when the weather gets warmer? Many viruses, such as the flu, do not spread as rapidly in spring and summer months. However, since COVID-19 is a new virus, scientists don't yet know what will happen once the weather gets warmer. While you can speculate that the threat would dissipate with warmer temperatures, no one knows for sure if that will happen.[9] Many coronaviruses have been known to continue in warm climates.
• Even if the virus does dissipate with warmer weather, there is also a chance it could return when the weather cools again in the fall and winter.
Method 2 of 3:
Treating COVID-19
1
What should I do if I think I'm sick with COVID-19? Call your doctor if you have fever, cough, and shortness of breath and have recently returned from travel or come into contact with an infected person. Tell them you suspect you may have COVID-19 and ask your doctor what to do. They will likely tell you to either stay home and isolate yourself or go to an isolated medical setting for testing. State public health labs and the CDC are handling all testing as of March 2020, and there could be a backlog in your area.[10]
• Call ahead to your doctor or to a hospital and let them know that you want to come in and you suspect you have COVID-19. Giving them this warning will allow them to make preparations so you don't spread the disease to others if you do have it.
• If you have a medical emergency, let emergency responders know when you call them that you suspect you have COVID-19 so they can also take precautions. They will likely isolate you in a negative pressure room so it’s less likely the virus will infect others.
• If you are outside the United States, your national health agency or the World Health Organization (WHO) will likely manage testing in your area.
2
How is someone diagnosed with COVID-19? In the United States, your state public health lab or the CDC will confirm a COVID-19 infection. Outside the United States, your national health agency or WHO will determine if you are infected. If your doctor thinks you might have COVID-19, they will take samples of fluid from your nose and mouth. That fluid will be sent to a state or national lab to test for COVID-19. They might also test fluid from your lungs, or test your urine or stool to determine if you have any other infections.[11]
• If you have pneumonia or difficulty breathing, your doctor might order X-rays of your lungs.
• Diagnostic testing for COVID-19 is limited. For example, in the US, only state public health labs or the CDC can conduct the proper tests. Your doctor will likely designate you as a person under investigation (PUI) and keep you isolated until the test results return. Since state labs are now helping with testing, results are available faster than they were at the start of the outbreak.[12]
3
Do you have to stay in the hospital if you have COVID-19? Not necessarily. More severe cases require hospitalization. However, most people who contract COVID-19 can stay in their homes, as long as they self-isolate. Your doctor will let you know if you can go home or if you need to be hospitalized. Either way, you will need to be quarantined so you won’t spread the virus.[13]
• Your state public health department will tell you when it’s okay for you to leave quarantine. They’ll track you throughout your recovery to make sure you’re getting better and aren’t exposing others to the virus.
• You may need to go to the hospital if your lungs stop working on their own and you need a ventilator to help you breathe. Hospitals can also supply you with extra oxygen, which makes it easier for you to breathe on your own.
• If you feel more comfortable staying in the hospital than going home, let your doctor know. For example, you might be concerned about spreading the disease to your family if you return home.
• Continue to monitor your symptoms if you're staying at home. If your symptoms become more severe, call your doctor as soon as possible.
4
What medications are available for COVID-19? As of March 2020, there is no specific medication that is approved to treat COVID-19. Pharmaceutical companies and research organizations are conducting trials of antiviral drugs to treat the disease. However, it is unlikely that a drug will be available for human use before the end of 2020.[14]
• Several organizations are also working on developing a potential vaccine for the disease. However, it's not known when a vaccine would be available to the public.
• You can take over-the-counter medications to relieve your fever and other symptoms of COVID-19. Just keep in mind that these medications are only relieving the symptoms t
5
How can I keep from spreading COVID-19 to others? If your doctor has confirmed that you have COVID-19, or if you are suspected of having COVID-19, isolate yourself from others. Stay at home except when you're going to get medical care. When you go to the doctor, always wear a facemask and avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis. While at home, take the following precautions:[15]
• Stay in a separate room from everyone else and use a separate bathroom if possible.
• Basic surgical masks help prevent the spread of the virus by stopping the wearer from exposing others to coughing or sneezing. If you are sick, wear a surgical mask when you are around others if possible.[16]
• If you have not tested positive and have no reason to suspect you have been exposed, wearing a mask or respirator in public is not recommended, but be sure to keep 6 feet away from others and do not leave home unnecessarily.[17]
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Immediately throw the tissue into a trashcan and wash your hands.
• Don't share household utensils, towels, bedding, or clothing with other members of your household.
• Monitor your symptoms and call your doctor if your symptoms worsen.

6
How can you tell when COVID-19 has run its course? Typically, symptoms will be relatively mild, so it can be difficult to know for sure exactly when you're no longer contagious. Your public health department will monitor you while you’re in quarantine and tell you when you’re clear to leave your home or the hospital. Once your symptoms are gone for at least 24 hours, they’ll test you to see if you still have the virus.[18]
• Don’t leave your quarantine until the public health department confirms that it’s safe for you to do so. They may keep you in quarantine for several days after you're no longer symptomatic just in case.
Method 3 of 3:
Preventing COVID-19 Infection

1
How can I protect myself from COVID-19? The best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 is to avoid being around people who are sick with the disease. However, if the person is asymptomatic, you may have no way of knowing if they have the disease until you've already contracted the virus. Other steps you can take to minimize your exposure include:[19]
• Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• Distancing yourself from others and spending most of your time at home
• Touching your eyes, nose, and mouth as little as possible
• Staying home if you are sick (even if you just have a common cold)
• Cleaning and disinfecting all surfaces that are frequently touched in your household at least once a day
• Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and immediately throwing the tissue in the trash
• Be wary of suspicious phone calls or emails related to COVID-19 that are requesting money or information from you or asking you to click a link. There has been an increase in these scams recently where criminals pretend to be from the CDC.[20]
2
How can I help with efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19? The most important thing you can do is stay home! Practicing social distancing when you have to be out will also help protect you and those around you. If you're able, it's also a great idea to donate to organizations that are dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. It's a complex, global problem, and these organizations need all the help they can get.

3
What should I do if I can't avoid someone with COVID-19? If you're caring for a sick family member, you may not have the luxury of simply staying away from anyone who has the disease. Wear disposable gloves and a respirator at all times when you're in the same room as the person who is sick.[21]
• Avoid touching the person's bodily fluids. If you wash a sick person's clothing, sheets, blankets, or towels, wear disposable gloves and don't let them touch your clothing or skin while they're dirty.
• Throw away disposable gloves immediately after using them and wash your hands thoroughly. While wearing disposable gloves, don't touch any part of your body, especially your face or your eyes.[22]
• Even if you are just caring for a sick person, you should be sure to self isolate for 14 days since you may be able to carry and spread the virus even if you have no symptoms.[23]

4
What's the difference between a respirator and a surgical mask? A surgical mask, or facemask, is meant to protect the surrounding environment from your respiratory issues. In contrast, a respirator protects you from anything in the environment. A respirator is thicker and fits more tightly than the facemasks you might be familiar with, ubiquitous in China and other Asian countries.[24]
• Regular surgical facemasks are not effective for preventing COVID-19 for someone who has not tested positive. Only N95 facemasks can help protect you, and these are in limited supply. Only medical professionals who are treating people who are infected should be using N95 masks during the outbreak.

5
What if I come into contact with someone who has COVID-19? If you are in close contact with someone who you know has COVID-19, call your doctor immediately. They will likely advise you to isolate yourself for 14 days. If you don't get any symptoms within that 14-day period, your doctor will likely conclude that you don’t have the disease.[25]
• If you've only recently been exposed to COVID-19, any diagnostic test might come back negative. Typically, your doctor will advise you to wait a couple of days before coming in for testing, unless you are already showing symptoms.

6
How long should I isolate myself if I'm exposed to COVID-19? COVID-19 has an incubation period as long as 14 days. Generally, this means that if you're exposed to COVID-19, you could get sick from the virus up to two weeks after you were first exposed. Quarantine yourself and notify your doctor that you may need to be tested. From there, the public health department will monitor your progress and tell you when it’s safe to leave quarantine.[26]
• Even if you do get sick during that 14-day period, it might not necessarily be related to COVID-19. You could get sick because of something else.
• If 14 days pass and you don't show any signs of illness, this generally means that you're no longer at risk for getting sick from COVID-19 or passing the illness on to others.
Warning: It may be possible to spread COVID-19 even while you don’t have symptoms if you’ve been infected. Take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 if you've been exposed to the virus, even if you don't have any symptoms.

7
Should I wear a facemask in public to keep from getting COVID-19? Cloth masks or coverings are recommended for use in public places such as grocery stores, public transport or any other area where you might come into contact with a lot of people. Save surgical or other disposable masks for medical professionals unless you have been instructed to use them by a doctor.[27]
• Wearing cloth coverings may help prevent transmission from people who carry the virus but have no symptoms.
• If you are wearing a mask you still must wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.

8
Can I get COVID-19 from touching a contaminated surface? It’s possible, but this isn’t the main way the virus spreads. Experts believe COVID-19 spreads through droplets from infected people. If these droplets settle on a surface, you touch them, and then you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, it’s possible you will get sick. However, it’s not clear how long the germs remain on surfaces, and it’s unlikely the virus survives for long.[28]
• Clean and sanitize items around your house that are frequently touched by people, such as television remotes, phones, and doorknobs, at least once a day.
• If someone in your household is sick, isolate them and don't share household items with them. Clean their items separately from everyone else's.

9
Can pets get COVID-19? It is not yet known if COVID-19 can be spread from humans to animals. However, if you have COVID-19, you should let someone else in your household take care of any pets while you are sick and keep them out of your room.[29]
• Avoid petting, snuggling, or sharing food with your pet. Always wash your hands before or after interacting with your pets..

Warnings
• If you or a member of your household are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
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