Answers to common Coronavirus (COVID-19) Questions
The coronavirus is a family of viruses named after the crown-like spikes which protrude its surface. In general coronaviruses can infect animals and people and causes respiratory illnesses from the common cold to pneumonia and lung lesions. Some coronaviruses may cause an infection in your nose, sinuses, or upper throat. The majority of coronaviruses are not that life threatening.
In early 2020, after a late-2019 outbreak in China, The World Health Organization identified a new more fatal type of coronavirus, they named it the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which causes COVID-19.
COVID-19 is a very new virus, which we are only beginning to study and understand, the following information is the best we have so far, which we will update continuously as we learn more.
In the early stages of the COVID-19 Coronavirus infection you are asymptomatic, meaning you do not experience nor exhibit any symptoms. It is important to know that during the asymptomic stage you are highly contagious to others. Most will start to feel sick and experience symptoms 5 to 7 days after infection, in some people symptoms may appear as soon as 2 or as late as 14 days after infection.
The novel coronavirus is highly contagious and spreads very easily from person to person. New information has come out this week saying the virus may remain airborne for up to 4 hours. The virus can travel through the air in tiny respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks or just breathes. If a non-infected person inhales the same, “infected air” its possible to contract the virus.
1. Wash your hands frequently using hot water, for at least 20-30 seconds.
2. Practice social distancing
3. Avoid contact or wash your hands right after touching doorknobs, light switches, gas pumps, atms, point of sale terminals, elevator buttons, doorbells/buzzers, etc.
4. Frequently clean and disinfect
5. Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces you touch frequently with household cleaning wipes or sprays.
6. Avoid shaking hands with people
7. Stay away from crowds and large public gatherings
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To learn more about the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) Global Pandemic we recommend you start by visiting our expanded Coronavirus Question & Answers section, or our Coronavirus Resources section.
You can also check the latest Coronavirus News & Updates, as well as read real Coronavirus Survivor Stories.
