What You Need to Know About COVID-19 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention How do you get it? While COVID-19 did originate in bats and possibly in a live animal market in Wuhan, most of the cases now were spread from human to human. It can spread between people who are in close contact with one another, via respiratory droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze. It may also be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it, then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes. How viruses spread around populations varies. In China, COVID-19 is spreading easily and sustainably in Hubei, Wuhan’s province. But in the U.S., there have been few human-to-human cases, and only among the close contacts of infected people.
COVID-19 is the official name for the coronavirus that’s affected thousands around the world. Here’s what you need to know about this contagious disease, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What is It? COVID-19 is a new type of coronavirus that has not been previously identified. It is similar to, but not the same, as coronaviruses that more commonly circulate around humans, like the common cold. A diagnosis with coronavirus 229E, NL63, OC43 or HKU1 is not the same as a diagnosis of coronavirus COVID-19. The name, chosen by the World Health Organization, comes from CO for corona, VI for virus and D for disease. It was discovered in 2019 in and around Wuhan, Hubei, China. The name was selected following the World Heath Organization’s best practices for naming new human infectious diseases. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses in people and animals. It includes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Like those two diseases, COVID-19 originated in an animal population, in this case bats. So it can be spread two ways: animal-to-human and human-to-human. 10
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How can members of the general public protect themselves? There’s no vaccine for COVID-19 as of press time. But you can still protect yourself from this virus and the much more common flu bug by following these steps: ■ Avoid close contact with people who are sick. ■ Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. ■ Stay home when you are sick. ■ Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. ■ Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. ■ The CDC does not recommend using a face mask to protect yourself from respiratory viruses. Face masks should be used by people who are ill to help prevent the spread of disease to others. Face masks are also critical for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in a close setting, either at home or in the hospital. ■ Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, eating, blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If you don’t have access to soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Always wash your hands if they are visibly dirty. What is the clinical presentation of COVID-19? Most of the reports that describe the clinical presentation of patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection come from hospitalized patients with pneumonia. The incubation period is estimated at around five days, but some studies have estimated a wider range and information gleaned from human infections with other coronaviruses, such as MERS and SARS, suggest the incubation period may range from two-14 days.
