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A virus like Covid-19 can cause shortness of breath as a major symptom.

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It can spread through air, cough, sneeze, and touch.

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In order to keep everyone safe and healthy, the government has issued a shelter in place.

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Wash your hand every few hours from 30 seconds to one minute. Use anti- bacterial soap to make sure all germs are gone.

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Covid-19 is a illness traveling all around the world and its spreading quickly. In order to slow the spread, the president has issued a shelter in place.

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I get to spend time with my family .

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My grandparents getting sick

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They are predicting that hospitals will soon begin to run low on medical supplies.

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This virus can cause a cough shortness of breath, sneezing

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The virus spreads from person to person by close contanct and sneezing or touching one another. https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/qa/how-do-viruses-spread-from-person-to-person

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If you are sick stay home and stay away from others as best as you can to help stop the spread.

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Making me stay home

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The goverment put us in a shelter in place to keep us safe and to help stop the spread of Covid-19

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Wash your hands every three hours for 30 seconds to a minute with soap and water then dry them off with a paper towel.

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Covid-19 is a respiratory illness that spreads from person to person. You can stop the spread by washing your hands and wearing gloves and a facemask when you go out.

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This is a great learning experience for this generation to make changes in our society and explote major flaws in our society.

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keeping me home.

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1.6% of people under 60 die from corona virus

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Before December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 - the virus that causes the Covid-19 illness - was unknown to science. "A pneumonia of unknown cause" was first reported to the World Health Organization on December 31, after a slew of cases appeared in Wuhan, China. Since then, the virus has been detected in millions of people worldwide, and killed hundreds of thousands.

This is a pandemic, a global crisis and tragedy on a scale that's hard to fathom.

There are a lot of new things for the public to learn - about the virus, controlling its spread, social distancing, treating the sick, and how our governments should react to this chaotic situation. It's like we've all been dropped in to study for a test in a class that no one signed up for. It's confusing and hard to process.

Here, we've tried to distill it into 12 key aspects of this crisis that everyone should understand. That said, we don't cover everything, and there's still a lot of uncertainty about some of the most important things on the list. (If you think you have Covid-19, and are curious about what that means for you, read this explainer. If you're most confused about the financial crisis the virus is causing, rea d this one.) This guide focuses mostly on the properties of the virus, and the implications for public health.

In the few months since this virus emerged, we've learned an immense amount about it. Scientists have decoded its genetics and whom it's more likely to kill, and have started working on vaccines that could immunize humans to it. Still, its newness means that a lot of the figures presented in this article are estimates and subject to change as scientists learn more. So keep that in mind, too.

1) SARS-CoV-2 is very contagious, and a huge portion of the global population is vulnerable

One thing we do know is that this coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is very contagious. Just look at the headlines: Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, has now infected nearly a million people around the globe.

Scientists quantify the contagiousness of a disease with a figure called R0 (pronounced R-nought.) "The figure refers to how many other people one sick person is likely to infect on average in a group that's susceptible to the disease (meaning they don't already have immunity from a vaccine or from fighting off the disease before)," Vox's Julia Belluz explains. An R0 of 2, for example, means each infected person is expected to spread the virus to two others, on average. Covid-19 is currently believed to have an R0 between 2 and 2.5.

That makes it more contagious than the seasonal flu. With the flu, there are people in the population who have some level of immunity to it - either because of a vaccine or because they have been exposed to that strain of flu in the past. That's not the case here.

With no mitigation, a statistical modeling report from the Imperial College of London found that 81 percent of the populations of both Great Britain and the US could be infected over the course of the pandemic.

The R0 is hard to estimate, even in a pandemic, because "the R0 is not a property of the virus," explains Dominique Heinke, an epidemiologist in Massachusetts. The virus's genetic code, the proteins that surround it, and the symptoms it causes are properties of the virus. The R0 is "a combination of the properties of the virus, and the way that humans interact."

Also important to know: R0 is the rate of transmission within a fully susceptible population, when no control measures are put into place. "One misconception about the R0 is that it is a fixed number - but actually, it varies over time and over context," says Caitlin Rivers, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. "So it has been well established that the R0 with this disease, at least before we implement any interventions, is well over 2."

But our actions can bring this figure down. This is sometimes called the Re, or effective reproduction rate. "If we can get Re [to be less than] 1 through social distancing, natural immunity, or a vaccine, then we break the cycle of transmission and the epidemic will slow or be suppressed," Heinke says.

2) The virus is believed to be spread mainly by respiratory droplets

Why has the virus spread so fast? The WHO recently put out a statement saying its experts believe Covid-19 is primarily transmitted by respiratory droplets. When infected people breathe, cough, or sneeze, they expel little droplets of moisture that contain the virus. Another person in their vicinity could breathe in these particles and get infected. The virus-laden droplets can also land on surfaces that others may touch (and then get infected by touching their mouth, nose, or eyes). Scientists now believe the virus can remain viable on a hard, non-porous surface like plastic or steel for around three days, and a rough surface like cardboard for about a day.

The 6-feet-away social distancing guideline is meant to keep people out of the splash zone for these respiratory droplets. (But know there's no hard cutoff for how far the viral droplets can spread. A sneeze can propel material from the nose 20 feet or more, a recent MIT study found.)

It's also unknown how significant other modes of transmission are in spreading the disease. There are two other possible routes being explored: fecal-oral and airborne.

Fecal-oral transmission occurs when a virus spreads, well, through feces (usually by contaminating water or food through improper hygiene). Scientists have noted the presence of the virus in some feces of infected people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, though, that "the risk [of fecal-oral transmission] is expected to be low based on data from previous outbreaks of related coronaviruses." (That said, if you weren't already: Please wash your hands enthusiastically after defecating.)

You may have heard that the new coronavirus isn't "airborne" - meaning that unlike extremely contagious diseases like measles, it's unlikely to linger in the air for hours on end. But that doesn't mean the virus can'tlinger in the air for some amount of time.

As Wired explains, although some experts say the novel coronavirus isn't airborne, that's based on a narrow scientific definition of the term. The virus can possibly still linger in the air for some time and under some conditions. We don't yet know precisely what those conditions are. It will definitely be in the air in the moments after an infected person sneezes or coughs, but it's unclear when the particles eventually come to rest on the ground (or on surrounding surfaces).

Overall, it doesn't appear that airborne contagion is a big factor with this outbreak. "In an analysis of 75,465 COVID-19 cases in China, airborne transmission was not reported," the WHO reports. But it warns that "airborne transmission may be possible in specific circumstances and settings." Certain medical procedures like intubation, suctioning, and ventilation could possibly create airborne viral aerosols. Because these occur in hospital settings, it's extra important for health care workers to wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE) to make sure they don't get sick.

Another big reason Covid-19 has spread so far and wide is that people with mild symptoms - and even people without symptoms - can spread it. ( Fever, cough, and shortness of breath are recognized by the CDC as common symptoms, but others such as loss of smell and taste have been added to the list, and symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear.)

There are no firm estimates on this, but it seems that somewhere between 25 and 50 percent of people infected with the virus show no symptoms. Some percentage of those asymptomatic cases can spread the virus to others. (We'll need more widespread surveillance testing to better understand the exact rate of asymptomatic cases.)

On March 13, the journal Science published an analysis that concluded 86 percent of all the Covid-19 cases in China before January 23 were not detected by public health authorities at the time (though that doesn't mean these cases were asymptomatic). It's estimated that these undiagnosed cases infected 79 percent of the total cases. The results suggest that, at least, the bulk of transmission of the virus in China was spread by people not sick enough to get the attention of doctors.

The fact that this virus can spread sneakily and silently makes it extra dangerous. It's also possible to spread it before a person develops symptoms.

On April 1, the CDC published a report on how presymptomatic spread created clusters of many new cases in Singapore. In one case, the virus appeared to have spread via a church pew. Two people who had recently visited China attended church services on January 19, when they had no symptoms (they would develop them in the following days). Three other people who attended the church that day got sick, the CDC found - one of whom sat in the same seat as the people who visited China. Another instance of presymptomatic spread was found in a singing class. In others, presymptomatic cases spread in households.

3) Covid-19 is deadly

The exact death rate of the virus is another figure that's still being calculated - and is changing all the time. Here's the latest: A new paper in Lancet Infectious Diseasesfound the case fatality ratio (the percent of confirmed infections that die) to be 1.38 percent, drawing from Chinese data (which may or may not be complete). The authors also report an estimated infection fatality rate - this is the percentage of people who become infected, including those who have mild or no symptoms, who eventually die. This figure is lower, at 0.66 percent.

But there's a huge amount of variability on this figure country by country, and demographic by demographic. South Korea, on the one hand, is estimated to have a death rate of less than 1 percent. Italy's seems to be, for now, several percentage points higher.

The Lancet Infectious Diseases paper found that globally, the case fatality rate for those under age 60 was 1.4 percent. For those over age 60, the fatality rate jumps to 4.5 percent. The older the population, the higher the fatality rate grows. For those 80 and over, Covid-19 appears to have a 13.4 percent fatality rate.

These likely will not be the final estimates of the fatality rate for Covid-19.Like R0, "the mortality rate is not a characteristic of the virus," Heinke explains. "The mortality rate is a function of both the severity of disease that the virus can cause and treatment. ... The mortality rate may increase as hospitals become more and more overwhelmed with cases."

And the figure changes over time. In late February, the WHO estimated the rate in Wuhan was 5.8 percent. Now, the estimated death rate for Wuhan - the city where the outbreak began - is 1.4 percent, per a March 9 study in Nature Medicine.

"It feels like you should be able to just divide deaths by cases, and whatever that number is feels like it should be CFR," or case fatality rate, Rivers says. But it's not that simple. "If there are a lot of people either in the numerator or denominator that aren't being recognized, it can change your answer a lot." With testing lagging in the United States, it's hard to know how many cases there are overall, and therefore, it's hard to estimate the overall fatality rate.

One thing we do know: Older people, and people with underlying conditions, are much more likely to die of Covid-19 than younger people.

4) The pandemic in the US will get worse before it gets better

On March 31, the White House's coronavirus task force presented grim statistics: Under the best-case scenario for mitigation of the Covid-19 pandemic, there may be between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths in the United States.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, emphasized then that the outbreak and its toll was going to get worse before they get better. The US has since seen daily confirmed cases and deaths fall, but experts say reopening plans may be premature.

A recent study in found that, on average, the duration from symptoms to death is 17.8 days (and that recovery can take nearly 25 days). Other studies have shown it can take a week for the disease to progress from the start of symptoms to a person needing hospitalization. Some people just getting infected nowin places without strict social distancing measures could die a month from now.

Look at the Wuhan line on this new graph from @jburnmurdoch. The lockdown was introduced there on 23rd Jan - 69 days ago - which means this entire Wuhan curve has happened since then. It shows how long it can take to see the effect of control measures on the number of deaths. pic.twitter.com/MAsBIzFevj
- Adam Kucharski (@AdamJKucharski) April 1, 2020

Epidemiological modeling is useful in helping the public think through what's possible with the disease. It also can help hospitals understand how much staffing and equipment they'll need (and where they are likely to fall short).

Independent experts say the models the task force is using are sound: 100,000 to 200,000 deaths "certainly seem to be within the reasonable framework," said Bill Hanage, associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in a call with reporters Tuesday morning. "I would not be particularly surprised by them, I wouldn't be surprised if they were higher, I wouldn't be actually surprised if they were lower. One of the things that's difficult for those of us who've been involved with modeling this is communicating the amounts of uncertainty that we have."

Modeling is not an ironclad prediction of the future, however. "Unlike the weather, which we're all accustomed to and incorporating forecasts into decision making, with pandemics we actually influence the outcome," Rivers says. Collective actions - continuing to social distance, self-isolating if you're sick, supporting health care workers around the country, raising the capacity of the health care system - over the next few weeks will affect whether the models are updated for better or for worse.

"I think it's key not to get fixated on the exact numbers," Heinke adds. "You can look at a range of models and say, we can expect it to be at least this bad."

5) There's a huge range of severity of illness

Young people may not be dying of Covid-19 in high numbers, but they are still at risk for severe, debilitating disease.

As of March 16, the CDC reports that 12 percent of known Covid-19 cases in the US have resulted in hospitalizations, and 20 percent of those hospitalizations were among those ages 20 to 44. But this was in the early stages of the US outbreak, so this data may be refined in the coming weeks.

In New York City, which as of April 2 has the biggest Covid-19 outbreak in the United States, 9 percent of more than 7,700 hospitalizations were for those ages 18 to 44 as of March 31.

The bottom line: In all age groups, Covid-19 can present with a huge range of severity. Many people - an exact figure is still not known - can get the virus and show no symptoms. Others become near deathly ill.

Scientists have some clues as to what puts someone more at risk than another.

"Patients with underlying health conditions and risk factors, including, but not limited to, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, COPD, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic renal disease, and smoking, might be at higher risk for severe disease or death from Covid-19," the CDC found in a recent report.

But there are still a lot of unknowns about what else contributes to risk. Even among older people, there are unanswered questions: Why do men appear to be dying at higher rates than women? Differences in severity of illness could also relate to the amount of the virus a person has been exposed to. Health care workers, when they are infected, seem to get sicker than their age cohort should suggest, which could be because they are exposed to higher doses of the virus.

Scientists will soon start to search for genetic clues, too, that might signal a person is more at risk than another. The reason might have to do more with their own biology than the virus: In some people, an excessive immune reaction called a " cytokine storm " is what leads to the most severe symptoms and death, not the virus itself.

"It's really an open question to try to figure out why some of these younger people are getting really, really severe disease, and if there are other risk factors that we are not appreciating," Angela Rasmussen,a Columbia University virologist,said in March. "Some of that will just have to wait until we have really detailed clinical data on all the cases that are coming out now in Italy and in the United States." Knowing who is most at risk, she says, "will help in terms of flattening the curve." If we learn how to protect the young people most at risk and keep them out of hospitals, we can decrease the strain on health care systems.

6) The US is still not doing enough testing

The US finally made real progress on testing in May, but experts say more is needed to fully control the outbreak. It's worth remembering why hundreds of millions in the country are under stay-at-home orders, with infection rates soaring across the country.

"The facts remain that we wasted a lot of time in terms of ramping up testing," Saad Omer, director of the Yale Institute for Global Health, says. The US could have spent a lot more time diagnosing and isolating the sick, and tracing their contacts, which could have prevented at least some of the spread.

Testing in an outbreak provides two functions. One is to diagnose those who are sick. The other is surveillance: to see where the virus may be lurking, especially in cases where symptoms are mild or don't manifest at all. Many doctors have told patients with milder symptoms to just stay home and not get tested.

The US has caught up after some of the early stumbles. The Atlantic, which has been aggressively tracking the testing situation across the country, reports that around 104,000 people are being tested a day. But "testing backlogs have ballooned, slowing efficient patient care and delivering a heavily lagged view of the outbreak to decision makers," the Atlantic's Robinson Meyer and Alexis Madrigal write.

America needs strict social distancing measures in place, in part, because it's unknown exactly where the virus is. And it's unknown because testing still lags.

People need to stay in under the assumption that anyone they come into contact with could be infected. "The classic epidemiological approach to controlling disease is not to shut down society; it's to target the people you know to have the disease and understand who they're spreading it to," Jeremy Konyndyk, a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, says. "We can't do that right now because we don't have enough testing to know who has the disease."

Not only does the US need more testing, it also needs testing that can be completed within minutes. These rapid tests are being ro: Recently, the Food and Drug Administration approved one that can give results in five minutes. It's now being rolled out in parts of the West Coast.

The US has rolled out other kinds of testing, too, like serology - testing of people's blood for antibodies to the virus. That way, health professionals can figure out who has already had the disease and is now immune and can safely return to be in contact with others. (Though scientists still need to do more work in determining what immunity looks like in any given person.)

7) Lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders are not an overreaction

Most Americans were under some sort of lockdown or shelter-in-place order from their local authorities. For many of them, the best thing they can do right now is just be patient - especially if their states are reopening before meeting guidelines for doing so safely.

There may be a lag of a few weeks before changes in state measures are reflected in new case and death data.

Many people are still getting sick and requiring hospitalization, who were infected before these orders went into effect. The virus can incubate for up to 14 days before symptoms appear, and then it can be several more days before severe illness sets in.

All of this is reason to keep social distancing: The outright lockdowns of movement in some cities, as well as the less severe policies in place across the country, can still dramatically slow the spread of Covid-19. And per at least one poll, people are, by and large, complying.

Also know: This may get worse again before it gets better.

8) The situation for hospitals and health care workers is dire

First, the US had a shortage of diagnostic tests for Covid-19. Now there's also a shortage of personal protective equipment and supplies - from medical masks and gowns to hospital beds and ventilators. And the fear is there will soon be a shortage of health care workers responding to the disease. In Italy, more than 60 doctors have died of the disease.

As Vox's Dylan Scott, Umair Irfan, and Jen Kirby report, "Doctors and nurses are reporting gear shortages, lax protocols, and a high level of stress in their workplaces - with the worst still to come. Some of them told Vox that they consider getting infected with the coronavirus an inevitability."

Health care workers may even be putting themselves at higher risk of severe disease just by doing their jobs. "It's not just that [health care workers] are getting infected at higher rates; instead, they're getting sicker than one might expect on the basis of their age," says Peter Hotez, the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College. It's possible they're being exposed to higher concentrations of the virus, which may lead a person to more severe illness.

Meanwhile, the protective equipment that might stop them from getting sick is in short supply. Particularly acute is the supply of N95 respirators, which stop health care workers from inhaling viral-laden droplets and aerosols.

9) America can end social distancing, but an aggressive new plan needs to be in place

It's understandable that some - maybe most - people want life to go back to normal already.

But "If we all just went right back to how things were before, transmission would start again with the same intensity," Rivers says. To ease off social distancing, the US needs an aggressive new plan in place to prevent the explosive growth in new cases it's currently seeing.

"Social distancing is basically a sledgehammer," Konyndyk, who has worked on past outbreaks, like Ebola, says. "You're just stopping everything and hoping that in the process you will also slow transmission." What the US needs to do, he says, is turn that sledgehammer of social distancing into a scalpel: widespread testing and contact tracing.

Once there's widespread testing, there needs to be a huge team of public health workers in place to trace the contacts of those who test positive. Everyone who tests positive or who has come into contact with someone who tests positive then needs to be put into quarantine or isolation, to not spread the virus further. This is how authorities routinely beat outbreaks - even of incredibly infectious diseases like measles.

Rivers, along with former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb and other co-authors, released a plan Sunday for how to ease off social distancing. The plan has several phases: Phase one is slowing the spread through social distancing while ramping up testing capacity and ensuring hospitals have the equipment they need. In phase two, social distancing restrictions ease while public health workers continue to track and isolate cases.

But it will take a lot to get there. The authors argue these decisions need to be made on a region-by-region basis: Phase two should only begin after 14 days of sustained case reductions in an area, and only after testing capacity is dramatically increased. Even in phase two, they stress, if cases go up again, the US will need to go back to severe social distancing. Before there's a vaccine, everyone will have to remain vigilant.

10) The pandemic is painful for millions - not just those who are sick with Covid-19

Outbreaks don't just affect those who get sick with the illness and die - there's also a lot of collateral damage. Unemployment is skyrocketing. Health care bills are piling up. Businesses are furloughing or laying off workers.

As the outbreak progresses, it will expose the cracks in American society and the country's preparedness for future outbreaks. Americans need to remember the lessons learned over the next several months.

Also important: the collateral medical damage. Hospitals are postponing elective surgeries (ones that are planned in advance) and some other treatments. There could be limited resources to treat others if another disaster strikes, like a flood or a hurricane.

11) Some parts of life may return to normal. But this won't be over until there's a vaccine and widely available treatments.

The ultimate goal in stopping a pandemic is a safe and effective vaccine that can prevent people from getting the virus. The good news is that these are already being tested. The bad news is that it could take a year or more to find one that is safe and effective. "Honestly, I think the vaccine in 12 to 18 months is a moonshot," Tara Smith, a Kent State University epidemiologist, says.

In the meantime, a treatment might be discovered sooner. The World Health Organization is facilitating a multinational clinical trial, testing medicines - and combinations of medicines - to treat Covid-19. But even those drugs wouldn't necessarily stop the outbreak.

"It would be really great, I think, for saving lives," Rivers says. "But you wouldn't really expect it to slow transmission at all." People could still be getting sick and spreading the virus. And everyone would need to be vigilant, and patient, in this scenario, too. Even if the risk of severe disease and death is reduced, if the number of cases increases, more people can still get sick and die.

12) The coronavirus came from nature, jumping from animals to humans. Researchers fear this will happen again.

The novel coronavirus outbreak presents an immense immediate challenge for global health. But it's also part of a larger pattern: Viruses that circulate in animals keep jumping over to infect humans. The story of the novel coronavirus is the story of HIV, of SARS, of Ebola, and even measles. These are all diseases that have been introduced to humans - with deadly effects - via animals. And as humans encroach more and more into animal habitats, it's believed these spillover events may only grow more common.

Scientists know this virus jumped from an animal to a human, but they are not sure exactly how or where. "If you don't understand where it came from, then it's hard to make policies, procedures, to prevent it from happening again," says Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious disease physician and Emerging Leader in Biosecurity fellow at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security.

It likely started with a bat - the genetics of the novel coronavirus suggest that it did. As Vox's Eliza Barclay reported:

What researchers have to figure out now is how exactly the coronavirus jumped to humans: perhaps through a human eating an infected animal, or through humans being exposed to infected feces or urine. "All we know [is] its likely distant source was bats, but we don't know who was between bats and people," said Vincent Racaniello, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Columbia and host of the This Week in Virology podcast. "It could be a direct infection [between bats and humans] as well."

A lot of the evidence points toward the outbreak either starting or significantly gaining steam at a live animal market in Wuhan, China. The more we know about how this virus jumped from animals to humans, the more authorities can help make sure an outbreak with this origin doesn't spiral out of control and spread around the world again.
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12 things everyone needs to know about the coronavirus pandemic

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Before December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 - the virus that causes the Covid-19 illness - was unknown to science. "A pneumonia of unknown cause" was first reported to the World Health Organization on December 31, after a slew of cases appeared in Wuhan, China.

# data[].attributes.body
Fever, short breaths, breathing difficulties, cough

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Corona virus "spreads primarily through droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes"

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FACT: Hand sanitizers can be used often

An alcohol-based sanitizer does not create antibiotic resistance. Unlike other antiseptics and antibiotics, pathogens (harmful germs) do not seem to develop resistance to alcohol-based sanitizers.

FACT: Alcohol-based sanitizers are safe for everyone to use

Alcohols in the sanitizers have not been shown to create any relevant health issues. Little alcohol is absorbed into the skin, and most products contain an emollient to reduce skin dryness. Allergic contact dermatitis and bleaching of hand hair due to alcohol are very rare adverse effects. Accidental swallowing and intoxication have been described in rare cases.

FACT: Alcohol-based sanitizers can be used in religions where alcohol is prohibited

Any manufactured substance developed to alleviate illness or contribute to better health is permitted by the Qur'an, including alcohol used as a medical agent.

FACT: The amount of alcohol-based sanitizer you use matters

Apply a palmful of alcohol-based sanitizer to cover all surfaces of your hands. Rub your hands together using the right technique until they are dry.

The entire procedure should last 20-30 seconds.

FACT: Vitamin and mineral supplements cannot cure COVID-19

Micronutrients, such as vitamins D and C and zinc, are critical for a well-functioning immune system and play a vital role in promoting health and nutritional well-being. There is currently no guidance on the use of micronutrient supplements as a treatment of COVID-19.

WHO is coordinating efforts to develop and evaluate medicines to treat COVID-19.

Is dexamethasone a treatment for all COVID-19 patients?

Dexamethasone should be reserved for patients who need it most. It should not be stockpiled.

It provided no improvement for patients with mild symptoms. Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid used for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. For some COVID-19 patients on ventilators, a daily 6 mg dose of dexamethasone for 10 days improved their health

Fact: Water or swimming does not transmit the COVID-19 virus

The COVID-19 virus does not transmit through water while swimming. However, the virus spreads between people when someone has close contact with an infected person.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Avoid crowds and maintain at least a 1-metre distance from others, even when you are swimming or at swimming areas. Wear a mask when you're not in the water and you can't stay distant. Clean your hands frequently, cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue or bent elbow, and stay home if you're unwell.

FACT: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by a virus, NOT by bacteria

The virus that causes COVID-19 is in a family of viruses called Coronaviridae. Antibiotics do not work against viruses.

Some people who become ill with COVID-19 can also develop a bacterial infection as a complication. In this case, antibiotics may be recommended by a health care provider.

There is currently no licensed medication to cure COVID-19. If you have symptoms, call your health care provider or COVID-19 hotline for assistance.

FACT: Spraying and introducing bleach or another disinfectant into your body WILL NOT protect you against COVID-19 and can be dangerous

Do not under any circumstance spray or introduce bleach or any other disinfectant into your body. These substances can be poisonous if ingested and cause irritation and damage to your skin and eyes.

Bleach and disinfectant should be used carefully to disinfect surfaces only. Remember to keep chlorine (bleach) and other disinfectants out of reach of children.

FACT: Antibiotics CANNOT prevent or treat COVID-19

Antibiotics work only against bacteria, not viruses.

COVID-19 is caused by a virus, and therefore antibiotics should not be used for prevention or treatment.

Some people who become ill with COVID-19 can also develop a bacterial infection as a complication. In this case, antibiotics may be recommended by a health care provider.

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COVID-19 Mythbusters - World Health Organization

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Highlighting some of the misinformation circulating on COVID-19

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" the government is looking at mailing Americans cash assistance and legislation passed by Congress that provides paid sick leave to some American workers this year."

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In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government is considering a slew of legislation and executive orders to respond to a crisis that has upended life in the United States and countries around the world.

Some of the biggest policy proposals so far include an announcement from Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin that the government is looking at mailing Americans cash assistance and legislation passed by Congress that provides paid sick leave to some American workers this year.

President Trump also announced that the federal government will waive interest payments on student loans during the crisis.

The federal government is announcing new policies each day, and specifics are changing quickly. But here's what is being considered or implemented so far for individuals.

At a press conference Tuesday, Mnuchin said the government is "looking at sending checks to Americans immediately," perhaps as soon as the next two weeks. "The president has instructed me that we have to do this now," Mnuchin said.

A fact sheet from Treasury says there would be two rounds of direct payments to individual taxpayers, issued beginning April 6 and May 18. "Payment amount would be fixed and tiered based on income level and family size," reads the fact sheet.

The administration has also reportedly considered a payroll tax cut. These cuts would only help those still getting a paycheck, meaning people who have been or will be laid off because of the coronavirus would not benefit directly.

The Federal Reserve also cut interest rates to zero and launched a quantitative easing program.

But it does not apply to the majority of workers in the U.S. Companies with 500 or more workers - which employ over half of all workers - do not have to meet the requirements. And companies with fewer than 50 employees can seek hardship exemptions from the White House. Gig economy workers also aren't guaranteed relief.

Some companies are implementing leave policies on their own accord.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act also addresses some food insecurity issues. Here are a few ways it is helping:

Provides $500 million in food assistance for low-income mothers with young children and pregnant women

Puts $400 million into food banks and $250 million into a senior nutrition program

Suspends work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for the duration of the crisis

The U.S. Department of Labor announced last week that states can provide unemployment benefits in situations of temporary unemployment related to the coronavirus. People who are quarantined and can't go to work can also receive benefits, as can those who leave a job to care for infected family members.

But whether you will qualify will still vary by state. To find out, you can search your state government's website for details on how to qualify or call your state's Department of Labor.

And because Trump declared a national emergency last week, those who lose work because of the virus may also qualify for Disaster Unemployment Assistance.

Trump announced Friday that the federal government is automatically waiving interest on federal student loans for the foreseeable future. The Department of Education clarified to the New York Times that this does not mean that payments will be reduced, but rather that the entire payment will go toward a borrower's principal balance.

That will provide little relief to many borrowers now, unless their income falls dramatically, the Times reports. If borrowers need to put their loans into forbearance, or their loans are currently in forbearance, interest will not accrue.

There are still many unknowns about this policy; CNBC Make It will update this story as more information becomes available.

If you are struggling with your finances, here are some steps to take now.
Check out: The best credit cards of 2020 could earn you over $1,000 in 5 years

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Paid leave, unemployment assistance: What the federal government is doing in response to the coronavirus pandemic

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Some of the biggest policy proposals so far include an announcement from Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin that the government is looking at mailing Americans cash assistance and legislation passed by the House of Representatives that provides paid sick leave to some American workers this year.

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Wet your hands with water, then lather them with soap. Next, scrub for 20 seconds, then rinse your hands. Finally dry your hands

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Handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. Learn when and how you should wash your hands to stay healthy.
How Germs Spread

Washing hands can keep you healthy and prevent the spread of respiratory and diarrheal infections. Germs can spread from person to person or from surfaces to people when you:

Touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands

Prepare or eat food and drinks with unwashed hands

Touch surfaces or objects that have germs on them

Blow your nose, cough, or sneeze into hands and then touch other people's hands or common objects

Key Times to Wash Hands

You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:

Before, during, and after preparing food

Before and after eating food

Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea

Before and after treating a cut or wound

After using the toilet

After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet

After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing

After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste

After handling pet food or pet treats

After touching garbage

If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to clean your hands.

Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way

Washing your hands is easy, and it's one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can help stop germs from spreading from one person to another and in our communities-including your home, workplace, schools, and childcare facilities.

Follow these five steps every time.

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.

2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the "Happy Birthday" song from beginning to end twice.

4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.

5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or an air dryer.

Why? Read the science behind the recommendations.

Use Hand Sanitizer When You Can't Use Soap and Water

Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs in most situations. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label.
Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations. However,

Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.

Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.

Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals like pesticides from hands.

How to Use Hand Sanitizer

1. Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).

2. Cover all surfaces of hands.

3. Rub your hands and fingers together until they are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.

CDC's Communication Materials

CDC has health promotion materials to encourage kids and adults to make handwashing part of their everyday lives.

For more information on handwashing, visit CDC's Handwashing website or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.

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centers for disease control and prevention

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Handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. Learn the 5 handwashing steps and key times to wash your hands to stay healthy.

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A virus spreads "mainly from person to person" through the form of "respiratory droplets" when "people are in close contact with one another" so it can flow from person to person in larger quantities.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Footnotes

¹ Fever may be subjective or confirmed

² Close contact is defined as-

a) being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time; close contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a health care waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case

b) having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on)

If such contact occurs while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment or PPE (e.g., gowns, gloves, NIOSH-certified disposable N95 respirator, eye protection), criteria for PUI consideration are met"

See CDC's updated Interim Healthcare Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Persons Under Investigation for 2019 Novel Coronavirus.

Data to inform the definition of close contact are limited. Considerations when assessing close contact include the duration of exposure (e.g., longer exposure time likely increases exposure risk) and the clinical symptoms of the person with COVID-19 (e.g., coughing likely increases exposure risk as does exposure to a severely ill patient). Special consideration should be given to those exposed in health care settings.

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Footnotes 1 Fever may be subjective or confirmed 2 Close contact is defined as- a) being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time; close contact can occur while caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a health care waiting area or

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Coronavirus or Covid-19 "is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person ...  between people who are in close contact with one another" through means of traveling in "respiratory droplets". So in order to avoid having these droplets anywhere near us by staying inside or following 'shelter in place'.

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I get to spend more time with my family and i can sleep in more.

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At home learning is getting kind of hard, But its a way for me to stay safe.

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My grandparents are going to get sick.

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Grandparents getting sick.

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Making sure I stay home, not allowing friends over.

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If we go out somewhere i have to wear gloves and a mask.

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COVID-19 is a corona virus, which is a type of virus that "causes an infection in your nose, sinuses, or upper throat". We are on shelter in place because the government is trying to keep everyone safe from the virus.
(https://www.webmd.com/lung/coronavirus)
(https://time.com/5806477/what-is-shelter-in-place/)

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Gloves and masks are running low and masks are something we really need right now during COVID-19.

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If someone is sick in a home try to stay away from them and they should stay away from public areas in the home as much as they can.

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Unwanted effects that a virus can cause are death, sickness, short ammounts of breath, and hospitalization.

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There is a shortage on ventilators and the US does not have nearly as many as we need.

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A virus can spread by coughing, sneezing, or touching one another. "Viruses spread from person to person mainly in droplets that fly out when you cough or sneeze. These tiny drops from a sick person move through the air and land on the mouths or noses of others nearby."

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/qa/how-do-viruses-spread-from-person-to-person

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Viruses spread in many ways, but need a host that can live on its own to survive. COVID-19 spreads through droplets from sneezing and coughing.
(https://healthyliving.azcentral.com/how-do-viruses-spread-12147214.html)
(https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html)

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The government is shutting down schools and telling people to keep their social distance.

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Symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, headaches, tiredness, achness, runny nose, and sore throats. Also viruses may be fatal

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"Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs."

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/hand/handwashing.html

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On Thursday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a statewide “stay at home” order in an attempt to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in the state.

https://time.com/5806477/what-is-shelter-in-place/

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https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/qa/how-do-viruses-spread-from-person-to-personA virus spreads quickly.  Talking can spread a virus, breathing can spread a virus, and many other ways.  Viruses spread when droplets come in contacts with other people.

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"On Thursday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a statewide “stay at home” order in an attempt to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in the state."https://time.com/5806477/what-is-shelter-in-place/

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Wash your hands with soap and water.   "Handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick."  wash for at least twenty seconds.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/hand/handwashing.html

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Distance learning is better for me. I am more focused.

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No

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Staying home

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There are only 170,000 ventilators in the U.S. but doctors estimate that there will be a total of 950000 who will need one.
(https://www.businessinsider.com/us-hospitals-may-be-short-ventilators-as-coronavirus-spreads-2020-3)

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COVID-19 is "killed more than 8,000 people as the disease sweeps across the world"(time.com)  We are on a shelter in place so that the disease stops spreading.https://time.com/5806477/what-is-shelter-in-place/

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Covid-19 is a deadly virus. 80,100 globally has died from it. 1,506,361 cases are still being treated,

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Last updated: January 15, 2024, 01:03 GMT

Total Deaths

Daily Deaths

Growth Factor of Novel Coronavirus Daily Deaths

Growth factor is the factor by which a quantity multiplies itself over time. The formula used is every day's new deaths / new deaths on the previous day. For example, a quantity growing by 7% every period (in this case daily) has a growth factor of 1.07.

A growth factor above 1 indicates an increase, whereas one between 0 and 1 it is a sign of decline, with the quantity eventually becoming zero.

A growth factor below 1 (or above 1 but trending downward) is a positive sign, whereas a growth factor constantly above 1 is the sign of exponential growth.

Total Deaths of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

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Updated total and statistics, graphs and charts tracking the total number of deaths, deaths per day, and death by country from the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) originating from Wuhan, China

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California's "Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the nation's first statewide shelter-in-place order March 19". The government is blocking travel in and out and also keeping people at home.
(https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/30/coronavirus-stay-home-shelter-in-place-orders-by-state/5092413002/)

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Medical supplies, like Protective gear; masks, gloves and gowns are running low.

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Across the front lines of healthcare from primary care offices to intensive care units, medical providers are running low on the protective equipment they need to keep from contracting the virus.

Having masks and other protective equipment is key to following protocols set by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how healthcare providers should treat patients with COVID-19.

Already, some New York doctors are starting to reuse face masks as they run out of supplies.

Administrators at West-Coast-based Providence St. Joseph Health are assembling their own makeshift face shields as supplies start to dry up, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Some protective gear is kept in a national stockpile, though as demand increases globally, it's fallen into short supply.

Soumi Saha, a senior director of advocacy at Premier, which works with hospitals around the US, told Business Insider that already, one supplier of surgical gowns was facing a shortage after a recall in January, which is compounding the pressure to get materials.
Read more: People are stealing masks and other sterile supplies from hospitals and research facilities amid a global shortage

We're also facing shortages of the chemicals that are critical to the process of running the coronavirus tests in labs.

CDC Director Robert Redfield told Politico in March that he was not sure if labs were stocked with enough of the materials used to extract the genetic material of the viruses present in a patient's sample.

"I'm confident of the actual test that we have, but as people begin to operationalize the test, they realize there's other things they need to do the test," Redfield told Politico.

Before a laboratory can conduct a coronavirus test, it first needs to extract RNA from the virus samples taken from patients.

This extraction requires a separate kit, and without that kit, researchers can't perform a coronavirus test.

Qiagen, a Netherlands-based company that makes the RNA-extracting kits, has said it's ramping up production of its RNA extraction kits in response to the shortage.
Read more: The US is struggling to test more people for the coronavirus. Now it's facing a shortage of the materials used to run those tests.

Politico reported Monday that we're starting to run out of the cotton swabs used to collect samples from patients.

The swabs are used to collect samples of patient's phlegm and saliva for testing.

Politico reported that the FDA recently approved more types of cotton swabs used for collection, though labs might still need help getting their hands on more.

Flu swabs are also at risk of falling into shortage, as doctors turn to the tests as a way to screen out patients who present with flu-like symptoms before they get the COVID-19 test, Dr. J.D. Zipkin, the associate medical director at Northwell Health - Go Health told Business Insider.

The US has fewer hospital beds per 1,000 people compared to places like Japan, South Korea, and Italy that have also been hit hard by the virus.

Not all beds are necessarily created equal. Right now, hospitals need special rooms that can isolate people with contagious diseases like the coronavirus, known as negative pressure rooms. And intensive care unit rooms, where doctors provide advanced life-saving care, are also in demand amid the pandemic.

"There's beds, and then there's ICU beds in a negative pressure room," said Soumi Saha, a senior director of advocacy at Premier, which works with hospitals around the US.

To increase capacity, she said, EvergreenHealth in Kirkland, Washington, an early epicenter of the US COVID-19 outbreak, put 58 patients in 15 negative pressure rooms that typically hold one patient each. Premier is set to survey the hospitals it works with to get a sense of how much added ICU capacity each is able to make in light of the outbreak beyond their normal capacities.

Elsewhere, hospitals are starting to cancel elective procedures.

To Jenna Mandel-Ricci, the vice president of legal and regulatory affairs for the Greater New York Hospital Association, it's a sign that hospitals aren't doing business as usual any more.

"It's the equivalent of me being like, 'In this response I can't do any other work except this" Mandel-Ricci told Business Insider.

Dr. Craig Coopersmith, interim director of the Emory Critical Care Center, oversees 300 ICU beds. He told Business Insider in March that many ICUs around the country are full on any given day.

While hospitals can cancel surgeries and take other measures to free up space, a spreading coronavirus outbreak would stretch them to their limits, he said.

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The coronavirus is set to push the US healthcare system to its limits - here are 8 things that hospitals risk running out of, from masks to ventilators

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Across the front lines of healthcare from primary care offices to intensive care units, medical providers are running low on the protective equipment they need to keep from contracting the virus. Having masks and other protective equipment is key to following protocols set by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how healthcare providers should treat patients with COVID-19.

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I get to practice music a lot and draw a lot.

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That it will stay like this forever.

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Less stress and more freedom

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Relatives that could get sick and die

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They dont let me leave my own house

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Symptoms include, Fever, Cough Shortness of breath, Trouble breathing, Persistent pain or pressure in the chest, New confusion or inability to arouse, Bluish lips or face, and it can be fatal.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Symptoms, testing, what to do if sick, daily activities, and more.

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A virus can spread easily. Some people don't know that they have the corona virus, so when they talk without covering their face with a mask, the virus spreads. Even talking can spread the virus. This is why it is so important to keep a distance away from people. Touching a surface that a person with the virus touched can also contamine you as well.

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The only way they will let me recreate out side of the house is going for a drive with all the windows up.

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Telling me more health facts about the Corona virus so I would know what to do.

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in the Alameda, there are 588 cases, 13 deaths and none of the people in Alameda recovered.

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When someone is sick they should be alone or have space from other people
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/index.html

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this gave me the chance to feel freedom, and that life isn't always stressful. I had now been able to update my art skills and increased my music level.

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There are about 400,00 cases and almost 13,000 deaths
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html

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Never seeing my friends.

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The virus can cause a cough, high temperature, shortness of breath and those symptoms can be that you have the virus. If you think you have it they can test you.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fabout%2Fsymptoms.html

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"Stress during an infectious disease outbreak can include

Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones

Changes in sleep or eating patterns

Difficulty sleeping or concentrating

Worsening of chronic health problems

Worsening of mental health conditions

Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs"

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html

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Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water, especially after coming from a public place.
(https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/hand/handwashing.html)

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The virus can spread through contamination form the person with the disease. Any kind of contact can also allow the virus to spread
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html

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The government is making it so nobody can leave their house and only go to the store for essentials
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

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In the us there are a total of 395,011 cases and 12,754 dead  from the corona virus
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html

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A virus spreads from one person to another. It can also be spread through people sneezing or coughing, or touching contaminated surfaces.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Person to Person

People with flu can spread it to others up to about 6 feet away. Most experts think that flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Less often, a person might get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.

When Flu Spreads

People with flu are most contagious in the first three to four days after their illness begins. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Children and some people with weakened immune systems may pass the virus for longer than 7 days.

Symptoms can begin about 2 days (but can range from 1 to 4 days) after the virus enters the body. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Some people can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those people may still spread the virus to others.

Period of Contagiousness

You may be able to pass on flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

People with flu are most contagious in the first 3-4 days after their illness begins.

Some otherwise healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick.

Some people, especially young children and people with weakened immune systems, might be able to infect others with flu viruses for an even longer time.

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People with flu can spread it to others up to about 6 feet away. Most experts think that flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

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Fever, shortness of breath, cough, Go to the hospital if you have trouble breathing, constant pain/pressure in chest, new confusion, inability to wake up, or bluish coloration of lips or face.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fabout%2Fsymptoms.html

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spend more time with pets and family. And since I don't have to rush to soccer practice and come home and do my homework I can now eat an dinner every day

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I scared that my grandma might get the virus.

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they keep me and my brothers at home.

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The government has put out many recommendations and orders: Shelter in place, social distancing, wearing masks in public, and getting tested for Covid-19

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Important update: Healthcare facilities

CDC has updated select ways to operate healthcare systems effectively in response to COVID-19 vaccination. Learn more

How to Protect Yourself and Others

COVID-19 Prevention Actions

There are many ways your actions can help protect you, your household, and your community from severe illness from COVID-19. CDC's COVID-19 hospital admission levels provide information about the amount of severe illness in the community where you are located to help you decide when to take action to protect yourself and others.

Prevention Actions to Use at All COVID-19 Community Levels

In addition to basic health and hygiene practices, like handwashing, CDC recommends some prevention actions at all COVID-19 hospital admission levels, which include:

To find COVID-19 vaccine locations near you: Search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233.

Improving Ventilation and Spending Time Outdoors

Improving ventilation (moving air into, out of, or within a room) and filtration (trapping particles on a filter to remove them from the air) can help prevent virus particles from accumulating in indoor air. Improving ventilation and filtration can help protect you from getting infected with and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. Spending time outside when possible instead of inside can also help: Viral particles spread between people more readily indoors than outdoors.

Actions that can improve ventilation and filtration include:

Bringing in as much outdoor air as possible-for example, opening windows.

Increasing air filtration in your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, such as by changing filters frequently and using filters that are properly fitted and provide higher filtration.

Using portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) cleaners.

Turning on exhaust fans and using other fans to improve air flow.

Turning your thermostat to the "ON" position instead of "AUTO" to ensure your HVAC system provides continuous airflow and filtration.

CDC's interactive ventilation tools can help you see how much you can improve ventilation in your home or school.

Moving indoor activities outdoors

You are less likely to be infected with COVID-19 during outdoor activities because virus particles do not build up in the air outdoors as much as they do indoors. As the COVID-19 hospital admission level rises, consider increasing the number of group activities you move outside.

Financial support may be available to certain entities, like schools, to make ventilation improvements.

Getting Tested for COVID-19

Get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms. A viral test tells you if you are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, you should get tested for COVID-19 immediately. If you have been exposed to COVID-19 and do not have symptoms, you should test 5 full days after your exposure. If you do not test at the right time, you are more likely to get an inaccurate test result.

You may choose to get a PCR test at a testing site or healthcare facility. PCR tests are more likely to detect the virus compared to antigen tests. Rapid antigen tests provide results quickly and are available at testing sites or for use at-home. FDA recommends 2 negative antigen tests (if you have symptoms) or 3 negative antigen tests (if you do not have symptoms), performed 2 days (48 hours) apart to be confident that you do not have COVID-19.

Even when you don't have symptoms or a recent exposure to COVID-19, testing may help you make informed decisions about your health and your risk of spreading COVID-19 to others, especially those who are at higher risk of severe illness.

Following Recommendations for What to Do If You Have Been Exposed

If you were exposed to someone with COVID-19, you may have been infected with the virus. Follow CDC's recommendations for what to do if you were exposed. This includes wearing a high-quality mask when indoors around others (including inside your home) for 10 days, testing, and monitoring yourself for symptoms.

Staying Home When You Have Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19

If you have COVID-19, you can spread it to others, even if you do not have symptoms. If you have symptoms, get tested and stay home until you have your results. If you have tested positive (even without symptoms), follow CDC's  isolation recommendations. These recommendations include staying home and away from others for at least 5 days (possibly more, depending on how the virus affects you) and wearing a high-quality mask when indoors around others for a period of time.

Seeking Treatment If You Have COVID-19 and Are at High Risk of Getting Very Sick

Effective treatments are now widely available and free, and you may be eligible.

Contact your healthcare provider, health department, or Community Health Center to learn about treatment options.

Don't delay! Treatment must be started within a few days after you first develop symptoms to be effective.

If you don't have timely access to a healthcare provider, check if a Test to Treat location is in your community. You can get tested, receive a prescription from a healthcare provider (either onsite or by telehealth), and have it filled all at one location.

Avoiding Contact with People Who Have Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19

Avoiding contact with people who have COVID-19, whether or not they feel sick, can reduce your risk of catching the virus from them. If possible, avoid being around a person who has COVID-19 until they can safely end home isolation. Sometimes it may not be practical for you to stay away from a person who has COVID-19 or you may want to help take care of them. In those situations, use as many prevention strategies as you can, such as practicing hand hygiene, consistently and correctly wearing a high-quality mask, improving ventilation, and keeping your distance, when possible, from the person who is sick or who tested positive.

Prevention Actions to Add as Needed

There are some additional prevention actions that may be done at any level, but CDC especially recommends considering in certain circumstances or at medium or high COVID-19 hospital admission levels.

Wearing Masks or Respirators

Masks are made to contain droplets and particles that you breathe, cough, or sneeze out. A variety of masks are available. Some masks provide a higher level of protection than others.

Respirators (for example, N95) are made to protect you by fitting closely on the face to filter out particles, including the virus that causes COVID-19. They can also block droplets and particles you breathe, cough, or sneeze out so you do not spread them to others. Respirators (for example, N95) provide higher protection than masks.

When wearing a mask or respirator (for example, N95), it is most important to choose one that you can wear correctly, that fits closely to your face over your mouth and nose, that provides good protection, and that is comfortable for you.

Increasing Space and Distance

Small particles that people breathe out can contain virus particles. The closer you are to a greater number of people, the more likely you are to be exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. To avoid this possible exposure, you may want to avoid crowded areas, or keep distance between yourself and others. These actions also protect people who are at high risk for getting very sick from COVID-19 in settings where there are multiple risks for exposure.

Search for and find historical COVID-19 pages and files. Please note the content on these pages and files is no longer being updated and may be out of date.

Visit archive.cdc.gov for a historical snapshot of the COVID-19 website, capturing the end of the Federal Public Health Emergency on June 28, 2023.

Visit the dynamic COVID-19 collection to search the COVID-19 website as far back as July 30, 2021.

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Read how to protect yourself from coronavirus and slow the spread, including get vaccinated, wear a mask, and avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces.

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https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html
A virus spreads by person to person contact, respiratory droplets, or getting one of the droplets in the eyes, nose, or mouth.

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Cleaning a lot, mopping every day, keeping shoes that we use to go out of the house on the porch

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use cloth face mask
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6912e2.htm#T1_down

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1.8-3.4% death in US.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6912e2.htm#T1_down

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Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer. Wear gloves.

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Good hand hygiene is the best way to protect yourself from a respiratory illness like COVID-19.

In the video above, Lauren Hinkle, Nebraska Medicine infection preventionist, demonstrates the hand-washing technique recommended by the World Health Organization.

This method takes about 40 seconds. You can use hot or cold water, but make sure you're applying enough friction.

Step 1:

Wet your hands with water.

Step 2:

Apply enough soap to cover all hand surfaces.

Step 3:

Rub your hands palm to palm.

Step 4:

Interlace your fingers, with your palm touching the back of the other hand. Rub back and forth. Do the same on the other side.

Step 5:

Face your palms together, interlace your fingers, and rub back and forth.

Step 6:

Rub rotationally around the base of both thumbs.

Step 7:

Cup your hand and rub the tips of all your fingers in your cupped palm to clean your nails and nail beds. Do this for both hands.

Step 8:

Open up your palm, rub the tips of your fingers in small little circles inside each palm.

Step 9:

Finish off the time by rubbing soap all over your hands, then rinse.

Step 10:

Use a paper towel, or something else, to dry your hands before turning off the water. Once your hands are dry, use the towel to turn off the faucet.

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How to wash your hands | Nebraska Medicine Omaha, NE

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Good hand hygiene is the best way to protect yourself from a respiratory illness like COVID-19. In the video above, Lauren Hinkle, Nebraska Medicine infection preventionist, demonstrates the hand-washing technique recommended by the World Health Organization. This method takes about 40 seconds. You can use hot or cold water, but make sure you're applying enough friction.

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most people don't know they have the virus until they are tested for the virus.

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You should wash your hands for about 20 seconds every hour
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/03/30/819151076/how-do-you-wash-your-hands-to-fend-off-coronavirus-if-water-is-scarce

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there 425,107 cases in the usa.

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The coronavirus can cause fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

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"COVID-19, which has killed more than 8,000 people as the disease sweeps across the world, has prompted cities and areas everywhere to take action, ordering quarantines and lockdowns in an effort to keep people indoors and curb the spread of the coronavirus"
https://time.com/5806477/what-is-shelter-in-place/

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I have been spending more time on things I want to do and I can play outside more with my family.

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Covid-19 is a virus that started in China, and has made its way to other Countries through people who have contracted the virus. Shelter in place is advised to help stop the spread of the virus

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The virus spreads mainly from person-to-person.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html

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social distancing, quarantine, and isolation of sick people from healthy.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html

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I have been spending more time with my family,  doing artwork, and reading
Overall I would say not tot worry too much because whatever happen happens

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the goats, dog, cat, chickens and rabbit are glad we can feed them any time of day and give them walks

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"Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing."
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

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I am scared that the thing my dad is sick with will get really bad because his surgry to get it fixed was cancelled

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some unwanted effects are you can  get really sick or even have death.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/hand/handwashing.html

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Talking about what to do if someone gets sick, trying not to go out

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i am worried that the healthcare system will get overwhelmed and people with and without covid 19 but with things like a heart attack will not get the care they need