Coronavirus: Distinguishing Fears from Facts

February 27, 2020 by Tiffany Breyne in Civic Lab

Last updated: July 21, 2020

Skip to articles and resources about coronavirus and COVID-19.

Here are some facts about coronavirus and COVID-19:

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that may cause illness in animals or humans.

COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This disease outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.

Symptoms of COVID-19 can vary. The CDC lists symptoms as (not an exhaustive list):

Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Doctors and epidemiologists continue to learn more about COVID-19. Check with your healthcare provider for up-to-date information.

There are multiple ways to prevent acquiring COVID-19. Preventive steps you can take:

Avoid close contact with people outside of your household.
Wear cloth face coverings in public settings when around people outside of their household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
Put distance between yourself and other people.
Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. If soap is unavailable, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

People can acquire COVID-19 from others who have the virus or by touching infected objects or surfaces. The disease can spread through small droplets from the nose or mouth when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. Avoid touching publicly used objects or surfaces and then touching their eyes, nose, or mouth without washing your hands first. Doctors also recommend limiting the amount of time in public, enclosed spaces to 15 minutes or less.