How to Help Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus

What Is Coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses ranging from the common
cold to much more serious diseases and can infect both humans and
animals, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The new strain, first identified in Wuhan, China in January
2020, is related to two other coronaviruses that have caused outbreaks
in recent years: Middle East respiratory syndrome, also known as MERS,
and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.

For up-to-date information on the virus, we recommend visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

Coronavirus Symptoms & Disease

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), patients with confirmed COVID-19 infections have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

Symptoms of the COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure. This is based on what has been seen previously as the incubation period of MERS viruses.

How Coronavirus Spreads

According to the CDC, the new coronavirus strain that causes COVID-19 is most commonly spread
from an infected person to others through:

• The air by coughing and sneezing
• Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
• Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before
  washing your hands
• Rarely, fecal contamination

For more information, refer to the CDC website at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/.

Coronavirus Infection Prevention

Always consult your doctor for medical advice. There are currently no vaccines to protect you against COVID-19 infections, but the CDC suggests helping to reduce your risk of infection by doing the following:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.	Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.	Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow—not your hand.	Clean and disinfect shared work spaces and high-contact surfaces.	Stay home if you experience any cold-like symptoms.