Time March 16–23, 2020T
hough iT may feel as if we’ve been
living with COVID-19 for a lifetime, that’s
partly because things are moving so fast.
It took about a week from when the World
Health Organization (WHO) received reports of a
novel coronavirus for Chinese scientists to sequence
its genetic blueprint and just weeks more for labs to
develop a test that could accurately identify it. Yet
scientists are still scrambling for basic information
that will be key to designing an effective public-
health plan—including how fast the virus spreads
and how often infections are deadly. Here’s some of
what we know so far.
How is COVID-19 actually transmitted—and
how can I protect myself?
First, definitions: a coronavirus is called novel be-
cause it’s new and the human body has no immu-
nity to it. SARS-CoV-2 is the technical name of this
one. COVID-19 is the disease it causes.
The virus is spread by coughs or sneezes, which
release virus-containing respiratory droplets into
the air, where they could be inhaled by others or
land on mouths or noses, if people happen to be
within a distance of about six feet. It may seem like
a face mask would be the best guard against this
kind of spread, but the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) doesn’t currently
recommend them for healthy people, except on a
doctor’s advice, largely because there’s not enough
evidence that masks actually stop SARS-CoV-
from infecting people wearing them. (The CDC
does recommend masks for those who are sick, to
stop droplets from getting out in the first place.)
Then there is the issue of coming into contact
with those droplets wherever they happen to land.
For healthy people, that means the most impor-
tant prevention is frequent handwashing, prefer-
ably using soap and water. Experts have recently
backed away from encouraging alcohol-based
hand sanitizers, as they can contribute to the rise
of anti biotic resistance. And there’s no major rea-
son to opt for a fist bump instead of a handshake,
or to avoid such greetings, as an infected person
would have to sneeze or cough into his hand and
touch someone else’s hand, and that second person
would then have to place that hand in close contact
with his nose, mouth or eyes. Long story short: the
best thing you can do to keep yourself from catch-
ing the virus is to wash your hands regularly and
avoid touching your face. —alice Park
So should I stock up on cleaning products?
Many people are racing to stockpile disinfectants
and sanitizers—to the extent that major retail-
ers are concerned about shortages. A representa-
tive from the Clorox Company also confirmed to
TIME that it has “increased production of our dis-
infecting products.” These products have not been
specifically tested against the virus that causes
COVID-19, since it is new, but experts are optimis-
tic. “Standard cleaning products that will kill other
viruses will be presumptively fine,” says Dr. Aaron
Glatt, chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai
South Nassau in New York.
But Dr. Rick Martinello, medical director for
infection prevention at the Yale New Haven Health
System, says you don’t need to go overboard. “I
wouldn’t recommend anything beyond routine
cleaning in a typical household,” he says. The
exception, of course, is if someone in your house
is diagnosed with or suspected of having COVID-
19; in that case, Martinello says, try to designate
a bathroom for their use and routinely wipe down
surfaces they touch. —Jamie DucharmeWho’s most at risk?
Maybe not kids. A late-February study in theTheBrief Opener
HEALTH
As coronavirus
spreads, so do
questions
△
Commuters in
Tokyo wear masks,
which the CDC
doesn’t recommend
for healthy peoplePRE
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