Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke about the possibility of future NIH collaboration with labs in China – like the Wuhan labs – after officials overseeing an intelligence review into the origins of the coronavirus now believe the lab leak theory is at least a credible explanation for Covid-19’s origins.
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Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Sunday defended his decision to approve a statewide ban on face mask mandates earlier this year, citing a low coronavirus case rate at the time – a rate that is now rapidly rising.
“Well, that was the will of the General Assembly. I signed it. At that point we had very low case rates in Arkansas and people knew exactly what to do. They were capable of making their decisions,” Hutchinson, a Republican, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” when asked about his decision to approve the ban in April.
The governor added that when he approved the law, which is set to go into effect this week, the state “shifted to the emphasis on vaccination” and that its guidelines “continue to say if you’re not vaccinated, you should wear a mask.”
“That is the guideline that we have in place but we don’t have a mandate because that was held back from the legislature,” Hutchinson said.
The ban, SB 590, was first introduced in late March and eventually passed both chambers of Arkansas’ GOP-led General Assembly in April. It prohibits state and local officials and entities from ordering a face mask mandate, but makes an exception for private businesses, health care facilities, correctional facilities and facilities operated by the Department of Human Services’ Division of Youth Services.
The ban allows state and local officials and entities to recommend using a face mask but requires them to “provide notice that the recommendation is not mandatory.”
As Arkansas moves closer to when the ban takes effect, the state is grappling with a rising coronavirus positivity rate, with the state reporting 11,748 new cases and 56 new deaths this past week – a positivity rate of 19.32%, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.
At least 36% of the state’s residents are vaccinated, according to the center, something Hutchinson said is holding Arkansas back in their fight against the virus.
Hutchinson told Tapper that he wouldn’t consider a vaccine mandate “because that would even cause a greater reaction of negativity toward the government, and then imposition on freedom.”
But, the governor said, the ban on mask mandates is something that could change between now and when school starts in the state depending on its vaccination rate and whether lawmakers convene a session to consider changing the law.
“A very, very important category for me is how all this is going to get paid for,” the Republican told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”
“Now we’re talking about another $600 billion on top of the ordinary spending. …This is completely out of hand. There are people who think this is Monopoly money, but it’s not, Jake. And so I’m concerned. I think the way we should pay for this increase in infrastructure spending is by re-purposing money we already approved, but hasn’t yet gone out the door.”
The comments from Toomey, the top Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, comes as a bipartisan group of senators hash out details on funding for the bill, in which water and transportation funding remain a sticking point.
President Joe Biden is expected to make several calls to members of Congress throughout the day as they attempt to finalize a bipartisan infrastructure deal, an administration official told CNN. The President has been kept apprised by staff of the work on the outstanding issues that remain while in Wilmington this weekend.
Members of the bipartisan group are expected to continue a series of meetings with their staffs throughout Sunday, a source familiar tells CNN.
Key members were expected to confer with relevant committees on Sunday morning in an effort to iron out last minute sticking points and ensure that key chairs feel brought into the fold. This is considered a significant step given the fact that some chairs and ranking members, like Sen. Tom Carper, a Delaware Democrat, have balked at pieces of the bipartisan proposal.
Carper had said last week that he had serious concerns that pieces of his water bill were not fully funded in the bipartisan framework.
The group is also expected to talk throughout the day in hopes they can reach an agreement ahead of Monday..
The bipartisan effort is one part of a two-track strategy to advance the White House’s sweeping economic agenda, as Democrats lay the groundwork to advance a $3.5 trillion package expanding the social safety net. Republicans and Democrats agreed to scrap an enhanced IRS enforcement provision that would have strengthened the agency’s ability to collect unpaid taxes, which would’ve raised up to $100 billion in government revenue.
Is it true children can’t get very sick from Covid-19? Or that children can’t spread coronavirus to others?
“Kids can transmit the virus. They are susceptible to it,” said Anne Rimoin, an epidemiology professor at UCLA.
In late June, more than 125 campers and adults who attended a Texas church’s summer camp for 6th through 12th graders tested positive for coronavirus.
“And hundreds of others were likely exposed when infected people returned home from camp,” the lead pastor of the church said.
At the University of Mississippi Medical Center, “We are seeing an increase in the number of hospitalizations of children,” Associate Vice Chancellor for Clinical Affairs Dr. Alan Jones said.
“We’ve had infants as small as 6 to 8 months old up to the teenage years,” Jones said July 14.
The more contagious Delta variant is now in all 50 states, hitting less vaccinated places the hardest.
“We do know in Mississippi that the predominant strain that’s circulating — probably 88% to 90% of it — is the Delta variant,” Jones said.
“That, associated with the fact that we are seeing a lot less mask usage now, is another variable that plays into the equation of why we’re seeing more” children in the hospital, he said.
“Finally, it appears as though this particular variant, the Delta variant, while being more infectious is also causing more children to be symptomatic,” Jones said.
“Whether that just is that it causes a little more severe illness than other variants or that it is just more prevalent — and so we’re seeing more symptomatic cases — we’re not sure. But it’s probably multifactorial and related to all of those things.”
Last summer, more than half the children ages 6 to 10 who attended a Georgia summer camp and got tested for coronavirus tested positive, according to a study by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“This investigation adds to the body of evidence demonstrating that children of all ages are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and, contrary to early reports, might play an important role in transmission,” wrote the CDC study’s authors.
And in Florida, the number of children hospitalized with Covid-19 surged 23% in eight days last summer – from 246 on July 16 to 303 on July 24.
Some youngsters have suffered long-term effects from Covid-19 or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) – a rare but potentially serious condition that can happen in children weeks after a coronavirus infection.
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Is it true the Covid-19 vaccines don’t work as well in immunocompromised people? Does that mean they need more doses?
The vaccines require an immune system response to work, so millions of Americans who are immunocompromised or take drugs that suppress the immune system might not get as much protection from a vaccine as others do.
That’s why many Americans are counting on fellow Americans to get vaccinated to help protect them, said Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.
People who are immunocompromised should be counseled about the potential for reduced immune responses to Covid-19 vaccines and follow prevention measures (including wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others they don’t live with, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces) to protect themselves against Covid-19 until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a July 16 update.
In that update, the CDC did not say whether immunocompromised people should get an extra dose of vaccine, but said “the safety, efficacy and benefit of additional doses for COVID-19 vaccines in immunocompromised persons continues to be evaluated.”
Some immunocompromised people have decided to get an extra dose of vaccine on their own. For some, antibodies increased; for others, they didn’t.
In June, researchers from Johns Hopkins University suggested that an extra shot may help increase Covid-19 antibody levels for some organ transplant recipients who did not have a full response to their original vaccinations.
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I’m not feeling well, but I’ve already been vaccinated. Should I get tested for coronavirus?
If you think you might have Covid-19 symptoms, “please get tested regardless of your vaccination status,” US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said.
“We know the symptoms of Covid-19 mimic the symptoms of the flu or cold initially. It can be a runny nose or fatigue or other such symptoms. In those cases, it is important for people to get tested.”
It’s impossible to get Covid-19 from a vaccine because there is no coronavirus in any of the vaccines used in the US.
But Covid-19 vaccines don’t take full effect until 2 weeks after your final dose — “so a person could get sick if the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection,” the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
Those who are fully vaccinated are much less likely to get infected than unvaccinated people, the CDC says. In addition, “COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of people spreading COVID-19.”
But while Covid-19 vaccines are highly effective, they’re not perfect. The vaccines require an immune system response to work, so millions of Americans who are immunocompromised or take drugs that suppress the immune system might not get as much protection from a vaccine as others do.
The good news: When rare breakthrough infections do happen in vaccinated people, they’re less severe, CDC research shows.
But it’s especially important for unvaccinated people who have Covid-19 symptoms to get tested. Unvaccinated people can spread coronavirus more easily than vaccinated people, the CDC says.
“We have seen that many people are not getting tested around the country even though they have symptoms,” Murthy said July 13.
“Many people are thinking, ‘Covid is over — why do I need to get tested?’ And this is particularly happening in areas, unfortunately, where the vaccination rates are low — which is where we want to be testing more.”
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I’m vaccinated but just tested positive for coronavirus. What should I do?
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Do we need Covid-19 vaccine booster shots? If not, how will we know when we might need them?
“Americans who have been fully vaccinated do not need a booster shot at this time,” said a July 8 joint statement from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration.
“We continue to review any new data as it becomes available and will keep the public informed,” the CDC and FDA said. “We are prepared for booster doses if and when the science demonstrates that they are needed.”
The Israeli government said the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was about 95.3% effective against coronavirus infections in May. But in June, after the highly contagious Delta variant spread more widely, that number dropped to 64%, the Israeli government said in a brief statement July 5.
The vaccine was still 93% effective in preventing severe disease and Covid-19 hospitalizations, the Israeli government said, compared to 97% reported in the medical journal The Lancet in May.
Pfizer said it’s working to develop a booster dose that will protect people from variants.
So while fully vaccinated people are still well protected, Pfizer and BioNTech are preparing for the possible need for a booster shot down the road, said Dr. Jerome Adams, former US Surgeon General under the Trump administration.
“The companies are thinking about where the hockey puck is going,” Adams said. “The government — FDA, CDC — are looking at where the hockey puck is right now. And they want to reassure Americans your best protection still is a vaccine, and you still have great protection – better than for the flu shot in any given year – even in the face of variants and waning immunity.”
As of April, research showed the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines stayed highly effective for at least six months (and counting).
In July, Johnson & Johnson said research showed its vaccine is effective for at least eight months (and counting).
“Obviously, the people that were in the (vaccine trial) studies that started in October or so, they’re being followed on a regular basis” to help determine how long vaccine immunity lasts, board-certified internist Dr. Jorge Rodriguez said.
“But understand, vaccinations are your best bet right now,” Adams said. “They’re still incredibly effective. And if we have to get a booster, we just have to get a booster. We do that for the flu every single year, so people shouldn’t get too worked up about that.”
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Is it safe to go on vacation?
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Do fully vaccinated people need to wear masks because of this Delta strain?
Health experts have varying stances on this.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not changed its mask guidance since the highly contagious Delta variant was found in all 50 states and Washington, DC.
“If you are fully vaccinated, you can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic,” the CDC says. “You can resume activities without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart” – except in places where masks are required, such as on public transportation or in some workplaces.
For those ages 2 and up who aren’t fully vaccinated, “you should wear a mask in indoor public places,” the CDC says. Masks are also a good idea for unvaccinated people in crowded outdoor settings or in close contact with other people who aren’t fully vaccinated — especially in areas where coronavirus is rapidly spreading.
States with below-average vaccination rates have, on average, almost triple the rate of new Covid-19 cases compared to states with above-average vaccination rates, according to recent data from Johns Hopkins University.
In places of high Covid-19 spread, people who are fully vaccinated should still take precautions, such as wearing masks, a World Health Organization official said.
“People need to continue to use masks consistently, being in ventilated spaces, hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette – everything … even if you are vaccinated, when you have community transmission ongoing,” WHO Assistant Director-General Dr. Mariangela Simao said June 25.
And because the vaccines are highly effective but not perfect, some health experts said they would keep wearing masks in certain places despite being fully vaccinated.
“If you’re in a low-infection, high-vaccination area, you don’t need to be wearing a mask indoors if you’re fully vaccinated,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.
But the Delta variant is surging in parts of the US, including southwest Missouri — where Covid-19 patients are filling up hospital beds and getting transferred to other hospitals.
“If I were in southwest Missouri right now, I’m fully vaccinated, but I would be wearing a mask indoors,” Jha said July 5.
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When can younger kids get a Covid-19 vaccine?
One vaccine is already available for children ages 12 and up, and clinical trials are underway for younger children.
Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccine is the only one currently authorized for people ages 12 and up. The vaccine is now being tested in children between 6 months and 11 years old. If all goes well, Pfizer said, it plans to ask the US Food and Drug Administration in September to authorize the vaccine for children ages 2 to 11 years.
Moderna’s vaccine is currently authorized for adults 18 and older. In May, the company said early trial data showed the vaccine is safe and appears to be effective in 12- to 17-year-olds. In June, Moderna said it has asked the FDA to authorize its vaccine for the 12-to-17 age group.
Moderna is also testing various doses of its vaccine in younger children between ages 6 months through 11 years. If all goes well, Moderna said, children under age 12 could be eligible for the vaccine this winter or in early 2022.
Johnson & Johnson said it plans to start testing its Covid-19 vaccine in adolescents starting this fall. Its single-dose vaccine is currently authorized for adults ages 18 and up.
J&J said it’s planning four late-stage vaccine trials for children. This first trial will focus on 12- to 17-year-olds, and the others will expand to include younger children. In total, J&J plans to enroll a minimum of 4,500 pediatric participants up to age 17.
“To keep children safe, and ultimately to achieve herd immunity, it is imperative that COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials continue to move forward in this population,” J&J said in a July 1 email to CNN.
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My kids don’t want to wear a mask. What should I do?
Children can be more reluctant because they’re more sensitive to new things than adults are, said Christopher Willard, a psychiatry lecturer at Harvard Medical School.
“There’s also the weird psychological aspect of not being able to see their own face or other people’s faces and facial expressions,” which can hinder their feelings of comfort or safety, he said.
To ease your child’s mask hesitancy, try buying or making masks with fun designs on them. Or have your child customize his or her own masks by drawing on them with markers.
You can also order children’s face masks with superheroes on them or show your kids photos of their favorite celebrities wearing masks.
It’s also a good idea to set an example by wearing a mask yourself. Show your children your own mask, and let them know that by wearing one, they’ll be just like Mom or Dad.
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What is the Delta variant? Is it worse than other strains of coronavirus?
The Delta variant is the B.1.617.2 strain of coronavirus first identified in India that’s now the dominant strain of coronavirus in the US, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of July 20, the Delta variant made up 83% of sequenced coronavirus samples in the US. “This is a dramatic increase, up from 50% for the week of July 3,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said.
The Delta variant has a cluster of mutations, including one known as L452R, that helps it infect human cells more easily.
“This variant is even more transmissible than the UK (Alpha) variant, which was more transmissible than the version of the virus we were dealing with last year,” US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said.
In addition to increased transmissibility, “it may be associated with an increased disease severity, such as hospitalization risk,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
An analysis of 38,805 sequenced cases in England showed the Delta variant carried 2.61 times the risk of hospitalization within 14 days compared with the Alpha variant, when variables such as age, sex, ethnicity and vaccination status were taken into consideration.
By mid-June, the Delta variant accounted for 99% of Covid-19 cases in the UK, according to Public Health England.
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Do vaccines work against the Delta variant?
Yes, research suggests – as long as you’re fully vaccinated and don’t skip a dose.
Two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine offered 88% protection against symptomatic Covid-19 caused by the Delta variant, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in late June.
But those who got only one dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine had just 33% protection against the Delta variant, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said.
“The key is: Get vaccinated. Get both doses,” Murthy said.
Moderna’s two-dose vaccine was found in lab experiments to work against new variants such as the Delta strain, the company said. Scientists used serum samples from eight participants taken a week after they received their second dose of the Moderna vaccine.
And researchers say the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine also appears to work against the Delta variant. The researchers studied blood taken from eight vaccinated volunteers and tested it against an engineered version of the spike protein of the Delta variant.
“A single dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine generated neutralizing antibodies against a range of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, which increased over time, including against the increasingly prevalent and more transmissible Delta (B.1.617.2) variant,” Johnson & Johnson said on July 1.
But the Delta variant is more contagious than both the original strain of novel coronavirus and the Alpha (B.1.1.7) strain, the surgeon general said.
“It’s yet another reason to get vaccinated quickly,” Murthy said.
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What’s the difference between the Delta and Delta Plus variants?
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Why do we keep getting more contagious variants?
The more people who get infected with a virus, the more chances the virus has to evolve through mutation.
Viruses mutate all the time as they replicate in people who are infected. Some mutations aren’t very important. But if the mutations are significant, they can lead to more contagious or more dangerous new variants of a virus.
“Think of a virus as a necklace full of different-colored beads,” board-certified internist Dr. Jorge Rodriguez said.
“And in position No. 1, you need a red bead. Position No. 2 is a green bead. That’s the genetic code – that sequence of bead colors,” he said.
“When a virus replicates, it is supposed to make an exact replica of those bead colors. But every once in a while, maybe a green bead gets into where a red bead is supposed to be.”
When mutations give the virus an advantage — such as the ability to replicate faster, or to hide from the immune system – that version will outcompete others.
The only way to get rid of variants is to lower the number of infections, said Penny Moore, an expert in viruses at South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
That’s a big reason why doctors urge people to get vaccinated as soon as they can. Those who don’t get vaccinated aren’t just risking their own health — they’re also jeopardizing the health of others, infectious disease specialists say.
“Unvaccinated people are potential variant factories,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
“The more unvaccinated people there are, the more opportunities for the virus to multiply.”
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What should I tell friends, family or coworkers who are hesitant to get vaccinated?
“It is a normal human reaction to be afraid,” pediatrician Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez said. “They’re having a normal reaction, and perhaps they haven’t been able to sit down with their physician.”
She suggests finding a time to have a calm, rational conversation — when neither person is angry or likely to start a fight.
“The first thing I would say is ‘I get it. I totally get where you’re coming from and I understand that you’re concerned about this,’” Bracho-Sanchez said.
It’s also important to cite scientific data — like the truth about side effects, the safety of Covid-19 vaccines and why it’s important for young, healthy people to get vaccinated.
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How long does immunity last if you recover from Covid-19?
Research is still evolving, but a recent study examining antibodies suggests you could be immune for months after infection.
“Although this cannot provide conclusive evidence that these antibody responses protect from reinfection, we believe it is very likely that they will decrease the odds ratio of reinfection,” researchers from Mount Sinai wrote.
“It is still unclear if infection with SARS-CoV-2 [the scientific name for the novel coronavirus] in humans protects from reinfection and for how long.”
There have been some reports of people getting infected twice within several months. Doctors said a 25-year-old Nevada man appeared to be the first documented case of Covid-19 reinfection in the US. He was first diagnosed in April 2020, then recovered and tested negative twice. About a month later, he tested positive again.
A separate team of researchers said a 33-year-old man living in Hong Kong had Covid-19 twice, in March and August of 2020.
Last year, an 89-year-old Dutch woman – who also had a rare white blood cell cancer – died after catching Covid-19 twice, experts said. She became the first known person to die after getting reinfected.
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If I already had Covid-19, should I still get vaccinated?
“Yes, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19,” the CDC says.
“That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19.”
Many doctors believe the immunity you get from vaccination is likely stronger and longer than the immunity you get from previous infection.
“There are actually six other coronaviruses – MERS and SARS and four other viruses that create the common cold. They don’t seem to do very well at creating long-term immunity,” epidemiologist Dr. Larry Brilliant said.
“Many of the vaccines that we’ve made in history are actually stronger than the virus is itself at creating immunity.”
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Could I get coronavirus from the Covid-19 vaccine?
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How good are these vaccines? Why should I get a Johnson & Johnson vaccine if the numbers don’t seem as good as the others?
Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have been shown to give about 95% protection against symptomatic Covid-19, and both are virtually 100% effective against severe Covid-19 illness. In their clinical trials, no one who was vaccinated died from Covid-19.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 72% effective against Covid-19 among US trial participants and 85% effective against severe Covid-19. Like the other two vaccines, no one who was vaccinated during the clinical trial died from Covid-19.
But Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine was tested later – when coronavirus cases were surging and new variant strains were spreading more widely.
And unlike the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, which require two doses, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one dose.
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Will Americans be required to get a Covid-19 vaccine? What happens if I don’t get vaccinated?
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How much does a Covid-19 vaccine cost?
“It’s all free. The government is paying for this,” said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia.
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I know vaccines help prevent people from getting *sick* with coronavirus. But do they also prevent people from *carrying* the virus and infecting others?
There’s growing evidence suggesting vaccines could also help prevent you from spreading coronavirus. But the CDC says there’s not enough data yet to prove whether vaccinated people could still carry the virus and infect others.
Moderna said its vaccine may be able to prevent infection and transmission.
“What Moderna did … is they took some extra samples, or test swabs, from the subject in the clinical trial between the first and second dose of vaccine. Remember, they give you two doses, and after four weeks they get that second dose of vaccine,” said Dr. Rick Bright, former head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
“They looked at these samples, and they found out that more people who received the placebo dose got infected from the coronavirus than the people who get the vaccine dose. That means the first dose of vaccine actually could be offering some level of protection against infection – not just protection from severe illness,” he said.
“So if this plays out in a larger study, in a larger analysis, it could be very compelling to show that these vaccines could have impact over this protection of infection.”
(But you should not skip your second dose of a two-dose vaccine. Here’s why.)
A study from the UK suggests the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, which has not yet been authorized for use in the US, might also help slow the spread of coronavirus. Researchers measured transmission by swabbing some participants for the virus every week. They found that the rate of positive tests declined by about half after two doses of the vaccine.
The FDA said it’s not yet clear whether the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine prevents people from infecting others.
“Most vaccines that protect from viral illnesses also reduce transmission of the virus that causes the disease by those who are vaccinated,” the FDA said. “While it is hoped this will be the case, the scientific community does not yet know if the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine will reduce such transmission.”
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What are the side effects of the vaccines?
Some people have reported feeling temporary, flu-like symptoms. Don’t freak out if this happens to you, health experts say.
“These are immune responses, so if you feel something after vaccination, you should expect to feel that,” said Patricia Stinchfield of Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.
“And when you do, it’s normal that you have some arm soreness or some fatigue or some body aches or even some fever,” Stinchfield said.
Read more about what to do if you do get side effects and why side effects are often a good sign.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has shown no serious safety concerns, Pfizer said. Pfizer has said side effects “such as fever, fatigue and chills” have been “generally mild to moderate” and lasted one to two days.
Moderna said its vaccine did not have any serious side effects. It said a small percentage of trial participants had symptoms such as body aches and headaches.
With the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the most common side effects were pain at the injection site, headache, fatigue and muscle pain. While the CDC recommends the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, “women younger than 50 years old especially should be aware of the rare but increased risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS),” the agency says. “TTS is a serious condition that involves blood clots with low platelets. There are other COVID-19 vaccine options available for which this risk has not been seen.”
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What are the long-term effects of coronavirus?
Some Covid-19 survivors have reported problems weeks or months after testing positive.
Even young adults have suffered long-lasting symptoms such as shortness of breath, chronic fatigue, brain fog, long-term fever, coughing, memory loss, and the inability to taste or smell.
One CDC study found 35% of survivors surveyed still had symptoms two to three weeks after their coronavirus tests:
- In the 18-to-34 age group, 26% said they still had symptoms weeks later.
- In the 35-to-49 age range, 32% were still grappling with the effects weeks later.
- For those 50 and older, 47% said they still had symptoms weeks later.
And the risk of death from coronavirus-related heart damage seems to be far greater than previously thought, the American Heart Association said.
Inflammation of the vascular system and injury to the heart occur in 20% to 30% of hospitalized Covid-19 patients and contribute to 40% of deaths, the AHA said. AHA President Dr. Mitchell Elkind said cardiac complications of Covid-19 could linger after recovering from coronavirus.
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What is aerosolized spread? What’s the difference between aerosols and droplets?
Aerosolized spread is the potential for coronavirus to spread not just by respiratory droplets, but by even smaller particles called aerosols that can float in the air longer than droplets and can spread farther than 6 feet.
Respiratory aerosols and droplets are released when someone talks, breaths, sings, sneezes or coughs. But the main difference is size.
Respiratory droplets are bigger – between 5 and 10 microns in diameter. (For perspective, a human hair is typically 60 to 120 microns wide.)
“If you have droplets that come out of a person, they generally go down within 6 feet,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
But aerosols (aka droplet nuclei) are smaller – less than 5 microns in diameter, according to the World Health Organization.
“Aerosol means the droplets don’t drop immediately,” Fauci said. “They hang around for a period of time.”
This becomes “very relevant” when you are indoors and there is poor ventilation, he said.
“There’s good enough data to say that aerosol transmission (of coronavirus) does occur,” Fauci said
Multiple case studies suggest coronavirus can spread well beyond 6 feet through airborne transmission, such as during choir practices, said Dr. Amy Compton-Phillips, chief clinical officer of Providence Health System.
In Washington state, for example, 53 members of a choir fell sick and two people died after one member attended rehearsals and later tested positive for Covid-19.
Last July, 239 scientists backed a letter urging public health agencies to recognize the potential for aerosolized spread.
“There is significant potential for inhalation exposure to viruses in microscopic respiratory droplets (microdroplets) at short to medium distances (up to several meters, or room scale), and we are advocating for the use of preventive measures to mitigate this route of airborne transmission,” the letter said.
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This pandemic is taking a toll on my mental health. How can I get help if I’m feeling isolated and depressed?
The Crisis Text Line is available texting to 741741. Trained volunteers and crisis counselors are staffed 24/7, and the service is free.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to disasters. Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
For health care professionals and essential workers, For the Frontlines offers free 24/7 crisis counseling and support for workers dealing with stress, anxiety, fear or isolation related to coronavirus.
For more resources, check out CNN’s guide to giving and getting help during the pandemic.
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What “underlying conditions” put people at higher risk of bad outcomes with Covid-19?
More than 40% of US adults have at least one underlying condition that can put them at higher risk of severe complications, according to the CDC.
Those conditions include obesity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, according to the CDC.
People who have cancer, an organ transplant, sickle cell anemia, poorly controlled HIV or any autoimmune disorder are also at higher risk.
Covid-19 patients with pre-existing conditions — regardless of their age — are 6 times more likely to hospitalized and 12 times more likely to die from the disease than those who had no pre-existing conditions, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said.
While young, healthy people are less likely to die from Covid-19, many are suffering long-term effects from the disease.
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What are the guidelines for riding in a car with someone from another household?
Unvaccinated people from different households in a car should wear face masks, said Dr. Aaron Hamilton of the Cleveland Clinic.
“You should also wear one if you’re rolling down your window to interact with someone at a drive-thru or curbside pickup location,” Hamilton said.
It’s also smart to keep the windows open to help ventilate the car and add another layer of safety, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
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What should I do if I’m wearing a mask but have to sneeze?
If there are tissues nearby, you can take your mask off and sneeze into the tissue before putting your mask back on, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said.
For kids in school — or anyone else who might have to wear a mask all day — keep a backup mask in a baggie in case the first mask gets dirty. You can put the dirty mask in the baggie.
It’s also a good idea to keep backup masks in your car in case of any mask accidents.
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Are coronavirus and Covid-19 the same thing? How did they get their names?
Coronavirus and Covid-19 are not the same thing, but sometimes the terms can be used interchangeably.
This “novel coronavirus” is novel because it just emerged in humans in late 2019. There have been six other coronaviruses known to infect humans, such as SARS (circa 2003) and MERS (circa 2012).
“Coronaviruses are named for the crown-like spikes on their surface,” or coronas, the CDC says. The scientific name for this novel coronavirus is SARS-CoV-2, which stands for “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.”
Covid-19, however, is the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The letters and numbers in “Covid-19” come from “Coronavirus disease 2019.”
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If a pregnant woman gets Covid-19, will her baby be infected? Can babies get coronavirus through breastfeeding?
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Can someone who died from coronavirus still have their organs donated?
That’s not recommended right now, according to the US Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.
“This guidance may change as more becomes known about the course and treatment of COVID-19,” the network said.
“Donation and transplant clinicians should apply their medical judgment in instances where test results are pending at the time of organ offers.”
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Should we clean our cell phones daily?
Yes, that’s a good idea because cell phones are basically “petri dishes in our pockets” when you think about how many surfaces you touch before touching your phone.
You should regularly disinfect your mobile phone anyway, with or without a coronavirus pandemic.
“There’s probably quite a lot of microorganisms on there, because you’re holding them against your skin, you are handling them all the time, and also you’re speaking into them,” said Mark Fielder, a professor of medical microbiology at Kingston University.
“And speaking does release droplets of water just in normal speech. So it’s likely that a range of microbes – including Covid-19, should you happen to be infected with that virus – might end up on your phone.”
Watch the best ways to disinfect your cell phone here.
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Is it safe to go back to the gym?
There are certainly risks if you’re not vaccinated.
Coronavirus often spreads more easily indoors rather than outdoors — especially if you’re indoors for an extended period of time.
Researchers have also found that heavy breathing and singing can propel aerosolized viral particles farther and increase the risk of transmission.
During one fitness instructor workshop, about 30 participants with no symptoms trained intensely for four hours, according to research published by the CDC. Eight participants later tested positive, and more than 100 new cases of coronavirus were traced back to that fitness workshop.
To help mitigate the risk, many gyms are limiting capacity or requiring masks.
And while health experts have recommended staying 6 feet away from others, it’s smart to keep even more distance than that at the gym.
“With all the heavy breathing, you may even want to double the usual 6 feet to 12 feet, just to be safe,” CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said.
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I tested positive for coronavirus weeks ago. How long are people contagious with Covid-19? Do I need to keep isolating or getting retested?
For symptomatic carriers: If it’s been at least 10 days since your symptoms started and at least 24 hours since you’ve had a fever (without the help of fever-reducing medication) and your other symptoms have improved, you can go ahead and stop isolating, the CDC says.
Patients with severe illness may have to keep isolating for up to 20 days after symptoms started.
(But it’s important to note symptoms typically don’t show up until several days after infection — and you can be more contagious during this pre-symptomatic time. Also, symptoms can last for weeks or months — including in young people.)
For asymptomatic carriers: People who tested positive but don’t have any symptoms can stop isolating 10 days after the first positive test – as long as they have not subsequently developed symptoms, the CDC says.
But 10 days is just a general guideline: “Because symptoms cannot be used to gauge where these individuals are in the course of their illness, it is possible that the duration of viral shedding could be longer or shorter than 10 days after their first positive test,” the CDC warned. With viral shedding, a person can infect others with the virus, even if they have no symptoms.
Asymptomatic carriers who have tested positive can also stop isolating if they get two negative test results from tests taken more than 24 hours apart. At that point, it’s very unlikely they are still contagious.
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I heard you can get Covid-19 through your eyes. Should we wear goggles, too?
Doctors say wearing eye protection (in addition to face masks) could help some people, but it’s not necessary for everyone.
Teachers who have younger students in the classroom are “likely to be in environments where children might pull down their masks, or not be very compliant with them,” epidemiologist Saskia Popescu said. “There is concern that you could get respiratory droplets in the eyes.”
If you’re a health care worker or taking care of someone at home who has coronavirus, it’s smart to wear eye protection, said Dr. Thomas Steinemann, clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
(Note: Regular glasses or sunglasses aren’t enough, because they leave too many gaps around the eyes.)
But if you’re vaccinated or not in a high-risk situation, wearing goggles isn’t necessary.
While it’s still possible to get Covid-19 through the eyes, that scenario is less likely than getting it through your nose or mouth, Steinemann said.
He said if a significant number of people were getting coronavirus through their eyes, doctors would probably see more Covid-19 patients with conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye (though having pink eye doesn’t necessarily mean you have coronavirus).
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Should people wear face shields instead of (or in addition to) face masks?
The CDC does not recommend using plastic face shields for everyday activities or as a substitute for face masks. There are a few exceptions, such as for those who are hearing-impaired and rely on lip-reading or those who have physical or mental health conditions that would be exacerbated by wearing a cloth face mask.
“Cloth face coverings are a critical preventive measure and are most essential in times when social distancing is difficult,” the CDC says.
Clinical and laboratory studies show cloth face coverings reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth – what the CDC refers to as “source control.” And many people are contagious even when they don’t have any symptoms and don’t know they’re infected.
Face shields worn in addition to masks can provide an added layer of protection and can also help people stop touching their faces. Workers who are around people for long periods of time, such as grocery store workers or hospital personnel, may want to wear face shields in addition to masks, to increase their protection.
If someone must use a face shield without a mask, the CDC says the shield “should wrap around the sides of the wearer’s face and extend to below the chin. Disposable face shields should only be worn for a single use. Reusable face shields should be cleaned and disinfected after each use.”
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Doesn’t the flu kill more people than coronavirus?
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Could I have the flu and coronavirus at the same time? If so, what does that do to your body?
“You can certainly get both the flu and Covid-19 at the same time, which could be catastrophic to your immune system,” said Dr. Adrian Burrowes, a family medicine physician in Florida.
In fact, getting infected with one can make you more vulnerable to getting sick with the other, epidemiologist Dr. Seema Yasmin said.
“Once you get infected with the flu and some other respiratory viruses, it weakens your body,” she said. “Your defenses go down, and it makes you vulnerable to getting a second infection on top of that.”
On their own, both Covid-19 and the flu can attack the lungs, potentially causing pneumonia, fluid in the lungs or respiratory failure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
“The two (illnesses) together definitely could be more injurious to the lungs and cause more respiratory failure,” said Dr. Michael Matthay, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
And just like with Covid-19, even young, healthy people can die from the flu.
Doctors say the easiest way to help avoid a flu/Covid-19 double whammy is to get vaccinated.
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How can I tell if I have coronavirus or the flu (or both)?
Both the flu and Covid-19 can give you a fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, sore throat, body aches and a runny or stuffy nose, the CDC said.
“Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults,” the CDC said.
But unlike the flu, Covid-19 can cause a loss of taste or smell.
And about half of coronavirus transmissions happen before any symptoms show up. (Many of those people spreading the virus silently are pre-symptomatic and are more contagious before they start showing symptoms.)
So the best way to know if you have the novel coronavirus or the flu (or both) is to get tested. The CDC has created a test that will check for both viruses, to be used at CDC-supported public health labs.
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How do I prevent my glasses or sunglasses from fogging up when I wear a mask?
First, make sure the top of your mask fits snugly against your skin (to minimize vapor from your breath from going up toward your eyes). Then put your glasses over the snug-fitting top portion of your mask.
If that doesn’t do the trick, soap and water can create a barrier that prevents glasses from fogging up. Here’s how.
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Are cancer patients at higher risk of severe complications from Covid-19?
Yes. And the increased risk applies to cancer patients of all ages, the CDC says.
“Having cancer currently increases your risk of severe illness from COVID-19,” the CDC says. “At this time, it is not known whether having a history of cancer increases your risk.”
Researchers found that patients whose cancer was getting worse or spreading were more than five times more likely to die in a month if they caught Covid-19.
But there are steps cancer patients can take to stay as healthy as possible:
- Make sure you have at least a 30-day supply of your medications.
- Don’t delay any life-saving treatment or emergency care during this pandemic.
- Talk with your healthcare provider about your individual level of risk based on your condition, your treatment, and the level of transmission in your community.
- Don’t stop taking your medicines or alter your treatment plan without talking to your healthcare provider.
- Call your healthcare provider if you think you may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus.
- Read the CDC’s tips for preventing infections in cancer patients.
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Can central air conditioning spread Covid-19 in public places?
Technically, it can, but HVAC (heating/ventilation/air conditioning) systems are not thought to be a significant factor in the spread of coronavirus.
Many modern air conditioning systems will either filter out or dilute the virus. Ventilation systems with highly effective filters are a key way to eliminate droplets from the air, said Harvard environmental health researcher Joseph Gardner Allen.
Filters are rated by a MERV system – their “minimum efficiency reporting value” that specifies their ability to trap tiny particles. The MERV ratings go from 1 to 20. The higher the number, the better the filtration.
HEPA filters have the highest MERV ratings, between 17 and 20. HEPA filters are used by hospitals to create sterile rooms for surgeries and to control infectious diseases. They’re able to remove 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and other airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns.
For context, this coronavirus is thought to be between 0.06 to 1.4 microns in size.
But “HEPA filtration is not always going to be feasible or practical,” Allen said. “But there are other filters that can do the job. What is recommended now by the standard setting body for HVAC is a MERV 13 filter.”
High-efficiency filters in the 13-to-16 MERV range are often used in hospitals, nursing homes, research labs and other places where filtration is important.
“If you’re an owner of a home, building or mall, you want to have someone to assess your system and install the largest MERV number filter the system can reliably handle without dropping the volume of air that runs through it,” advised Erin Bromage, an associate professor of biology at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
“In addition, virtually all modern air conditioning systems in commercial buildings have a process called makeup air where they bring in air from outside and condition it and bring it inside,” Bromage said. “It’s worse in regards to energy, but the more outside air we bring in, the more dilution of the virus we have and then the safer you are.”
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What does asymptomatic mean?
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How effective are different types of face masks? Which cloth masks work the best?
An N95 respirator provides the best protection. But throughout the pandemic, N95s have been in high demand and short supply.
As for other masks, different types have different levels of effectiveness, according to researchers at Florida Atlantic University.
They compared four types of face masks commonly used by the public: a stitched mask with two layers of fabric, a commercial cone mask, a folded handkerchief, and a bandana. Researchers tested each to see which would likely offer the most protection if someone coughed or sneezed.
— The stitched mask with two layers of fabric performed the best, with droplets traveling only 2.5 inches.
— With a cone-style mask, the droplets traveled about 8 inches.
— A folded handkerchief performed worse, with droplets traveling 1 foot, 3 inches.
— The bandana gave the least amount of protection of the cloth masks tested, with droplets traveling 3 feet.
— Still, any kind of cloth mask is better than none, the researchers found. Without any covering, droplets were able to travel 8 feet.
“People need to know that wearing masks can reduce transmission of the virus by as much as 50%, and those who refuse are putting their lives, their families, their friends, and their communities at risk,” said Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
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What’s so different about coronavirus that made us shut down the economy? Why did we have to practice social distancing when we didn’t during the SARS and swine flu epidemics?
Unlike SARS and swine flu, the novel coronavirus is both highly contagious and especially deadly, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said.
“SARS was also a coronavirus, and it was a new virus at the time,” Gupta said. “In the end, we know that SARS ended up infecting 8,000 people around the world and causing around 800 deaths. So very high fatality rate, but it didn’t turn out to be very contagious.”
The swine flu, or H1N1, “was very contagious and infected some 60 million people in the United States alone within a year,” Gupta said. “But it was far less lethal than the flu even — like 1/3 as lethal as the flu.”
What makes the novel coronavirus different is that “this is both very contagious … and it appears to be far more lethal than the flu as well.”
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When are people with coronavirus most contagious?
“People can be contagious without symptoms. And in fact – a little bit strangely in this case — people tend to be the most contagious before they develop symptoms, if they’re going to develop symptoms,” CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said.
“They call that the pre-symptomatic period. So people tend to have more virus at that point seemingly in their nose, in their mouth. This is even before they get sick. And they can be shedding that virus into the environment.”
Some people infected with coronavirus never get symptoms. But it’s easy for these asymptomatic carriers to infect others, said Anne Rimoin, an epidemiology professor at UCLA’s School of Public Health.
“When you speak, sometimes you’ll spit a little bit,” she said. “You’ll rub your nose. You’ll touch your mouth. You’ll rub your eyes. And then you’ll touch other surfaces, and then you will be spreading virus if you are infected and shedding asymptomatically.”
That’s why health officials suggests people wear face masks while in public and when it’s difficult to stay 6 feet away from others.
Transmission treatment & prevention myths & misinformation
Can you get Covid-19 through sex?
The odds of transmitting coronavirus through sex hasn’t been thoroughly studied, though it has been found to exist in men’s semen.
But we do know Covid-19 is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can spread via saliva, coughs, sneezes, talking or breathing — with or without symptoms of illness.
So three Harvard physicians examined the likelihood of getting or giving Covid-19 during sex and made several recommendations.
For partners who haven’t been isolating together, they should wear masks and avoid kissing, the authors write.
In addition to wearing masks, people who have sex with partners outside of their home should also shower before and after; avoid sex acts that involve the oral transmission of bodily fluids; clean up the area afterward with soap or alcohol wipes to reduce their likelihood of infection.
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Is it true young people with coronavirus are also having blood clots and strokes?
Yes, some young adults have suffered strokes after getting coronavirus.
“The virus seems to be causing increased clotting in the large arteries, leading to severe stroke,” said Dr. Thomas Oxley, a neurosurgeon at Mount Sinai Health System in New York.
“Most of these patients have no past medical history and were at home with either mild symptoms (or in two cases, no symptoms) of Covid.”
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Why has the guidance on wearing face masks changed so much?
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How can I stay safe in an elevator?
Doctors say getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent coronavirus infection.
If you’re not vaccinated, it’s best to take the stairs if you can. But if you can’t, emergency room physician Dr. Leana Wen offers several tips:
- Wear a mask. Not only does wearing a mask reduce your risk of inhaling the virus — which can linger in the air for 8 minutes — it also helps reduce your chances of infecting others if you are an asymptomatic carrier.
- Use a tissue to push the elevator buttons. If you don’t have a tissue, use your elbow, then wash or disinfect that area when you can.
- Try to keep your distance from anyone else inside the elevator as much as possible.
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How safe are public restrooms?
For those not fully vaccinated, try to avoid public restrooms if you can, said microbiologist Ali Nouri, president of the Federation of American Scientists. But he acknowledged that’s not always possible: “Sometimes when you gotta go, you gotta go.”
Close contact with others is the most significant risk in a public restroom, Nouri said. So if there’s a single-person bathroom available that doesn’t have multiple stalls, using that might be best.
If you do use a multi-stall public restroom, Nouri offers the following tips:
- Don’t use your freshly washed hands to turn off the water with the germ-laden faucet handle. Instead, use a paper towel to turn off the water and open the bathroom door. Throw away the paper towel immediately afterward.
- Wear a face mask. “Masks are one of the most effective ways to stop human-to-human transmission,” Nouri said. “If people in a public bathroom are not wearing masks, think twice before going in.”
- If the restroom looks crowded, wait until it clears out, if you can. “You’re reducing the risk of inhaling aerosolized particles from other people,” Nouri said.
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Is hand sanitizer as effective as soap and water in killing coronavirus?
Yes — as long as you use the right kind of sanitizer and use it correctly.
Hand sanitizers “need to have at least 60% alcohol in them,” said Dr. William Schaffner, professor of preventative medicine and infectious disease at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
And don’t just put a little dollop in your hand and smear it around quickly.
“You’ve got to use enough and get it all over the surfaces,” Schaffner said. “Rub it all over your hands, between your fingers and on the back of your hands.”
But it’s always better to thoroughly wash your hands, if you’re able to.
“Alcohol is pretty effective at killing germs, but it doesn’t wash away stuff,” said Dr. John Williams, a virologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
“If somebody’s just sneezed into their hand, and their hand is covered with mucus, they would have to use a lot more alcohol to inactivate that bacteria or virus.”
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Are some blood types able to fight coronavirus better than other blood types?
A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that people with Type A blood have a higher risk of getting infected with coronavirus and developing severe symptoms, while people with Type O blood have a lower risk – but the study has caveats.
The researchers cannot say if blood type is a direct cause of the differences in susceptibility. It could be that genetic changes that affect someone’s risk also just happen to be linked with blood type, they said.
The study’s findings, while plausible, may mean very little for the average person, said Dr. Roy Silverstein, a hematologist and chairman of the department of medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
“The absolute difference in risk is very small,” he said. “The risk reduction may be statistically significant, but it is a small change in actual risk. You never would tell somebody who was Type O that they were at smaller risk of infection.”
The bottom line: “All of us are susceptible to this virus,” said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead for the World Health Organization’s Covid-19 response.
Treatment & prevention myths & misinformation
What’s the risk of having a maid service come to clean your house if you’re not home?
“It’s probably safe if you’re not at home,” said Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency room physician. She suggested leaving the windows open to improve ventilation and asking the cleaners to use your own cleaning supplies so they don’t bring items that have been in other people’s houses.
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Can I disinfect my mask by putting it in the microwave?
That’s “not a great idea,” said Dr. Joseph Vinetz, a professor of infectious diseases at Yale School of Medicine. “We have no evidence about that.”
“If there’s a metal piece in an N95 or surgical mask and even staples, you can’t microwave them,” he said. “It’ll blow up.”
Vinetz said cloth masks can be washed and reused, and even disposable masks can be reused if you let them sit for several days.
To disinfect masks that you can’t wash, Vinetz recommends leaving them in a clean, safe place in your home for a few days. After that, it should no longer be infectious, as this coronavirus is known to survive on hard surfaces for only up to three days.
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Is it safe to perform CPR on a stranger?
Doctors strongly recommend performing CPR when someone needs it.
You could be hundreds of times more likely to save that dying person’s life than you are to die from Covid-19 if you contract it after performing CPR, according to a report published by a group of Seattle emergency room physicians in the journal Circulation.
But it’s important to act quickly for CPR to be effective.
“The chance of survival goes down by 10% for every minute without CPR,” said Dr. Comilla Sasson, vice president for science and innovation in emergency cardiovascular care at the American Heart Association. “It’s a 10-minute window to death in many cases.”
If you’re not certified in CPR, performing chest compressions could also buy more time until help arrives. Bystanders should “provide high-quality chest compressions by pushing hard and fast in the middle of the victim’s chest, with minimal interruptions,” the American Heart Association said.
If you’re not sure how “fast” to do to those chest compressions, singing any of these popular songs will help you get the right rhythm.
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Can I get coronavirus from swimming in open water, like in a lake or seawater? What about in a public pool or hot tub?
It’s not the water you need to worry about. It’s how close you might get to other people.
“Properly maintained pool water will not be a source of spread of the virus. The chlorine that’s in it will inactivate the virus fairly quickly,” immunologist Erin Bromage said.
“The level of dilution that would happen in a pool or an ocean or a large freshwater body would not lead to enough virus to establish an infection. But when you do this, you need to just make sure that we’re maintaining an appropriate physical distance while swimming or sitting in a hot tub.”
That’s because it’s easy for infected people with no symptoms to spread the virus if they’re within 6 feet from each other. If you have an indoor pool or hot tub, even 6 feet might not be enough distance.
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I saw other countries spraying down sidewalks and other public places with disinfectant. Why haven’t we done that in the US?
Randomly spraying open places is largely a waste of time, health experts say.
It can actually do more harm than good. “Spraying disinfectants can result in risks to the eyes, respiratory or skin irritation,” the World Health Organization said.
“Spraying or fumigation of outdoor spaces, such as streets or marketplaces, is also not recommended to kill the COVID-19 virus or other pathogens because disinfectant is inactivated by dirt and debris, and it is not feasible to manually clean and remove all organic matter from such spaces,” the WHO said.
“Moreover, spraying porous surfaces, such as sidewalks and unpaved walkways, would be even less effective.” Besides, the ground isn’t typically a source of infection, the WHO said.
And once the disinfectant wears off, an infected person could easily contaminate the surface again.
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Will protests increase the spread of Covid-19?
Any large gathering can increase the spread because this coronavirus is transmissible by talking or even just breathing. Carriers of the virus can be contagious even if they don’t have symptoms.
And when people are “shouting and cheering loudly, that does produce a lot of droplets and aerosolization that can spread the virus to people,” said Dr. James Phillips, a physician and assistant professor at George Washington University Hospital.
So doctors and officials say its important to get vaccinated or wear a face mask and try to keep your distance from others as much as possible.
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Do vitamin D levels affect your risk for coronavirus? Is there a correlation between vitamin D and those who test positive for Covid-19?
“To date, there is no evidence that very high vitamin D levels are protective against COVID-19 and consequently medical guidance is that people should not be supplementing their vitamin D levels beyond those which are currently recommended by published medical advice,” wrote Robin May, director of the Institute of Microbiology and Infection at the University of Birmingham in the UK.
Vitamin D is important for healthy muscles, strong bones and a powerful immune system. The recommended daily dose of vitamin D for anyone over age 1 is 15 mcg/600 IU per day in the US. For anyone over 70 years of age in the US, the recommended daily intake goes up to 20 mcg/800 IU per day.
But too much vitamin D can lead to a toxic buildup of calcium in your blood that can cause confusion, disorientation, heart rhythm problems, bone pain, kidney damage and painful kidney stones.
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Can you get coronavirus from touching money? What about from other objects, like plants?
“Viruses can live on surfaces and objects — including on money — although your chance of actually getting COVID-19 from cash is probably very low,” emergency medicine physician Dr. Leana Wen said.
The new coronavirus can live for up to 72 hours on stainless steel and plastic, up to 24 hours after landing on cardboard, and up to four hours after landing on copper, according to a study funded by the US National Institutes of Health.
So how do you protect yourself? To avoid touching cash or coins, use contactless methods of payment whenever possible, Wen said.
If you can’t use a contactless form of payment, credit cards and debit cards are much easier to clean and disinfect than cash. But remember that anyone who touches your credit card can also leave germs on it.
If you must use cash, “wash your hands well with soap and water” afterward, Wen said.
The same applies for anything else you touch that might have coronavirus on it. If you can’t wash your hands immediately, use hand sanitzier or disinfectant.
And since Covid-19 is a respiratory disease, make sure you avoid touching your face.
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Can you get coronavirus by touching a dead body or the ashes of someone who had Covid-19?
It appears unlikely, but the CDC advises taking precautions.
Experts believe coronavirus is mainly spread during close contact (about 6 feet) with a person who is currently infected, the CDC said.
“This type of spread is not a concern after death,” the CDC said. But it cautions that “we are still learning how it spreads.”
“There may be less of a chance of the virus spreading from certain types of touching, such as holding the hand or hugging after the body has been prepared for viewing,” the CDC said.
“Other activities, such as kissing, washing, and shrouding should be avoided before, during, and after the body has been prepared, if possible.”
If washing the body or shrouding are important religious or cultural practices, “families are encouraged to work with their community’s cultural and religious leaders and funeral home staff on how to reduce their exposure as much as possible,” the CDC said.
“At a minimum, people conducting these activities should wear disposable gloves. If splashing of fluids is expected, additional personal protective equipment (PPE) may be required (such as disposable gown, faceshield or goggles and N-95 respirator).”
Cremated remains can be considered sterile, as infectious agents do not survive incineration-range temperatures, the CDC said.
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Can UV light kill coronavirus?
While some UV light devices are used for hospital disinfection, UV light only kills germs under very specific conditions — including certain irradiation dosages and exposure times, the World Health Organization said.
But UV light can also damage the body.
Two factors are required for UV light to destroy a virus: intensity and time. If the light is intense enough to break apart a virus in a short time, it’s going to be dangerous to people, said Donald Milton, a professor at the University of Maryland.
UVA and UVB light both damage the skin. UVC light is safer for skin, but it will damage tender tissue such as the eyes.
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Do I need to wash fruits and vegetables with soap and water?
No. The US Food and Drug Administration says you don’t need to wash fresh produce with soap and water, but you should rinse it with plain water.
But it’s still important to wash your hands with soap and water frequently because we often touch our faces without realizing it. And that’s a way coronavirus can spread.
You don’t have to worry about getting coronavirus by “eating” it, though. Even if coronavirus does get into your food, your stomach acid would kill it, said Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University.
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Can coronavirus stay in my hair or in a beard? Should I wash my hair every day?
Coronavirus can stick to hair, said Dr. David Aronoff, director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Touching contaminated hair and then touching your mouth, eyes or nose could increase your risk of infection. “Like on the skin, this coronavirus is a transient hitchhiker that can be removed by washing,” Aronoff said.
But that doesn’t mean you have to wash the hair on your head multiple times a day, said dermatologist Dr. Hadley King.
That’s because “living hair attached to our scalps may be better protected by our natural oils that have some antimicrobial properties and may limit how well microbes can attach to the hair,” she said.
“If you are going out into areas that could possibly be contaminated with viral particles, then it would be reasonable to wash the hair daily during the pandemic. But it’s not the same as hand washing – the virus infects us through our mucosal surfaces. If your hair is not falling into your face or you’re not running your fingers through it, then there is less of a risk.”
If your hair does fall into your face, you may want to pull it back to minimize your risk, King said.
As for facial hair, “washing at least daily if not more frequently is wise, depending on how often they touch their face,” Aronoff said.
Transmission treatment & prevention work/life
Could I infect my pets with coronavirus, or vice versa? Can someone get infected by touching an animal’s fur? Should I get my pet tested for coronavirus?
There have been some reports of animals infected with coronavirus — including two pets in New York and eight big cats at the Bronx Zoo.
Most of those infections came from contact with humans who had coronavirus, like a zoo employee who was an asymptomatic carrier.
But according to the CDC, there is no evidence animals play a significant role in spreading the virus to humans. Therefore, at this time, routine testing of animals for Covid-19 is not recommended.
As always, it’s best to wash your hands after touching an animal’s fur and before touching your face. And if your pet appears to be sick, call your veterinarian.
Family work/life treatment & prevention transmission
Should I wash my hands and laundry in very warm or hot water?
Hot water is best for killing bacteria and viruses in your laundry. But you don’t want to use that kind of scalding hot water on your skin.
Warm water is perfectly fine for washing your hands — as long as you wash them thoroughly (like this) and for at least 20 seconds. (To time yourself, you can hum the “Happy Birthday” song twice or sing a couple of verses from any of these hit songs from the past several decades.)
Cold water will also work, “but you have to make sure you work really vigorously to get a lather and get everything soapy and bubbly,” said chemist Bill Wuest, an associate professor at Emory University. To do that, you might need to sing “Happy Birthday” three times instead of twice.
“Warm water with soap gets a much better lather – more bubbles,” Wuest said. “It’s an indication that the soap is … trying to encapsulate the dirt and the bacteria and the viruses in them.”
Treatment & prevention work/life transmission myths & misinformation
How does soap kill coronavirus? If I don’t have disinfecting wipes, can I use soap and water on surfaces?
Yes, you can use soap and water on surfaces just like you would on your hands to kill coronavirus. But don’t use water alone — that won’t really help.
The outer layer of the virus is made up of lipids, aka fat. Your goal is to break through that fatty barrier, forcing the virus’ guts to spill out and rendering it dead.
In other words, imagine coronavirus is a butter dish that you’re trying to clean.
“You try to wash your butter dish with water alone, but that butter is not coming off the dish,” said Dr. John Williams, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
“You need some soap to dissolve grease. So soap or alcohol are very, very effective against dissolving that greasy liquid coating of the virus.”
By cutting through the greasy barrier, Williams said, “it physically inactivates the virus so it can’t bind to and enter human cells anymore.”
Work/life transmission treatment & prevention schools/education
Can coronavirus be transferred by people’s shoes? How do I protect kids who crawl or play on the floor?
Yes, coronavirus can live on the soles of shoes, but the risk of getting Covid-19 from shoes appears to be low.
A report published by the CDC highlighted a study from a hospital in Wuhan, China, where this coronavirus outbreak began.
The soles of medical workers’ shoes were swabbed and analyzed, and the study found that the virus was “widely distributed” on floors, computer mice, trash cans and door knobs. But it’s important to note the study was done in a hospital, where the virus was concentrated.
It’s still possible to pick up coronavirus on the bottoms of your shoes by running errands, but it’s unlikely you’ll get sick from it because people don’t often touch the soles of their shoes and then their faces. Because Covid-19 is a respiratory disease, the CDC advises wearing a mask while in public and washing your hands frequently– the correct way.
If you have small children who crawl or regularly touch the floor, it’s a good idea to take your shoes off as soon you get home to prevent coronavirus or bacteria from spreading on the floors.
transmission family treatment & prevention schools/education
Can I get coronavirus through food? Is it safe to eat takeout from restaurants?
There’s no evidence that coronavirus can be transmitted through food, the CDC says.
Even if coronavirus does get into your food, your stomach acid would kill it, said Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University.
“When you eat any kind of food, whether it be hot or cold, that food is going to go straight down into your stomach, where there’s a high acidity, low-pH environment that will inactivate the virus,” she said.
But it’s a good idea to disinfect the takeout containers, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said. Coronavirus is a respiratory virus, and it’s easy to touch your face without realizing it.
If you don’t have disinfecting wipes, use your own plates or bowls to serve the food. Just make sure to wash your hands after transferring food from the containers.
transmission family work/life
Can coronavirus spread through water, like in a swimming pool or hot tub?
“There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the use of pools and hot tubs,” the CDC says.
“Proper operation, maintenance, and disinfection (e.g., with chlorine and bromine) of pools and hot tubs should remove or inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.”
But health officials still advise staying at least 6 feet away from others because COVID-19 is a respiratory disease. In other words, you probably won’t get coronavirus from the water, but you could get coronavirus from someone close to you in the water.
As for drinking water, doctors say you don’t need to worry about coronavirus in the tap water because most municipal drinking water systems should remove or inactivate the virus.
Transmission work/life
Can mosquitoes or houseflies transmit coronavirus?
“To date there has been no information nor evidence to suggest that the new coronavirus could be transmitted by mosquitoes,” the World Health Organization says. There’s also no evidence so far suggesting flies can spread coronavirus.
Transmission myths & misinformation
Can you safely reuse a non-cloth mask that you can’t wash, like a disposable mask?
Work/life treatment & prevention
Will ingesting or injecting disinfectants, like the ones that kill viruses on surfaces, protect me against coronavirus or kill coronavirus if I already have it?
Myths & misinformation treatment & prevention work/life
What can we learn from how other countries handled coronavirus?
Singapore was initially praised for its clampdown on the virus. Even people who had no symptoms but tested positive had to be hospitalized until they tested negative.
But Singapore was also relaxed, allowing businesses, churches, restaurants and schools to stay open during its first wave of the virus. And some communities were overlooked by government testing.
The number of cases in Singapore shot up, and the country suffered a strong second wave of coronavirus.
By contrast, Germany, South Korea, Iceland and Taiwan have had among the lowest death rates from Covid-19 in the world.
Taiwan was proactive, launching its Central Epidemic Command Center before the island even confirmed its first infection.
Iceland required all its citizens returning to the country to undergo 14 days of quarantine – regardless of which country they traveled from.
Germany and South Korea quickly launched widespread testing and have some of the highest per-capita testing rates in the world. Their ability to identify and isolate those infected has helped prevent deadlier outcomes.
Work/life treatment & prevention
Can coronavirus stick to clothes? Do I need to wash my clothes right after encountering other people, like at the grocery store or while jogging?
“I don’t think you need to,” CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said.
Coronavirus can stay alive for up to three days on stainless steel and plastic. But clothing “is probably more like cardboard — it’s more absorbent, so the virus is unlikely to stay and last that long,” Gupta said.
While coronavirus can stay alive on cardboard for up to 24 hours, viruses generally don’t stick well on surfaces that are in motion.
“If you look at how viruses move through air, they kind of want to move around objects,” Gupta said. “They don’t want to necessarily land on objects. So if you’re moving as human body through the air … (it’s) unlikely to stick to your clothes.”
Transmission work/life family treatment & prevention
Will an antibody test show whether I’m immune and can go back to work or school?
Work/life treatment & prevention transmission schools/education
Can I use vodka as hand sanitizer?
Please don’t. The CDC advises using hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Vodka typically contains between 35% and 46% percent alcohol.
If the stores are out of hand sanitizer and you want to make your own, the Nebraska Medical Center offers this recipe:
What you’ll need:
- 2/3 cup 91% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
- 1/3 cup aloe vera gel
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon or something for whisking
- Small container, such as a 3-oz. travel bottle
- Optional: essential oil to give your hand sanitizer a fragrance
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, stir isopropyl alcohol and aloe vera gel together until well blended.
Add 8-10 drops of scented essential oil (optional, but nice). Stir.
Pour the homemade hand sanitizer into an empty container and seal. Write “hand sanitizer” on a piece of masking tape and attach to the bottle.
Myths & misinformation treatment & prevention
Are smokers or vapers at higher risk? What if I only smoke weed?
This is not a good time to be vaping or smoking anything, including weed.
“Vaping affects your lungs at every level. It affects the immune function in your nasal cavity by affecting cilia, which push foreign things out,” said Prof. Stanton Glantz, director of the Center for Tobacco Research Control and Education at University of California San Francisco.
When you vape, “the ability of your upper airways to clear viruses is compromised,” Glantz said.
Tobacco smokers are at especially high risk. In a study from China, where the first Covid-19 outbreak occurred, smokers were 14 times more likely to develop severe complications than non-smokers.
Even occasionally smoking marijuana can put you at greater risk.
“What happens to your airways when you smoke cannabis is that it causes some degree of inflammation, very similar to bronchitis, very similar to the type of inflammation that cigarette smoking can cause,” said pulmonologist Dr. Albert Rizzo, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association.
“Now you have some airway inflammation, and you get an infection on top of it. So yes, your chance of getting more complications is there.”
Work/life family treatment & prevention
My teenagers aren’t taking this seriously. Any advice?
Coronavirus isn’t just infecting young people. It’s killing young, healthy people as well.
We’ve reported many stories about young people getting severely sick with or dying from coronavirus.
Dimitri Mitchell, 18, admits he had a “false sense of security.” But he was later hospitalized with coronavirus and now wants everyone to take it seriously.
“I just want to make sure everybody knows that no matter what their age is, it can seriously affect them. And it can seriously mess them up, like it messed me up,” the Iowa teen said.
“Four days in, the really bad symptoms started coming along. I started having really bad outbreaks, like sweating, and my eyes were really watery. I was getting warmer and warmer, and I was super fatigued. … I would start experiencing the worst headaches I’ve ever felt in my life. They were absolutely horrible.”
Eventually, the teen had to be hospitalized. His mother said she worried he might “fall asleep and never wake up.”
Mitchell is now recovering, but has suffered from long-term effects.
“I just hope everybody’s responsible, because it’s nothing to joke about,” he said. “It’s a real problem, and I want everybody to make sure they’re following social distancing guidelines and the group limits. And just listen to all the rules and precautions and stay up to date with the news and make sure they’re informed.”
Family transmission treatment & prevention myths & misinformation schools/education
Does this pandemic have anything to do with the 5G network?
No. That’s just a hoax going around the internet.
“The theory that 5G might compromise the immune system and thus enable people to get sick from corona is based on nothing,” said Eric van Rongen, chairman of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).
Learn more about how 5G really works and why this hoax makes no sense.
Myths & misinformation
My ex and I have joint custody of our kids. Is it safe for them to go between two homes?
Ideally, you should limit your children’s potential exposures to coronavirus and work out the safest plan possible with your ex.
The problem: Some state and county family courts might be closed, or open only for emergencies involving abuse or endangerment. So it might be difficult to formally modify pre-existing custody agreements.
But some states may be offering some flexibility during the pandemic. And there may be creative solutions, such as spending more time with one parent now in exchange for extra time with the other parent after the pandemic ends.
Family work/life travel
How long does coronavirus stay “alive” on surfaces?
Up to three days, depending on the surface. According to a study funded by the US National Institutes of Health:
- The novel coronavirus is viable up to 72 hours after being placed on stainless steel and plastic.
- It was viable up to four hours after being placed on copper, and up to 24 hours after being put on cardboard.
- In aerosols, it was viable for three hours.
Transmission
Will a pneumonia or flu vaccine help protect against coronavirus?
Some cases of coronavirus do lead to pneumonia. But the pneumonia vaccine won’t help.
“Vaccines against pneumonia, such as pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine, only help protect people from these specific bacterial infections,” according to Harvard Medical School.
“They do not protect against any coronavirus pneumonia.”
Transmission myths & misinformation treatment & prevention vaccine
Should I wear a face mask in public? If so, how do I make one?
For unvaccinated people, the CDC “recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies).”
There are several key points:
transmission work/life myths & misinformation
Why is it so difficult to make a drug to cure coronavirus?
An antiviral drug must be able to target the specific part of a virus’ life cycle that is necessary for it to reproduce, according to Harvard Medical School.
“In addition, an antiviral drug must be able to kill a virus without killing the human cell it occupies. And viruses are highly adaptive.”
Treatment & Prevention
Why have medical workers gotten sick with or died from coronavirus if they’re wearing protective gear? Does the viral load matter?
Many health care workers haven’t had enough protective gear to handle the growing influx of coronavirus patients.
Some have resorted to using plastic report covers as masks. The CDC said medical providers might have to use expired masks or reuse them between multiple patients.
But it’s not just subpar protective gear that puts medical workers at risk. It’s also the amount of virus they’re exposed to.
“The viral load — the amount of virus – does determine the severity of your illness,” emergency medicine physician Dr. Leana Wen said. “So that could happen in the case of health care workers who are exposed to a lot more Covid-19 as a result of their work — that they get more severely ill.”
Transmission
How many people with coronavirus don’t have symptoms? Are they still contagious?
In one study, about 4 in 5 people with confirmed coronavirus in China were likely infected by people who didn’t know they had it, according to research published in the journal “Science.”
“These findings explain the rapid geographic spread of (coronavirus) and indicate containment of this virus will be particularly challenging,” researchers wrote.
In March 2020, the CDC said almost half of the 712 people with coronavirus who were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship didn’t have any symptoms when they tested positive.
Other studies suggest 25% to 50% of coronavirus carriers don’t have symptoms.
In the US, “I think it could be as many as 1 in 3 walking around asymptomatic,” said New Jersey primary care physician Dr. Alex Salerno.
“We have tested some patients that have known exposure to COVID (coronavirus disease). They did not have temperature. Their pulse/(oxygen) was OK.”
Salerno said more testing of people without symptoms is essential.
When asymptomatic carriers test positive, “we isolate them, and we separate them from the people who are not positive,” Salerno said. If more asymptomatic people got tested, “we could get people back to work safely.”
Transmission myths & misinformation work/life
If there’s no cure, why go to the hospital unless you have a breathing problem?
Most coronavirus patients don’t need to be hospitalized. “The vast majority of people – about 80% – will do well without any specific intervention,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Those patients should get plenty of rest, hydrate frequently and take fever-reducing medication.
“The current guidance – and this may change – is that if you have symptoms that are similar to the cold and the flu and these are mild symptoms to moderate symptoms, stay at home and try to manage them,” said Dr. Patrice Harris, president of the American Medical Association.
But about 20% of coronavirus patients get advanced disease. “Older patients and individuals who have underlying medical conditions or are immunocompromised should contact their physician early in the course of even mild illness,” the CDC says.
The CDC also says you should get immediate help if you have:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- Sudden confusion
- Bluish lips or face
“This list is not all inclusive,” the CDC says. “Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.”
Treatment & prevention family
Why are people stocking up on bottled water? Is the water supply at risk?
No, the water supply is not at risk.
“The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking water,” the CDC says. “Conventional water treatment methods that use filtration and disinfection, such as those in most municipal drinking water systems, should remove or inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.”
So there’s no need to hoard drinking water, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Fauci said he and his wife are still drinking tap water.
Work/life myths & misinformation
How do I safely take care of someone who’s sick?
It may be difficult to know whether your loved one has coronavirus or another illness.
So it’s critical to play it safe and not infect yourself and, in turn, others. The CDC suggests:
- Giving the sick person their own room to stay in, if possible. Keep the door closed.
- Having only one person serve as the caretaker.
- Asking the sick person to wear a face mask, if they are able to. If the mask causes breathing difficulties, then the caretaker should wear a mask instead.
Transmission family
What are the symptoms?
Fatigue, fever, dry cough, difficulty breathing and the loss of taste or smell are some of the symptoms of Covid-19.
Symptoms can appear anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks after exposure, the CDC says. But some people get no symptoms at all and can infect others without knowing it.
The illness varies in its severity. And while many people can recover at home just fine, some people — including young, previously healthy adults — are suffering long-term symptoms.
transmission
What can I do if my loved one thinks he or she has coronavirus?
Don’t visit family members with suspected illness – connect with them virtually.
If that person lives with you, limit contact with them and avoid using the same bathroom or bedroom if possible, the CDC advises.
If the person been diagnosed, he or she might be able to recover at home in isolation. Separate yourself as much as possible from your infected family member and keep animals away, too. Continue to use separate restrooms and regularly disinfect them.
Stock up on groceries and household supplies for them while they can’t travel outside and minimize trips to stores. Wash your hands frequently and avoid sharing personal items with the infected person.
If you think you’re developing symptoms, stay home and call your physician.
family
The stores are all out of disinfectant sprays and hand sanitizer. Can I make my own?
Yes, you can make both at home.
“Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted” if you’re trying to kill coronavirus on a non-porous surface, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
The CDC’s recipe calls for diluting 5 tablespoons (or ⅓ cup) of bleach per gallon of water, or 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of water.
You can also make your own hand sanitizer. The Nebraska Medical Center – famous for its biocontainment unit and treatment of Ebola patients – offers this recipe:
What you’ll need:
- 2/3 cup 91% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
- 1/3 cup aloe vera gel
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon or something for whisking
- Small container, such as a 3 oz. travel bottle
- Optional: essential oil to give your hand sanitizer a fragrance
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, stir isopropyl alcohol and aloe vera gel together until well blended.
Add 8-10 drops of scented essential oil (optional, but nice). Stir.
Pour the homemade hand sanitizer into an empty container and seal.
Write “hand sanitizer” on a piece of masking tape and attach to the bottle.
Work/life Treatment & Prevention
Can I be fired if I stay home sick?
An employee can be fired if they don’t show up to work and don’t have sick leave that would cover the absence, says Krista Slosburg, an employment attorney at Stokes Lawrence in Seattle.
But there are exceptions. Employers who make workers with Covid-19 come in may be violating Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA] regulations, said Donna Ballman, who heads an employee advocacy law firm in Florida.
Work/Life
What happens when workers don’t get paid sick leave?
If you work in a city or state that requires sick leave and you use it, you can‘t be terminated or disciplined.
But there is no federal mandate that requires companies to offer paid sick leave, and almost a quarter of all US workers don’t get it, according to 2019 government data. Some state and local governments have passed laws that require companies to offer paid sick leave.
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) can sometimes protect a worker’s job in the event they get sick, but it won’t guarantee they get paid while they’re out.
Employee advocates urge businesses to consider the special circumstances of the Covid-19, and some already have
Work/Life
Can managers send a sick worker home?
The Society for Human Resource Management recommends companies “actively encourage sick employees to stay home, send symptomatic employees home until they are able to return to work safely, and require employees returning from high-risk areas to telework during the incubation period (of 14 days).”
If a manager feels an employee’s illness poses a direct threat to colleagues’ safety, the manager may be able to insist the employee be evaluated by a doctor, said Alka Ramchandani-Raj, an attorney specializing in workplace safety.
Work/Life
If traveling on a plane, how do I stay safe?
Since Covid-19 is a respiratory disease, some airlines are now requiring passengers to wear face masks during the flight, except for while eating or drinking.
Health experts suggest eating, drinking and using the restroom before getting on the plane, to eliminate the need to take off your mask or go into a cramped lavatory on board.
And always be mindful of where your hands have been, travel medicine specialist Dr. Richard Dawood said.
Airport handrails, door handles and airplane lavatory levers are notoriously dirty.
“It is OK to touch these things as long as you then wash or sanitize your hands before contaminating your face, touching or handling food,” Dawood said.
“Hand sanitizers are great. So are antiseptic hand wipes, which you can also use to wipe down armrests, remote controls at your seat and your tray table.”
Travel family work/life
What do I do if I think I’m sick?
Stay home. Call your doctor to talk about your symptoms and let them know you’re coming for an appointment so they can prepare for your visit, the CDC says.
Only a Covid-19 test can diagnose you with coronavirus, but if you suspect you have it, isolate yourself at home.
Many patients with coronavirus are able to recover at home. If you’ve been diagnosed and your illness is worsening, seek medical attention promptly. You may need to be monitored in a hospital.
Treatment & Prevention
Should I spray myself or my kids with disinfectant?
No. Those products work on surfaces but can be dangerous to your body.
There are some chemical disinfectants, including bleach, 75% ethanol, peracetic acid and chloroform, that may kill the virus on surfaces.
But if the virus is already in your body, putting those substances on your skin or under your nose won’t kill it, the World Health Organization says. And those chemicals can harm you.
Treatment & Prevention myths & misinformation
I’ve heard that home remedies can cure or prevent the virus. Is that true?
There’s no evidence from the outbreak that eating garlic, sipping water every 15 minutes or taking vitamin C will protect people from the new coronavirus. Same goes for using essential oils or colloidal silver.
Treatment & prevention myths & misinformation
Why waste a test kit on a person without symptoms?
Some people with coronavirus have mild or no symptoms. And in some cases, symptoms don’t appear until up to 14 days after infection.
During that incubation period, it’s possible to get coronavirus from someone with no symptoms. It’s also possible you may have coronavirus without feeling sick and are accidentally infecting others.
Treatment & Prevention
Why was the US been so far behind other countries with testing?
Experts said cuts in federal funding for public health and problems with early testing forced the US to play catch-up.
Problems with public health infrastructure: Two years ago, the CDC stopped funding epidemic prevention activities in 39 countries, including China. This happened because the Trump administration refused to allocate money to a program that started during the 2014 Ebola outbreak.
Former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden warned that move “would significantly increase the chance an epidemic will spread without our knowledge and endanger lives in our country and around the world.”
Problems with the testing: Malfunctions, shortages and delays in availability have all contributed to the slowdown.
In the first few weeks of the outbreak in the US, the CDC was the only facility in the country that could confirm test results — even though a World Health Organization test became available around the same time.
Some test kits that were sent around the country were flawed — a move that put the US behind about “four to five weeks,” says Dr. Rob Davidson, executive director of the Committee to Protect Medicare.
Treatment & Prevention
If a coronavirus patient gets pneumonia, what antibiotics have proven to be effective?
No antibiotics are effective against Covid-19 because the disease is caused by a viral infection, not a bacterial infection.
“However, if you are hospitalized for the [coronavirus], you may receive antibiotics because bacterial co-infection is possible,” the World Health Organization says.
There is no known cure for the novel coronavirus.
Treatment & Prevention
Did Dean Koontz predict this outbreak in the book “The Eyes of Darkness” almost 40 years ago?
No. There are some interesting coincidences in the 1981 fiction novel, which says “a severe pneumonia-like illness will spread around the globe” around the year 2020. Modern editions of the book call the biological strain “Wuhan-400,” and the current coronavirus outbreak started in Wuhan, China.
But there are important differences between the book and reality. The original version of the book called the strain the “Gorki-400,” in reference to a Russian locality, before it was later changed to the “Wuhan-400.” In the book, the virus was man-made, while scientists believe the novel coronavirus started in animals and jumped to humans. And in the book, the virus had a 100% mortality rate. Early estimates of the mortality rate for this coronavirus outbreak range from 2-4%.
myths & misinformation
Can the heat from a hand dryer kill coronavirus?
Hand dryers can’t kill the virus, according to WHO. The organization also says that UV lamps shouldn’t be used to sterilize hands or other areas of the body because the radiation can irritate skin.
Drinking hot water or taking hot baths won’t kill it, either.
Myths & misinformation
Can I get coronavirus from a package sent from China?
No. “The new coronavirus cannot be transmitted through goods manufactured in China or any country reporting Covid-19 cases,” the World Health Organization says.
“Even though the new coronavirus can stay on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days (depending on the type of surface), it is very unlikely that the virus will persist on a surface after being moved, travelled, and exposed to different conditions and temperatures,” WHO said.
Myths & misinformation transmission
The last two quarterly results have disappointed them. Shares have fallen nearly 30% from their record high set just ahead of its fourth-quarter report in late January, with more than a third of that slide in share price taking place since the company reported first quarter results in April.
So whether the best performing stock of 2020 can get back on track will depend greatly on what investors hear Monday evening, when Tesla releases its second quarter results.
Here are the top issues they’ll be looking at:
How are things going in China?
Unlike other automakers, Tesla normally reports only global numbers, and doesn’t break down sales by country or market. But if it wants to assure investors, it may need to give details on its sales in China, which is not only the largest market for all auto sales but also the major market with the greatest share of sales going to EVs.
Tesla was hit by widespread reports of safety problems in China, including the recall of almost all cars made at its Shanghai factory and a protest by Tesla owners at the Shanghai auto show in April.
“The China growth stories is the top of the list for Tesla,” said Dan Ives, tech analyst with Wedbush Securities and a Tesla bull. “This is their key market, we believe 40% of their sales will come from there next year. I think that’s the linchpin to the stock going up or down.”
Although Chinese sales of EVs from other automakers are reportedly growing, Tesla’s China sales fell 9.2%, according to stats cited by Gordon Johnson of GLJ Research, an analyst who is one of Tesla’s harshest critics.
“It seems clear Tesla has a China demand problem,” he wrote in a recent note. “Weak second quarter 2021 China domestic sales likely translate into weak second quarter earnings for Tesla.”
How did it make its profits?
Analysts surveyed by Refinitiv expect Tesla to report adjusted income of more than $1 billion for the second straight quarter, and net income of about $650 million. Both would be records for the company, and would mark the eighth straight quarterly profit after years of losses.
But Tesla critics point out that its net income has never exceeded the money it gets from selling regulatory tax credits to other automakers for whom EV sales are a very small percentage of their overall sales. Those other automakers use the credits they purchase from Tesla to meet environmental standards, thus avoiding large fines.
Tesla got $518 million from those sales in the first quarter, but even Tesla admits it can’t count on those sales to continue as other automakers start to sell more of their own EVs. The company’s critics say it is proof that Tesla can’t make money just from selling cars.
If its net income finally does exceed those credits, as the estimates suggest, it will be a significant milestone for the company, Ives said.
“That would throw one of the core bear arguments against the stock out the window,” he said.
What’s going on with its bitcoin holdings?
In February, Tesla disclosed it used some of its cash on hand to purchase $1.5 billion in bitcoin. In April, it disclosed that it has sold some of those holdings and booked net income of $101 million from its crypto trading — adding to the argument that the company doesn’t make money actually selling cars.
The bitcoin transactions made some investors nervous, said Ives, especially since the cryptocurrency has lost more than a third of its value since then.
What’s going on with supply chain issues?
The entire global auto industry is struggling with a computer chip shortage.
With other automakers ramping up production of their own EVs, Tesla now has greater competition for the raw materials that make up large EVe batteries, such as lithium.
In May, Musk tweeted that Tesla had to raise the price of its cars because of rising raw material costs. The outlook for raw material prices and the supply of parts such as chips and batteries will be a key to investors’ expectations about Tesla sales the rest of this year.
What’s going on with new plants in Texas and Germany?
Tesla has a track record of getting new plants up and running much faster than traditional automakers.
It has a plant under construction near Austin, Texas, which will build the Model Y SUV and eventually the Cybertruck pickup, as well as another near Berlin to serve the European market, where it is losing ground on EV sales to Volkswagen (VLKAF).
Having two plants under construction simultaneously is the most ambitious expansion ever for Tesla, and the outlook for when the plants will be up to speed will be a key to investor expectations going forward.
Tesla said in April it expected both plants to have limited production later this year and “volume production” in 2022. It did not spell out what that means.
What’s the latest on the Cybertruck?
With a number of established automakers such as Ford (F) and General Motors (GM) on the verge of selling their own electric pickups, it’s important that Tesla get the Cybertruck, its first pickup, into consumers’ hands soon. In January, Musk said he was expecting “volume production” in 2022.
Then in March he tweeted “Update probably in Q2.” He said the focus now was getting the Texas plant finished, calling that job a “beast.” Investors are anxious to get that update.
What are plans to open Tesla’s superchargers to other automakers’ EVs.
This past week, Musk said in a tweet that “we’re making our Supercharger network open to other EVs later this year.” As is often the case when he makes news via tweet, there were no details to help investors assess the business impact of such a move.
It could be significant. “By 2030, we conservatively estimate Tesla supercharging revenue of $2.9 billion, a figure which does not include any revenue from non-Tesla vehicles,” wrote Morgan Stanley auto analyst Adam Jonas in a note following the tweet.
Musk will almost certainly be asked about the plans to open the network to other companies’ cars during the conference call.
What’s the outlook for full self-driving cars?
This is one reason Tesla shares have so greatly outperformed traditional auto stocks: the belief of investors that it is closer to offering full self-driving cars, or FSD, than any other companies.
Musk keeps promising advances for versions of FSD in his tweets. And Tesla CFO Zachary Kirkhorn spoke on the last earnings call about the potential for significant revenue from drivers who pay for FSD on a subscription basis.
But so far FSD has been more promise than reality. Investors will be eager to hear the latest outlook, and for the revenue that Tesla hopes to gain from it.
That was until a group of high school students in Maryland designed and built a wheelchair stroller attachment so that people with disabilities could walk their babies.
The idea was born when students at Bullis School, a private K-12 school in Potomac, discovered that one of their teachers was expecting a baby, and her husband, who had impaired mobility, may never be able to walk his own child.
In 2017, Chelsie King, a 32-year-old middle-school theater teacher at Bullis, had been engaged to her now-husband Jeremy King, 37, for only three months before they discovered he had a brain tumor. That October, he underwent an eight-hour surgery to remove it, and was left with a number of challenges, including an inability to balance. He was a nurse anesthetist who had traveled to Africa for medical missions before the surgery.
Three years later, when Jeremy discovered they were going to have a baby, he couldn’t contain his excitement — followed by constant worries of how he would be able to help parent, or even take part in the joy of taking his baby for a walk.
“It was an immediate concern,” Jeremy said in a statement. “I was very concerned with the safety of myself and our child especially with Chelsie having to potentially support both of us. It played on my mind constantly which is why it was important for us to find things to help.”
So Chelsie reached out to Matt Zigler, a fellow educator who runs the BITlab, the school’s creative lab, and teaches a course called “Making for Social Good.”
“We knew we were expecting in March and I asked him if he thought he could build something for us as a personal favor and he had the idea to throw this to his Making For Social Good class and I thought that was an amazing idea,” Chelsie said in a statement.
Zigler’s students immediately began working on the project, which they called the “WheeStroll.” They hoped to create something that could not only change Jeremy’s life, but the lives of millions of other people living with similar challenges.
A project driven by empathy
Since the baby was expected to be born in early March and the students began their project late November, they had about three months to come up with an idea and successfully execute it.
Jacob Zlotnitsky, 18, was one of the 10 students in Zigler’s class who dedicated his winter semester to creating the WheeStroll. For Zlotnitsky, the project was more than a class assignment — for that portion of his senior year, it was his purpose.
Zlotnitsky and his classmates began by brainstorming various ways to transform the wheelchair into a device that could either accommodate a baby carrier or stroller.
The project began with more questions than ideas: Does Jeremy live in an area with sidewalks? What kind of terrain does he use his wheelchair on? Were there ramps to help him move around? What kind of weather would he be taking the baby out in?
“The hardest part of the project was putting ourselves in the shoes of a person with physical disabilities,” Zlotnitsky, who is now heading to Boston University, told CNN. “To achieve a successful project we had to use empathy and really make sure we were thinking about everything a person with Mr. King’s disabilities would be forced to consider.”
After interviewing the expecting couple, the students learned that their device would have to meet three design requirements: It had to be safe, easy to maneuver, and something Jeremy would be able to attach and detach without help from anyone else.
The device was tested with Jeremy before the baby was born, and the students continued to add more safety features and small adjustments.
After weeks of trial and error, the students successfully created two designs: the WheeStroll Wheelchair Stroller Attachment, which uses a metal structure attachment to connect a car seat to a wheelchair, and the WheeStroll Wheelchair Stroller Adapter, which uses 3D-printed parts to attach an entire stroller to a wheelchair.
The WheeStroll Wheelchair Stroller Adapter is meant to be used once the baby gets older and can no longer fit in a car seat, according to Zigler.
“We wanted to make sure as the kids age out of the first solution, the parents would have a second solution they could use at that point,” he said.
Appreciating the simple things in life
Phoenix King was born on March 4. By then, the WheeStroll was just days away from being perfected.
“It was really emotional for us to see it completed,” Chelsie said. “Our son was a week old when Matt delivered the final product to us and to know that we would be able to use it so soon after our son was born is just a really lovely thought.”
Soon enough, Jeremy was able to walk Phoenix from the safety and comfort of his wheelchair — something he feared he would never be able to do.
“It was a very emotional experience because I never thought I would be able to do something safely like taking a walk with my child,” Jeremy said. “It has allowed me to experience things that I would not have been able to do before having the WheeStroll. It allows us as a family to have more freedom of movement.”
While the Kings say it can be easy as parents to let the simple blessings in life go unrecognized, they couldn’t be more grateful for every moment they share with their baby.
“It has given us the ability to do something simple like take a walk as a family. Something that a lot of families don’t have to think twice about,” Chelsie said.
“This surgery changed our lives drastically and we have worked very hard to accept, learn and overcome those challenges but parenting is a whole new set of challenges. Anything that can help Jeremy feel confident as a parent is priceless to me.”
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the students were unable to meet Jeremy and see him use their device in person. Instead, Chelsie sent videos of Jeremy using the WheeStroll to the high schoolers. Zigler said they were “so happy and proud” to see the change they were able to make.
“It was such a heartwarming moment,” Zlotnitsky said. “It felt so great to see it and to know I changed a life and made a family’s life a little bit better through something I built. It’s crazy to think that’s a reality.”
Sharing their invention with the world
One of the most important parts of the project, Zigler says, was making sure it was simple and affordable enough to allow other families with disabilities to recreate it for their own use.
“We wanted to come up with a design that would be easily repeatable for other people with access to basic tools,” Zigler said.
The final design for the WheeStroll Wheelchair Stroller Attachment, which attaches a car seat to a wheelchair, requires simple tools — totaling up to less than $100 — and an easy design the class has shared online so anyone who needs it can access it.
The design comes with instructions, a material list, and even a video and photos showing the step-by-step process.
“I’m so happy to help at least one family and if we can help more by sharing our design it would be really incredible.” Zlotnitsky said.
The WheeStroll Wheelchair Stroller Adapter, which is to be used with a stroller once the baby grows up, is a little bit more complicated since it requires a 3D printer, but is still easily created by anyone with access to one.
Zigler says they plan to upload the design and instruction list once they finish testing their options with Jeremy and perfect their final product.
Until then, the high school teacher will continue using his class to help young people recognize their talent and use it to change peoples’ lives for the better.
“My class helps kids gain a recognition that even though they’re students, they can come up with ideas and have access to tools and resources to make a different in the world,” Zigler said. “It’s very empowering for students to know they don’t have to wait four years of college before they can get out into the world and help people.”
The team won two international awards by the Make:able 3D Printing Challenge for their wheelchair project, including “Best Inspirational Story” and “Best Showcase of Iterative Design.”
“It made me realize what’s important in life, and part of that is benefiting our communities and being able to empathize with others,” Zlotnitsky said. “I feel fortunate to have been able to take a class that has allowed me to make a difference in people’s lives.”
The UK defense subcommittee, which described its inquiry into the treatment of women in the military as “one of the most important” in its history, said that 62% of respondents said they had experienced some form of bullying, harassment or discrimination while serving.
More than 4,100 women testified for the report, including staff and veterans.
The testimonies, given in confidential and public evidence, include gang-rape, sexual assault by drugs, sexual exploitation of under-18s and “trophies” or contests to “bag the women” on camp or on ships.
Some women also claimed they were bullied for refusing sexual advances and witnessed groups of men attacking their friends but were “too afraid to report it.”
“The military has come a long way in recent years… However, it is clear to us that the military is, in many ways, a man’s world,” Sarah Atherton, chair of the subcommittee on women in the Armed Forces, said in a statement.
She added that “the Complaints system, as it stands, is woefully inadequate and leaves most feeling unable to come forward.”
Atherton also said that while many commanding officers want to “do the right thing,” female staff are being “let down by the chain of command,” explaining that there had been accusations of “senior officers sweeping complaints under the rug to protect their own reputations and careers.”
Drawing from the report, Atherton suggests that the serious sexual offenses should not be tried in a military court, given that conviction rates are “four to six times lower” than a normal court.
She said that servicewomen are being “denied justice.”
The report is the first of its kind, with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) lifting the usual restrictions that prevent service personnel from contributing to parliamentary inquiries.
Following the report’s publication, the MoD said in a post on Twitter: “Bullying and harassment is entirely unacceptable within the Armed Forces, and we are committed to eliminating all inappropriate behaviours.”
Despite their testimonies, nine out of 10 female service staff would still recommend a career in the military, Atherton said.
“Now that the issues for military women have been exposed, it is time we started to protect those who protect us and make changes that better our Armed Forces, for all who serve,” she said.
This past week, though, a number of hosts at Fox have taken a more pro-vaccine tone.
One reason could be that the majority Republican audience who watch Fox are less likely to be vaccinated than the public at large.
Take a look at recent data from the Axios/Ipsos tracking poll — specifically, a combined sample of their last two surveys (in order to get a good sample size).
According to the combined sample, 62% of adults who use Fox News as their main news source have received at least one dose of the vaccine. That’s not nothing, but it’s still relatively low.
The Ipsos poll found that 70% of all adults had at least one vaccine dose in their polling (very close to what the CDC is showing). Fox News is plenty below that.
This is the opposite pattern we see from people whose main news source is television or radio and not Fox News.
The people who get their news from CNN or MSNBC, for example, had a vaccination rate of 83% in the same polling. Likewise, 79% of adults who rely on network news have had at least one dose of a vaccine. About three-quarters (74%) who get their news from public television or radio were at least partially vaccinated.
On the one hand, this really shouldn’t be surprising. Fox News viewers are far more Republican leaning than those of most other television news outlets. We know from the data that Republicans are less likely to get vaccinated, regardless of their main news source.
Put another way, it’s not clear whether Fox News is causing people to want the vaccine less or whether its viewers are predisposed to want it less.
For whatever reason, the trendline indicates that Fox News fans have also hit a wall in terms of their vaccination rate. If you examine Ipsos polls conducted from mid-April to mid-June, about 61% of people who get their news from Fox had gotten a vaccine at that point. That’s just a point less than the percentage of Fox News viewers now who say they’ve gotten a vaccine.
This type of movement is well within any margin of error.
During the same period, adults overall with at least one dose went from 63% to 70%. Those who get their news from CNN or MSNBC saw their vaccination rate jump from 74% to 83%. The people who get their news from the major networks had their vaccination rate climb from a little less than 75% to a little more than 79%.
The reason why the television comparison is so important is because of age. Older Americans have been more likely to have been vaccinated than younger Americans. Additionally, they are the ones who get vaccinated at the highest level earlier on in the pandemic.
The Fox News audience, like many television audiences, is relatively old. In the poll, the average age was 55 for a person whose main news source is Fox News.
The average of all respondents in the poll was 48.
This should mean that barring anything else, the Fox News audience should have a higher vaccination rate. This, of course, is not the case.
The obvious hope is that Fox News viewers who weren’t going to get the vaccine decide at a minimum to take a second look as Fox News personalities take a more pro-vaccine stance.
Americans, regardless of where they get their news or who they vote for, are in this fight against the pandemic together. The more people vaccinated, the better chance we have at saving lives.
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