The advice from health experts and government officials seems to change by the minute, creating stress for anyone looking for guidance during one of the biggest public health crises in over a century. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or unsure about where to turn for reliable answers. As part of Everyday Health’s ongoing commitment to providing the latest news and research about the novel coronavirus, we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions, as well as tips about COVID-19 prevention, symptoms, treatment, and more. RELATED: The Latest Coronavirus News and Alerts While the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 hasn’t been seen before in humans, coronaviruses in general are not new. SARS-CoV-2, the official name for the new (or novel) coronavirus, belongs to a large family of coronaviruses that cause health issues ranging from the common cold to more serious illnesses like pneumonia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While SARS-CoV-2 is genetically similar to SARS-CoV (the coronavirus that was responsible for the 2003 SARS outbreak), the two differ in symptoms, severity, and infectiousness. RELATED: Coronavirus Glossary: Key Terms About the Pandemic Explained
2. How Does the Coronavirus Compare With the Flu?
Early in the pandemic, President Donald Trump and others likened the coronavirus to influenza. Both infect people through respiratory droplets and cause symptoms such as a cough, fever, and body aches. It’s believed that COVID-19 has a higher death rate than influenza, but the full extent is not yet fully known in the public health or research realm. Comparing mortality rates depends on many factors, such as access to healthcare, population studies, and more, notes the World Health Organization (WHO). Roughly 24,000 to 62,000 people in the United States died from the flu between October 2019 and April 2020, reports the CDC. As of August 4, 2020, there have been more than 156,000 COVID-related deaths in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, with numbers continuing to climb. RELATED: Expert Tips for Coping With COVID-19 at Home Since then, doctors and scientists have identified more. According to the CDC, these include:
Fever or chillsCoughShortness of breath or difficulty breathingFatigueMuscle or body achesHeadacheNew loss of taste or smellSore throatCongestion or runny noseNausea or vomitingDiarrhea
A number of unique symptoms have also been reported, such as a phenomenon known as “COVID-toes,” which is characterized by redness, swelling, or a rash on the toes or fingers. Symptoms typically appear within 2 to 14 days after exposure, and roughly 25 percent of people don’t show any symptoms at all, according to the CDC. People who are asymptomatic can also transmit the disease, although to what extent isn’t fully understood yet, notes a new report from the WHO. Most COVID-19 cases are mild to moderate and get better on their own, but research estimates close to 40 percent of U.S. adults are at higher risk of developing a severe illness, according to a study published in April 2020 by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The risk of getting seriously sick or dying from COVID-19 is higher for people who are 65 and older as well as those with underlying health conditions, such as lung disease, diabetes, and heart disease. RELATED: Could Your Digestive Issues Be a Symptom of COVID-19?
4. What Treatments Are Available for COVID-19?
Currently, there is no cure for COVID-19. For the majority of cases that clear up at home, healthcare professionals recommend taking care of yourself in the same ways you would with the flu — getting lots of rest, staying hydrated, and taking medication to reduce fever and pain. Early in the pandemic, hospitals in the United States often treated patients with hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug, despite a lack of evidence about its safety and effectiveness. A study published June 3, 2020, in The New England Journal of Medicine found that hydroxychloroquine did not prevent illness in people who were exposed to the coronavirus. Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) withdrew its emergency use approval for the drug as a treatment for hospitalized patients, given that clinical trials so far have shown its effectiveness to be limited. Researchers are now pinning hopes on remdesivir, an experimental antiviral drug originally developed as a potential medication for hepatitis C, which the FDA authorized for emergency use as a COVID-19 treatment in May. Early evidence from a study published in May in The New England Journal of Medicine found that patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who took remdesivir recovered in 11 days compared to 15 days for the group who didn’t receive the drug. Another promising drug is dexamethasone, a type of steroid that early studies found could reduce mortality by roughly one-third for critically ill patients on ventilators and by roughly one-fifth for critically ill patients requiring only oxygen, notes the WHO. Like remdesivir, dexamethasone is still in the testing phase and more research on its safety and effectiveness is needed. RELATED: What You Need to Know About Remdesivir, the First FDA-Authorized COVID-19 Medication According to the WHO, there are 23 vaccine candidates undergoing clinical study around the world, but none have been approved for general use yet. Several experimental vaccines — including one from Sinovac in China and another from a partnership between the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca — are in the final stages of human trials. Researchers from Moderna based in Cambridge, Massachusetts began a 30,000-person study on July 27.
6. How Can I Get Tested for the Coronavirus?
There are two main types of COVID-19 tests: a viral test and an antibody test. The viral test typically involves a nasal swab, which can identify if you have a current infection, and the antibody test taken through a blood sample can tell if you’ve previously been infected, according to the CDC. There are close to 4,500 testing sites across the United States, as listed by GoodRx, including hospitals, clinics, and drive-thrus. You can get tested at any of these sites, although some may require an appointment and a referral from a healthcare professional. Delays in getting testing results have been an ongoing problem in the United States as cases spike in different parts of the country, putting a strain on labs. RELATED: Your COVID-19 Testing Guide: Diagnostic Tests, Antibody Tests, Saliva Tests, and More
7. What Can I Do to Stay Safe?
Infectious disease experts urge restrictions on public gatherings, particularly indoors, to prevent the virus from spreading. Here are a few tips from the CDC on how to keep yourself and others safe:
Wear a face covering or mask when out in public places like grocery stores.Try to maintain a social distance of at least six feet from people not in your household.Visit parks or outdoor areas during off-peak hours to avoid crowds.Wash your hands frequently.Bring hand sanitizer on outings.Try to not touch your face without washing your hands thoroughly first.
For more information, see the CDC’s full list of recommended precautions. RELATED: Your COVID-19 Safety Summer Guide
