Websites we link to from the guide might not be accessible.
You can watch the video below to learn more about COVID-19 and how it spreads. It is only in English at this time.
You can find more information for the public from the following websites and guides.
(Image source: Unsplash, by Kelly Sikkema)
When humans are infected with a coronavirus, they usually have flu-like symptoms. COVID-19 is usually mild and you may experience the following:
You might not have symptoms until 2-14 days after you catch the virus.
Watch this video from the World Health Organization for tips on how to stay healthy.
An epidemic is when there are more people sick with a disease than you would expect. This happens in a community or region. Flu causes epidemics in most states of the US every year.
The WHO says that a pandemic is the worldwide spread of a new disease. A pandemic does not tell us how serious a disease is. Pandemic only means that it has spread over the world. It is also only used if the disease is a new one. Pandemic is not used for common diseases like flu.
This is a way to keep people from being too close together. It helps slow down the spread of a virus. Events with crowds like church services and concerts might be called off.
This is when a person stays home and away from other people. The person is not sick but might become ill or might be able to spread a virus. They stay away from other people for 14 days to wait and see if they get sick.
This is when a person who is sick is kept separate from other people. This helps prevent the spread of the virus. This is different from quarantine because a person in isolation is sick. A person in quarantine is not sick.
The chance of getting sick with the coronavirus in the United States is low. There are three main ways to be at high risk of getting sick:
Most cases of COVID-19 have been mild. Most sick people have not gone to the hospital. If you have another disease that makes your COVID-19 sickness very bad, you might need to go to the hospital. You will get help breathing or get treated for another illness that you might have caught. There is no cure for a virus. All treatment while you are sick will be trying to make your symptoms easier to handle.
Most reported cases of the virus have been mild. This virus spreads more easily than other coronaviruses but it causes fewer deaths. Very old people and people who are already sick have the highest chance of being very sick. There have been no reported deaths of children or babies.
Learning about the spread of COVID-19 and its symptoms is good, but you do not have to store a lot of supplies. Buying a lot of supplies like soap and masks will make it harder for people who really need them to have them. Health care workers, people who are already sick, and people caring for the sick need masks the most. You can have two or three weeks extra of your most important medicines, but more than that could cause problems. Your medications could go bad before you use them and it could keep others who need it from having it.
Most people with COVID-19 will recover. If we all do our part to stay healthy, we can save health supplies for the people who need them most.
It is up to you to decide if you want to travel or go to events with a lot of other people. If you are worried about work, ask your boss what their plan is. Larger organizations may allow people to work from their homes. The best thing you can do is follow the tips on how to stay healthy to protect yourself and others.
Malaka Gharib is from National Public Radio's Morning Edition. She has created a comic zine just for kids. It tells them what they need to know about the coronavirus. Click on the image below or on this link to go to their webpage. You can print out a copy and fold it so you can take it to school and share with your friends.
Parents can learn more by visiting the KidsHealth website.
Watch this video from experts to learn the truth about the coronavirus.
The following questions and answers can be found online. You can visit the websites listed below to read more.
People of all ages can become sick with COVID-19. Older people and people who already have other health conditions (like asthma, diabetes, heart disease) might have a higher chance of being very ill. People of all ages should take steps to protect themselves, like washing your hands.
No, your dog or cat will not be sick with the new virus or spread it to you. It is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after touching pets. This protects you against bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella that can pass between pets and humans.
No. Hand dryers cannot kill the new coronavirus. Clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water to protect yourself. Once your hands are cleaned, dry them by using paper towels or a warm air dryer.
No. Any person can become sick with COVID-19. You should not be scared of anyone who is Asian or Asian-American. You should not worry about becoming ill with COVID-19 unless you have traveled to an outbreak area or been in close contact with a person who has the virus.
Some people called the new virus the Wuhan Coronavirus when the outbreak started. The World Health Organization (WHO) has named the virus COVID-19. Names of new diseases cannot have people or places in them.
It is safe to eat Chinese food and drink Corona beer. Food and drink are not able to give you COVID-19.
Yes, it is safe. People who get packages from China are not at risk of getting sick. Earlier studies show that this type of virus does not live long outside of the body.
Katie Houk, MLIS, AHIP, CHIS II
Health Literacy and Community Engagement Librarian
UNLV Health Sciences Library