COVID-19 101

About 2% or less of people are asymptomatic, or have COVID-19 without symptoms. There are also people who are presymptomatic, meaning they are not showing symptoms yet. We know that these people can spread the virus 1-2 days before symptoms appear. We anticipate that most patients with COVID-19 will have some symptoms, even if mild.

People are most infectious from 1-2 days prior to symptoms appearing to several days after symptoms appear. That is part of the unique nature of this disease.

The CDC recommends wearing a face mask to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by those unaware they have it. Even a cloth mask can help reduce spread.

Antibody testing may become quite important, but it is in the early stages of development. There are many laboratories looking to produce antibody tests. If these tests are sensitive enough and specific enough for COVID-19, a positive test would prove a person had had COVID-19 while a negative test would prove a person had not had COVID-19. We need to be certain these are effective, validated tests before we can rely upon their results and use the information in a helpful way.

We all have to continue to be vigilant and adhere to public health guidance. We need to stop the spread of COVID-19 even more now, as we reopen and increase our interactions with others. The 5 ways to do this are very simple.

• Don't go out if you are sick or have symptoms.
• Wash your hands frequently using soap and water or hand sanitizer.
• Do not touch your face, eyes, nose or mouth.
• Sneeze and cough into your elbow.
• Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and others.

At least 80% of people with COVID-19 will be able to rest and recover at home. A smaller subset will need to receive care in the hospital, and an even smaller subset will have critical illness and receive treatment in the ICU. Even though only a small percentage of those infected will need hospitalization, we have to remember that this virus infects a large number of people and could easily overwhelm our healthcare system in terms of the number of available hospital rooms and ventilators and the supply of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers.

No. These are misconceptions. Carbon dioxide, which we release as we exhale, diffuses easily through masks. There is no evidence or science to indicate that wearing a mask weakens the immune system. We encourage the use of masks when out in public or when physical distancing is not possible. Covering the mouth and nose reduces the spread of germs.

While no data proves wearing 2 masks is better than wearing 1, common sense would indicate double masking adds a layer of extra protection. Those who feel safer and able to tolerate wearing 2 masks should feel free to do so.

It is too early in the disease’s progression to answer that question with certainty, but the nation is seeing instances of people who have had COVID-19 and contract the infection again. We absolutely recommend that any person who has recovered from COVID-19 continue to behave with caution and responsibility – practicing the pillars of infection prevention and control – to protect against contracting or spreading COVID-19. In addition, while the plasma of COVID-19 survivors may be of use to treat those who are sick, we strongly discourage anyone from willingly contracting COVID-19 with the intent to sell plasma. It’s a dangerous risk.