The Comprehensive Guide to COVID-19
Date: July 7, 2022
This handy infographic is a quick reference to understanding the COVID-19 virus, including symptoms, how it transmits, how to prevent getting it, and what to do should you get it. Additional helpful pieces of information are also provided.
COVID-19 Epidemiology—Origin
Coronaviruses are a large family of common viruses in various animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely do animal coronaviruses infect humans and then spread between individuals. U.S. patients’ sequences are similar to those that China initially posted, suggesting a likely single, recent emergence of this virus from an animal reservoir.
Early on, many of the patients in the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China, had some link to a live animal seafood market, suggesting animal-to-person spread. Later, many patients reportedly were not exposed to animal markets, indicating person-to-person spread.
Experts have reported person-to-person transmission outside China, including in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe (Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland), Asia (South Korea, Japan, Singapore), and other locations. Chinese officials report that sustained person-to-person spread in the community is occurring in China. Additionally, other destinations have apparent community spread. Community spread means some infected individuals are unsure how or where they became infected. Learn what is known about the dispersion of newly emerged coronaviruses here.
Transmission—How Does COVID-19 Spread? Sources of Transmission
How COVID-19 Spreads
The current understanding of how the novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) spreads is based mainly on known coronaviruses. COVID-19 is a new disease, and there is more to learn about how it transmits, the severity of illness it causes, and the extent to which it may spread in the US. Here are some of the things we currently understand about the virus. It is spread:
- By person-to-person transmission.
- Between people in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet (1.83 m), respiratory droplets are produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
- By contact with infected surfaces or objects.
- It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose, or eyes. However, experts do not believe this to be the primary way the virus spreads.
Can Someone Spread the COVID-19 Virus Without Being Sick?
Experts suspect people are most contagious when they are symptomatic.
Contamination can occur before people show symptoms. There have been reports of this happening, but this is not the primary way the virus spreads.
How Easily Does COVID-19 Spread?
How easily a virus spread varies from person to person. Some illnesses are highly contagious, while others spread more slowly. The virus causing COVID-19 seems to be spreading swiftly and sustainably by community spread within affected geographic areas. Community-spread means infected individuals within a region transmit the virus from person to person, including those uncertain about how or where they became infected. For determined novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe infections, including deaths. Symptoms can include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of Breath
- Headache
- Sore Throat
- Weakness
- Rhinitis
- General Malaise.
Symptoms of COVID-19
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) currently believes symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as two (2) days, with the possibility of manifesting up to 14 days after exposure. This is based on what has been seen as the incubation period of MERS-CoV viruses. The latest situation summary updates are available on the CDC’s Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) web page.
What to do if you or Someone is Suspected of Having COVID-19?
Prevention of COVID-19
There is currently no vaccine to prevent the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid exposure to the virus.
However, as a reminder, the CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
- Avoid close contact with sick people.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask.
- CDC does not recommend people wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
- Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. Facemasks are also crucial for health workers and people caring for someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
For information about handwashing, see CDC’s handwashing website. See the CDC’s Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings for information specific to healthcare. These are everyday habits that can help prevent the spread of several viruses. CDC does have guidance for travelers.
What to Do if the Novel Coronavirus 2019 is Confirmed
- Restrict the activities outside your home, except for medical care.
- Do not go to work, school, or other public areas.
- Avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis.
- Socially distance yourself from other people and animals in your home. Stay in a specific room and away from others in your home. Furthermore, you should use a separate bathroom, if available.
- If you have a medical appointment, call the healthcare provider and tell them you have or may have COVID-19. Calling ahead will help the healthcare provider take steps to keep others from becoming infected or exposed.
- Wear a face mask. One should wear a face mask around others (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) or pets.
- If you cannot wear a face mask (e.g., it causes difficulty breathing), people who live with you should not stay in the same room and wear face coverings if they enter your room.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw used napkins in a lined trash can. Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. It’s helpful to remember that 20 seconds is equivalent to singing “Row your Boat” three times or “Happy Birthday” twice. A second-best option is to clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60–95 percent alcohol over the entire surface of your hands by rubbing them together until they feel dry. Use soap and water instead of a hand sanitizer if your hands are visibly dirty.
- Avoid sharing personal household items. It is best to avoid sharing dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people or pets in your home. After use, these items should be washed thoroughly with soap and water.
Quick Contacts
Here is a small index of key contacts to keep as a handy reference. Key Contacts (CDC, WHO, San Francisco Department of Public Health)
-
- Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention;
- World Health Organization (WHO);
- San Francisco Department of Public Health;
- Health Map of the Coronavirus Outbreak;
- New England Journal of Medicine.
Infographic
Download your COVID-19 infographic (version 2) by clicking the image below. Use it as a reference or post it at your work, school, or home.
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