19 Jun How Does Coronavirus Spread? No, Really!
We curated the following story from WebMD. The piece titled “How Does Coronavirus Spread? addresses persistent questions from pets to packages. Did you know, for example, the virus can live on surfaces like plastic and stainless steel for 2 to 3 days?
With cases of the new coronavirus reported in all 50 states, health officials are focused on slowing the spread. By understanding how coronavirus spreads, you can take the right steps so you don’t get sick and infect others.
Person-to-Person Transmission
Experts believe the virus that causes COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person. There are several ways this can happen:
Droplets. When an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, droplets with the virus fly into the air from their nose or mouth. Anyone who is within 6 feet of that person can breathe those droplets into their lungs.
Aerosolized transmission. Research shows that the virus can live in the air for up to 3 hours. When you breathe air that has the virus floating in it, it gets into your lungs.
Surface transmission. Another way to catch the new coronavirus is when you touch surfaces that someone who has the virus has coughed or sneezed on. You may touch a countertop or doorknob that’s contaminated and then touch your nose, mouth, or eyes. The virus can live on surfaces like plastic and stainless steel for 2 to 3 days. To stop it, clean and disinfect all counters, knobs, and other surfaces you and your family touch several times a day.
Fecal-oral. Studies also suggest that virus particles can be found in infected people’s poop. But experts aren’t sure whether the infection can spread through contact with an infected person’s stool. If that person uses the bathroom and doesn’t wash their hands, they could infect things and people that they touch.
The virus most often spreads through people who have symptoms. But it may be possible to pass it on without showing any signs. Some people who don’t know they’ve been infected can give it to others. This is called asymptomatic spread. You can also pass it on before you notice any signs of infection, called pre-symptomatic spread.
Community Spread
Sometimes, a person can trace how they got the virus because they know that they’ve been in contact with someone who’s sick. In other cases, the cause is unknown. Community spread is when someone gets the virus without any known contact with a sick person.
Pets and COVID-19
A few pets have tested positive for the new coronavirus. Not all of these animals had signs of illness, but some have had mild symptoms. The animals may have caught the virus from close contact with humans who were infected.
Public health officials say they are still studying COVID-19 but that there’s no evidence that pets play a role in its spread.
How Easy Is It to Get Infected?
Researchers say that on average, every person who has COVID-19 will pass it on to 2 or 2.5 others. One study says that number is even higher, with one sick person infecting between 4.7 and 6.6 others.
By comparison, someone who has the flu will probably give it to an average of 1.1 to 2.3 others. But one person with measles might spread it to 12 to 18 others.
Can I Get Infected From Delivery Food, Packages, or Groceries?…
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