Coronaviruses

Coronaviruses get their name from the crown-like spikes on their surface. (Read about "Microorganisms") They are a large family of viruses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say many strains cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses (Read about "Respiratory System"), like the common cold. (Read about "The Common Cold") Some strains, however, can be much more dangerous. Most people get infected with one or more of these viruses at some point in their lives. Human coronaviruses were first identified in the mid-1960s.

Sometimes coronaviruses that infect animals can evolve and make people sick and become a new human coronavirus, according to CDC. (Read about "Animal/Insect Borne Diseases") Recent examples of this include SARS-CoV (Read about "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)") and MERS-CoV. The latest virus in this group is the 2019 novel coronavirus, which causes the diease known as COVID-19.

COVID-19

COVID-19 was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and has spread from there. The first infections were linked to a live animal market, but the virus is now spreading from person-to-person. In COVID-19, 'CO' stands for corona, 'VI' for virus, and 'D' for disease. '19' stands for 2019, the year it was detected.

Illnesses caused by COVID-19 have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death. Symptoms can appear days after exposure and include:

• fever
• cough
• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• chills
• repeated shaking with chills
• muscle pain
• headache
• sore throat
• new loss of taste or smell
• congestion or runny nose
• nausea or vomiting
• diarrhea

This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC says it will continue to update this list as it learns more about COVID-19.

As with other diseases caused by coronaviruses, COVID-19 is believed to spread from person to person through droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

CDC says it is important that people take steps to protect themselves, including:

• Clean your hands often. You should wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important is you have been out in public or if you have just sneezed or coughed. If you don't have access to soap and water, hand sanitizers containing at least 60 percent alcohol can be used. Rub hands with the sanitizer until they feel dry.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
• Used correctly, masks can reduce the inhalation of virus-laden droplets, which can protect the person wearing the mask. Masks can also reduce the emission of virus-laden droplets, which is important so that asymptomatic people do not infect others.
• As soon as you can, CDC says you should get a COVID-19 vaccine. All of the available vaccines have been tested in clinical trials. (Read about "Clinical Studies") The studies show that the vaccines reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, and lower the severity of the disease if you do contract it. Contact your healthcare provider or state health department to learn about your vaccine status.

If you have any symptoms, do not go into work. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice.

Symptoms

COVID-19 is just the latest in a large group of coronavirus diseases. The common symptoms of all coronavirus infections include:

• runny nose
• sore throat
• headache
• fever
• cough
• general feeling of being unwell

Human coronaviruses can sometimes cause lower-respiratory tract illnesses, such as pneumonia or bronchitis. (Read about "Pneumonia" "Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease") This is more common in people with cardiopulmonary disease, people with weakened immune systems, infants, and older adults. (Read about "The Immune System")

How they spread

Common human coronaviruses usually spread from an infected person to others through the air by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact, like touching or shaking hands or touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands.

In the United States, people usually get infected with common human coronaviruses in the fall and winter, but you can get infected at any time of the year. Young children are most likely to get infected, but people can have multiple infections in their lifetime.

You can protect yourself by washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands and avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Treatments

Most people with common human coronavirus illness will recover on their own. CDC suggests to relieve your symptoms you can:

• take pain and fever medications (Caution: do not give aspirin to children)
• use a room humidifier or take a hot shower to help ease a sore throat and cough
• drink plenty of liquids
• stay home and rest

If you are concerned that your symptoms indicate infection with one of the more dangerous coronaviruses, contact your healthcare provider right away.