The facts about coronavirus: What you need to know
Coronavirus began in China several months ago, and since then, the virus — and fear of it — have been spreading around the world. There is no vaccine for coronavirus yet, but there is a treatment for fear. It's called facts.
And here is a dose of them:
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus causes a respiratory disease called COVID-19. Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Most cases (about eight out of ten) are mild. The more serious cases can lead to severe lung damage.
Coronavirus is thought to spread mostly through close contact. An infected person coughs or sneezes, sending droplets containing the virus through the air. Someone nearby – say, up to about six feet away – breathes those droplets and can become infected. The virus can also spread hand-to-hand. You touch an object that has the virus on it, then touch your mouth, nose, perhaps even your eye. Scientists are studying how long the coronavirus can survive on various surfaces or whether there are other ways of spread.
(CBS News, 2/29/20)
Story produced by Alan Golds.
