What is COVID 19 corona virus?

What is CORONA VIRUS? 

So the whole family of coronaviruses are named Coronavirus because corona means a crown, and so this refers to the way that the virus looks under the microscope like there's a crown on the top of the virus. Some of them, four or five different kinds, cause common diseases among humans, everything from the common cold to mild or moderate respiratory illnesses. Other kinds of coronaviruses affect animals, and sometimes, on rare occasions, we see coronaviruses jump from animal species into the human population.

WHY THIS ONE IS GETTING SO MUCH ATTENTION?

The 2019 novel coronavirus is getting a lot of attention now 

because it is a new kind of coronavirus we haven't seen among humans before. The theory is that it may have jumped from an animal species into the human population, and then begun spreading. scientists have seen some people that have died of this disease, and scientists know that there are already thousands of cases. So people are concerned because scientists don't yet know exactly how severe the disease will be or how far it will spread.

HOW DOES IT SPREAD?

When a new virus emerges, scientists often have to learn much more 

about it, and one of the things that scientists question is how does it transmit from person to person? scientists know that most respiratory viruses are spread by large droplets that come out when people cough and sneeze, and stay aloft usually for about six feet in front of them. They land on surfaces, and then can also be transmitted from person to person by touching those surfaces, such as doorknobs or other surfaces. Other viruses can spread in the air and stay aloft for a longer period of time in small droplet nuclei. For this current 2019 coronavirus, scientists are not yet sure whether it is droplet or airborne transmission, so scientists erring on the side of caution and taking protection as if it was spread by the airborne route.

IS THE VIRUS COVID19 DANGEROUS?

Scientists are still learning a lot about 

this 2019 novel coronavirus, to understand how dangerous it might be. Right now, the majority of the cases are in China. scientists know that some travelers have brought the virus to other countries, including the United States. They think one of the main things to keep in mind is that this is respiratory virus season, and we have other respiratory viruses like influenza that we need to take precautions for because scientists know they have thousands of cases and thousands of deaths in this country every year from influenza.

IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL WHILE COVID 19 DISEASE IS SPREADING?

Given the ongoing transmission of the virus in China, scientists 

have a travel alert that was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So at this time, until they know more, avoid non-essential travel to China.

HOW CAN I AVOID GETTING COVID 19?

John Hopkins health system and health system

across the nation are busy right now preparing to safely identify, isolate, evaluate, and care for patients with the 2019 novel coronavirus. scientists have the capability of doing this safely by utilizing personal protective equipment, by implementing travel screenings so that scientists can quickly identify patients who have risk factors for the disease, and then implementing isolation precautions, the use of personal protective equipment, and other measures to make sure that they limit the spread of the virus.

WHAT IS THE JOHN HOPKINS HEALTH SYSTEM DOING?

At the Johns Hopkins Hospital and throughout 

our health system, scientists routinely care for patients infected with diseases that are spread by the airborne route, so they have the expertise to do this safely. When a new virus comes along that has unknown risks, they have extra measures that the biocontainment unit can advise us and put plans in place to safely care for these patients.