essay about how to avoid covid 19

Essay on Coronavirus Prevention

500+ words essay on coronavirus prevention.

The best way of coronavirus prevention is not getting it in the first place. After extensive research, there are now COVID-19 vaccines available to the public. Everyone must consider getting it to lead healthy lives. Further, we will look at some ways in this essay in how one can lower their chances of getting the virus or stopping it from spreading.

The Spread of Coronavirus

The COVID-19 virus spreads mainly via droplets that are sent out by people while talking, sneezing, or coughing. However, they do not generally stay in the air for long. Similarly, they cannot go farther than 6 feet.

However, this virus can also travel via tiny aerosol particles that have the capacity to linger for around three hours. Likewise, they may also travel farther away. Therefore, it is essential to wear a face covering.

The face mask can prevent you from getting the virus as it helps you to avoid breathing it in. Further, one can also catch this virus if they touch something that an infected person has touched and then they touch their eyes, mouth, or nose.

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How to Prevent Coronavirus

The first and foremost thing for coronavirus prevention is that everyone must do is get the vaccine as soon as it is their turn. It helps you avoid the virus or prevent you from falling seriously ill. Apart from this, we must not forget to take other steps as well to reduce the risk of getting the virus.

It includes avoiding close contact with people who are sick or are showing symptoms. Make sure you are at least 6 feet away from them. Similarly, you also remain at the same distance as others if you have contracted the virus.

What’s important to know is that you may have COVID-19 and spread it to others even if you are not showing any symptoms or aren’t aware that you have COVID-19. Moreover, we must avoid crowds and indoor places that are not well-ventilated.

Most importantly, keep washing your hands frequently with soap and water. If these are not present, carry an alcohol-based sanitiser with you. It must have a minimum amount of 60% alcohol.

In addition, wearing a face mask is of utmost importance in public spaces. Such places come with a higher risk of transmission of the virus. Thus, use surgical masks if they are available.

It is important to cover your mouth and nose when you are coughing or sneezing. If you don’t have a tissue, cover it with your elbow. Do not touch your eyes, nose and mouth. Likewise, do not share dishes, towels, glasses and other household items with a sick person.

Do not forget to clean and disinfect surfaces that people touch frequently like electronics, switchboards, counters, doorknobs, and more. Also, stay at home if you feel sick and do not take public transport as well.

To sum it up, coronavirus prevention can be done easily. We must work together to create a safe environment for everyone to live healthily. Make sure to do your bit so that everyone can stay safe and fit and things may return to normal like before.

FAQ of Essay on Coronavirus Prevention

Question 1: How long does it take for coronavirus symptoms to appear?

Answer 1: It may take around five to six days on average when someone gets infected with the virus. But, some people also take around 14 days.

Question 2: What are some coronavirus prevention tips?

Answer 2: One must get the vaccine as soon as possible. Further, always wear a mask properly and sanitize or wash your hands. Clean or disinfect areas that people touch frequently like door handles, electronics, and more. Always cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing and maintain physical distancing.

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Prevent COVID-19: How to Protect Yourself from the Coronavirus

Follow these simple precautions to reduce your chances of contracting covid-19..

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The COVID-19 pandemic has been a part of our daily lives since March 2020, but with about 151,000 new cases a day in the United States, it remains as important as ever to stay vigilant and know how to protect yourself from coronavirus.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , “The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.” As the vaccines continue their roll out, here are the simple steps you can take to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect yourself and others.

Know how it spreads

Scientists are still learning about COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, but according to the CDC, this highly contagious virus appears to be most commonly spread during close (within 6 feet) person-to-person contact through respiratory droplets.

“The means of transmission can be through respiratory droplets produced when a person coughs or sneezes, or by direct physical contact with an infected person, such as shaking hands,” says Dr. David Goldberg , an internist and infectious disease specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Westchester and an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

The CDC also notes that COVID-19 can spread by airborne transmission , although this is less common than close contact with a person. “Some infections can be spread by exposure to virus in small droplets and particles that can linger in the air for minutes to hours,” the CDC states. “These viruses may be able to infect people who are further than 6 feet away from the person who is infected or after that person has left the space. These transmissions occurred within enclosed spaces that had inadequate ventilation.”

Finally, it’s possible for coronavirus to spread through contaminated surfaces, but this is also less likely. According to the CDC, “Based on data from lab studies on COVID-19 and what we know about similar respiratory diseases, 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 own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this isn’t thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”

Practice social distancing

Since close person-to-person contact appears to be the main source of transmission, social distancing remains a key way to mitigate spread. The CDC recommends maintaining a distance of approximately 6 feet from others in public places. This distance will help you avoid direct contact with respiratory droplets produced by coughing or sneezing.

In addition, studies have found that outdoor settings with enough space to distance and good ventilation will reduce risk of exposure. “There is up to 80% less transmission of the virus happening outdoors versus indoors,” says Dr. Ashwin Vasan , an assistant attending physician in the Department of Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and an assistant professor at the Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. “One study found that of 318 outbreaks that accounted for 1,245 confirmed cases in China, only one outbreak occurred outdoors. That’s significant. I recommend spending time with others outside. We’re not talking about going to a sporting event or a concert. We’re talking about going for a walk or going to the park, or even having a conversation at a safe distance with someone outside.”

Wash your hands

Practicing good hygiene is an important habit that helps prevent the spread of COVID-19. Make these CDC recommendations part of your routine:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
Before eating or preparing food
Before touching your face
After using the restroom
After leaving a public place
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After handling your mask
After changing a diaper
After caring for someone who’s sick
After touching animals or pets
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands with the sanitizer and rub them together until they feel dry.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Visit the CDC website for guidelines on how to properly wash your hands and use hand sanitizer . And see our video below on how soap kills the coronavirus. There’s plenty of science behind this basic habit. “Soap molecules disrupt the fatty layer or coat surrounding the virus, ” says Dr. Goldberg. “Once the viral coat is broken down, the virus is no longer able to function.”

In addition to hand-washing, disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.

Wear a mask

Face masks have become essential accessories in protecting yourself and others from contracting COVID-19. The CDC recommends that people wear face coverings in public settings, especially since studies have shown that individuals with the novel coronavirus could be asymptomatic or presymptomatic. (Face masks, however, do not replace social distancing recommendations.)

“Face masks are designed to provide a barrier between your airway and the outside world,” says Dr. Ole Vielemeyer , medical director of Weill Cornell ID Associates and Travel Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine. “By wearing a mask that covers your mouth and nose, you will reduce the risk of serving as the source of disease spread by trapping your own droplets in the mask, and also reduce the risk of getting sick via droplets that contain the coronavirus by blocking access to your own airways.”

Restrict your travel

Traveling can increase the spread of COVID-19 and put you at risk for contracting the disease. The CDC recommends avoiding non-essential travel to many international destinations during the pandemic. It also advises people to weigh the risks when it comes to domestic travel: “Travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19,” states the CDC. “Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.”

“For people at risk for the complications of COVID-19, such as those with underlying medical conditions or those who are older, it’s prudent to avoid travel,” says Dr. Goldberg.

If you must travel, take safety measures, consider your mode of transportation, and stay up to date on the restrictions that are in place at your destination. Adhering to your state’s quarantine rules after traveling will help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Watch for symptoms

The symptoms of infection for the coronavirus are often similar to those of other respiratory virus infections, such as influenza. Symptoms can include:

Fever or chills
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Muscle or body aches
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting

With the COVID-19 pandemic now coinciding with flu season, it’s important to recognize the differences in symptoms — as well as get a flu shot. “The medical community is concerned that if we have an increased number of influenza cases, it will strain the hospital system on top of what’s already going on with the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Dr. Ting Ting Wong , an attending physician and infectious disease specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.

If you think you may have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 and have symptoms, call ahead to a doctor’s office to see if you can get tested. You can also use a virtual care platform, such as NewYork-Presbyterian’s NYP OnDemand, to meet with a healthcare professional by videoconference. Avoid contact with others and wear a face mask if you need to leave your home when you are sick.

How NewYork-Presbyterian is prepared

NewYork-Presbyterian continues to follow the situation closely and implement the recommendations provided by our local and state departments of health and the CDC. Our medical staff is trained to recognize patients who may have the virus and will help prevent COVID-19 from spreading.

We understand how important the support of loved ones and friends is to patients during their hospital stay. Stay up to date with NewYork-Presbyterian’s visitor guidelines . It’s our priority to keep patients and visitors safe from infection.

For more information on the evolving situation and how to protect yourself from coronavirus, visit the CDC and check NewYork-Presbyterian for more updates.

View all of our COVID-19 outbreak articles here .

Additional Resources

If you have concerns regarding COVID-19, please call NewYork-Presbyterian’s hotline at 646-697-4000. This hotline is available as a public service to provide information only and not diagnose, treat, or render a medical opinion.

If you are not feeling well, consider using NewYork-Presbyterian’s Virtual Urgent Care for non-life-threatening symptoms such as fever, cough, upset stomach, or nausea. Learn more by visiting nyp.org/urgentcare .

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Protect Yourself From COVID-19 in a Safe and Healthy Way

This information was accurate at the time of publication. Due to the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, some information may have changed since the original publication date.

Over the last two years, COVID-19 has devastated the health and wellness of the nation by causing more than 800,000 deaths and 50 million cases. Since the start of the pandemic, scientists and researchers around the world have been working to find ways to help slow down transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Due to advancements in science and technology, there is at least one highly effective way to help prevent severe sickness, hospitalization, and death from the virus—COVID-19 vaccines.

Other potential COVID-19 interventions are currently underway. Some of these are undergoing clinical trials and safety reviews, or are under consideration by the Food and Drug Administration. Until these treatments and interventions are thoroughly vetted, there are limited measures available that help protect against getting ill from COVID-19.

While the best way to protect yourself from the virus is vaccination, there are many interventions that don't provide protection against COVID-19 and can be harmful to your health. Talk to your health care provider about how to protect yourself from COVID-19 before taking any kind of at-home treatments.

COVID-19 Vaccines

Vaccination against COVID-19 is the most highly effective—and widely available—way to prevent serious illness from the virus. Three COVID-19 vaccines are available in the United States. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) COVID-19 vaccines over the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Just like with all available vaccines, side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine are possible but rare. The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh any known and potential risks.

Booster shots are recommended for everyone who is eligible to receive one. This additional dose helps the body maintain a higher level of immunity and protection against breakthrough infections , which have been reported as more transmissible variants emerge and as immunity decreases over time. People ages 16 and older should get a booster shot at least two months after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and at least six months after receiving the second dose of a Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. Eligible individuals can choose any of the three COVID-19 vaccines as their booster dose.

Medical Treatments

While medical treatments for COVID-19 are available, they should be prescribed by your health care provider.

Monoclonal Antibody Therapy

Monoclonal antibody therapy is used in the early treatment of COVID-19. A person infected with COVID-19 naturally makes antibodies to help fight infection. Monoclonal antibodies are made in a lab to replicate these antibodies that bind to the coronavirus spike protein and block the virus from entering your body's cells. This treatment can be provided to infected COVID-19 patients to prevent them from being hospitalized. Monoclonal antibody therapy (mAb) is given through an IV infusion and is most effective for people 65 and older and people who have underlying medical conditions. You can see if you are eligible for mAb treatment through Utah's Coronavirus Website.

There are currently three monoclonal antibody therapies available. According to clinical trials, these therapies are at least 70% effective in treating non-hospitalized patients infected with COVID-19. Monoclonal antibody therapy is not a substitute for vaccination against COVID-19.

Pre-Prevention Monoclonal Antibody Therapy

Evusheld is a monoclonal antibody therapy by AstraZeneca to prevent COVID-19 in individuals who are unlikely to have a response to COVID-19 vaccines. These antibodies are given to certain individuals who are not infected with SARS-CoV-2. Qualifications for Evusheld include people (12 years and older) who are immunocompromised or can't get a COVID-19 vaccine due to severe allergies. Evusheld is administered in one dose and may prevent COVID-19 infection for six months, according to AstraZeneca's clinical trial. Evusheld was granted EUA on December 8, 2021.

Inpatient COVID-19 Treatments

Other COVID-19 treatments are also available, but only for hospitalized patients that need it most. These drugs, such as remdesivir, dexamethasone, and tocilizumab are some of the treatments that are used. They directly inhibit the virus (antiviral) and help boost the immune system. These treatments are not as effective as COVID-19 vaccines.

What you can do at home

The CDC urges all individuals to continue practicing COVID-19 prevention strategies to help limit transmission and protect people from COVID-19.

Get tested for COVID-19

Regardless of vaccination status, get tested for COVID-19 if you are experiencing any symptoms . Individuals who are not vaccinated and have been exposed to someone who tested positive for the virus should get tested immediately. Testing for COVID-19 helps prevent spread of the virus. If you get tested, stay away from others while results are pending.

Stay home when sick

Leaving your home when you are not feeling well is not worth the risk of infecting others, especially those who are at increased risk for severe disease. Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home. To help you feel better, get rest, stay hydrated, and take over-the-counter medications (such as acetaminophen). If your symptoms seem to be getting worse, contact your doctor.

Wear a mask

The CDC recommends everyone two years and older to wear a mask over your nose and mouth in indoor public places. Masks do not need to be worn outdoors, unless in crowded settings. Wearing a mask provides protection and helps prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others. Whether it's a disposable or cloth mask, it's important to wear one that fits properly.

Physically distance

Stay at least six feet away from others to protect yourself from getting sick. According to the CDC, the risk of transmission is greatest within three to six feet of an infectious individual. This is where the concentration of droplets and particles is greatest.

Wash your hands

One way to protect yourself from getting sick is to frequently wash your hands, which helps to prevent the spread of infection. The CDC advises washing your hands with soap in clean water for 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, you can use alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

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How to Protect Yourself and Your Family from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Please refer to this helpful information about COVID-19 symptoms , what to do if your child is exposed to COVID-19 and the difference between COVID-19 and the flu .

What can I do to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?

The best strategy to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 is to continue to follow the CDC’s recommended public health guidelines to help prevent transmission of COVID-19, including getting vaccinated if you are eligible ( see the latest vaccine guidelines from the CDC ), wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing, washing your hands frequently and avoiding crowds. Read more tips below.

Prepare and protect yourself from COVID-19

Here are some more steps everyone can take to help stop the spread of COVID-19:

Take safety precautions according to the level of COVID-19 in your community. Find out your county’s COVID-19 level here .
Wash your hands often with soap and clean, running water for at least 20 seconds.
If you don’t have access to soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer often. Make sure it has at least 60% alcohol.
Don't touch your eyes, nose, or mouth unless you have clean hands.
If someone in your home has tested positive for COVID-19, follow the CDC’s instructions for cleaning and disinfection .
Cough or sneeze into a tissue, then throw the tissue into the trash. If you don't have tissues, cough or sneeze into the bend of your elbow.
Where community COVID-19 level is high, the CDC advises wearing a face mask in public. Your mask should have at least two layers, should fit snugly against your face and should cover both your mouth and nose.
Stay away from people who are sick.
Check your home supplies. Consider keeping a 2-week supply of medicines, food, and other needed household items.
Make a plan for childcare, work, and ways to stay in touch with others. Know who will help you if you get sick.
Don’t share eating or drinking utensils with sick people.
Don’t kiss or hug someone who is sick.

What to do if you are sick with COVID-19 symptoms

Stay home. Call your healthcare provider and tell them you have symptoms of COVID-19. Follow your provider's instructions. You may be advised to isolate yourself at home. This is called self-isolation.
Stay away from work, school, and public places. Limit physical contact with family members and pets. Don't kiss anyone or share eating or drinking utensils. Clean surfaces you touch with disinfectant. This is to help prevent the virus from spreading.
Wear a face mask. This is to protect other people from your germs. If you are not able to wear a mask, your caregivers should when you are in the same room with them. Wear the mask so that it covers both the nose and mouth.
If you need to go into a hospital or clinic, expect that the healthcare staff will wear protective equipment such as masks, gowns, gloves, and eye protection. You may be put in a separate room. This is to prevent the possible virus from spreading.
Follow all instructions the healthcare staff give you.

Contact the Division of Infectious Diseases

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Much of it follows traditional cold-season admonitions, but some is more specific

Harvard Staff Writer

Washing hands with plain soap and plain water kills viruses, but only if it’s done thoroughly and often.

This is the latest story in our Coronavirus Update series, in which Harvard specialists in epidemiology, infectious disease, economics, politics, and other disciplines offer insights into what the latest developments in the COVID-19 outbreak may bring.

Turns out Mom was right.

Health experts say the best, simplest ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that has killed more than 3,200 people and affected more than 100,000 around the world, follow the tried and true cold-season admonishments given out for generations. Wash your hands. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your face. Stay home if you are sick.

But some of the advice has gotten a little more specific.

COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets, which typically travel about three to six feet and settle on surfaces, where they can live for a few hours up to several days, according to the World Health Organization. There is a risk of catching the disease by inhaling those particles, but there is a more significant risk of getting it by touching surfaces, such as desks, handrails, or doorknobs, where those droplets may have settled.

“The disease transmission goes from a cough or sneeze to a surface to your hand to your face, and that’s how people get infected,” said Paul Biddinger , director of the Emergency Preparedness Research, Evaluation, and Practice Program, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health . “Good hand washing really matters. If people cough or sneeze into their elbow, that limits the spread of respiratory secretions. What all of us can do together is follow basic hygiene measures that will actually slow the spread of disease in communities.”

“Most people don’t wash their hands very well. As silly as it sounds to go watch a YouTube video on handwashing, people should do it to learn how to do it properly.” Paul Biddinger, Harvard Chan School

Basic hygiene measures may seem obvious, but they are important. Washing hands with plain soap and plain water kills viruses, but only if it’s done thoroughly and often. Hands should be scrubbed for at least 20 seconds, the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice, to ensure germs won’t be transferred to objects or spread from person to person.

“Most people don’t wash their hands very well,” said Biddinger. “As silly as it sounds to go watch a YouTube video on handwashing, people should do it to learn how to do it properly. Washing hands has been clearly proved to decrease disease transmission and lower your chance of getting infected.”

Hand sanitizers may be helpful, if they contain at least 60 percent alcohol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But if your hands are dirty or greasy the sanitizer won’t work, which is why the agency favors hand washing. A 2006 study found that hand washing can cut the risk of respiratory infection by 16 percent and a 2008 study showed a 21 percent reduction.

Experts acknowledge the hardest of the self-protective measures to follow is not touching one’s face. A 2015 study that observed medical students at the University of New South Wales found that each of them touched their face 23 times per hour on average.

It’s important to avoid face touching because germs can get into the body through the eyes, nose, and mouth. Contaminated hands can transfer the virus when people rub their eyes, scratch their noses, or touch their mouths. “We all reflexively touch our face,” said Biddinger. “But trying to be more mindful of touching our face decreases our chance of infection.”

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The importance of following basic hygiene measures was highlighted by Mark Lipsitch , professor of epidemiology at the Harvard Chan School and director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics.

“Slowing the epidemic is what we have to do if we can’t stop it,” Lipsitch said in a Facebook Live event on Monday sponsored by the Forum at Harvard Chan School and PRI’s “ The World .”

“All those measures, small as some of they may be, help to slow the epidemic. There is a real coalescence between individually self-protective measures and measures that will benefit the community. Basic hygiene and self-protection measures are in fact socially beneficial.”

In the U.S., the coronavirus death toll rose to 12, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the number of reported COVID-19 cases climbed to 148 across 13 states as of March 5. The New York Times reported 163 cases in 18 states.

The World Health Organization said Tuesday that the new coronavirus is deadlier than the common flu, with a mortality rate of 3.4 percent. Seasonal flu kills fewer than 1 percent of those infected.

As the number of new cases outside China surges, concerns of a global pandemic are also rising. According to a March 4 report by the World Health Organization, there were only 120 new cases in China in the previous 24 hours, while 2,223 new cases were reported around the world. Eighty percent of the cases outside China were reported in South Korea, Italy, and Iran.

Health experts expect to see more coronavirus cases in New England, Massachusetts, and the Boston area, but Biddinger reminded the public to consult reputable information sites, such as the CDC or the Massachusetts Department of Health, to quell unfounded fears.

“Fear is not productive, and fear doesn’t protect you from illness in any way,” said Biddinger. “I encourage people to avoid the tremendous amount of misinformation that is out there on different social media sites. People need to get good information because being informed decreases fear, and they need to take basic hygiene measures that protect them. And even though those measures don’t sound very exciting, they are absolutely proved, by the data, to protect your health.”

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Masks Strongly Recommended but Not Required in Maryland, Starting Immediately

Due to the downward trend in respiratory viruses in Maryland, masking is no longer required but remains strongly recommended in Johns Hopkins Medicine clinical locations in Maryland. Read more .

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Staying Safe from COVID-19

Reviewed By:

Lisa Lockerd Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H.

The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 spreads primarily from person to person through respiratory droplets. This can happen when someone with the virus coughs, sneezes, sings or talks when close to others. By closely following a few safety measures, you can help protect yourself and others from getting sick.

Lisa Maragakis , senior director of infection prevention at Johns Hopkins, shares these guidelines:

Get vaccinated for COVID-19 and get a booster as soon as you’re eligible

Several COVID-19 vaccines have been approved or authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use among specific age groups and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Johns Hopkins Medicine views all authorized COVID-19 vaccines as highly effective at preventing serious disease, hospitalization and death from COVID-19.

Learn more about coronavirus vaccine safety and COVID-19 boosters .

Be aware of infection rates in your area

As more people get vaccinated, the rates of infection and hospitalization will vary in your area. For the foreseeable future, it’s a good idea to be familiar with the vaccination and COVID-19 data for your area and follow the local, state and federal safety guidelines.

Practice physical distancing

The coronavirus spreads mainly from person to person. If an infected person coughs or sneezes, their droplets can infect people nearby. People, including children, may be infected and have only mild symptoms, so physical distancing (staying at least 6 feet apart from others) is an important part of coronavirus protection.

Wear a mask

Wear a face mask in crowded, indoor situations since people carrying the SARS-CoV-2 virus and unvaccinated or vulnerable people might be present. Johns Hopkins Medicine and other health care institutions require all visitors, patients and staff to wear masks in all of their hospitals, treatment centers and offices. Learn more information about how masks help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Practice hand hygiene

After being in public places and touching door handles, shopping carts, elevator buttons or handrails
After using the bathroom
Before preparing food or eating
If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, especially with unwashed hands.
If you cough or sneeze, do so in the bend of your elbow. If you use a tissue, throw it away immediately.

Take precautions if you are living with or caring for someone who is sick

Wear a mask if you are caring for someone who has respiratory symptoms.
Clean counters, door knobs, phones and tablets frequently, using disinfectant cleaners or wipes.

If you feel sick, follow these guidelines:

Stay home if you feel sick unless you are experiencing a medical emergency such as severe shortness of breath.
Take measures to keep others in your home safe, and follow precautions recommended by the CDC to avoid infecting others .
Call your doctor or urgent care facility and explain your symptoms over the phone.
If you leave your home to get medical care, wear a mask if you have respiratory symptoms.

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Students’ Essays on Infectious Disease Prevention, COVID-19 Published Nationwide

As part of the BIO 173: Global Change and Infectious Disease course, Professor Fred Cohan assigns students to write an essay persuading others to prevent future and mitigate present infectious diseases. If students submit their essay to a news outlet—and it’s published—Cohan awards them with extra credit.

As a result of this assignment, more than 25 students have had their work published in newspapers across the United States. Many of these essays cite and applaud the University’s Keep Wes Safe campaign and its COVID-19 testing protocols.

Cohan, professor of biology and Huffington Foundation Professor in the College of the Environment (COE), began teaching the Global Change and Infectious Disease course in 2009, when the COE was established. “I wanted very much to contribute a course to what I saw as a real game-changer in Wesleyan’s interest in the environment. The course is about all the ways that human demands on the environment have brought us infectious diseases, over past millennia and in the present, and why our environmental disturbances will continue to bring us infections into the future.”

Over the years, Cohan learned that he can sustainably teach about 170 students every year without running out of interested students. This fall, he had 207. Although he didn’t change the overall structure of his course to accommodate COVID-19 topics, he did add material on the current pandemic to various sections of the course.

“I wouldn’t say that the population of the class increased tremendously as a result of COVID-19, but I think the enthusiasm of the students for the material has increased substantially,” he said.

To accommodate online learning, Cohan shaved off 15 minutes from his normal 80-minute lectures to allow for discussion sections, led by Cohan and teaching assistants. “While the lectures mostly dealt with biology, the discussions focused on how changes in behavior and policy can solve the infectious disease problems brought by human disturbance of the environment,” he said.

Based on student responses to an introspective exam question, Cohan learned that many students enjoyed a new hope that we could each contribute to fighting infectious disease. “They discovered that the solution to infectious disease is not entirely a waiting game for the right technologies to come along,” he said. “Many enjoyed learning about fighting infectious disease from a moral and social perspective. And especially, the students enjoyed learning about the ‘socialism of the microbe,’ how preventing and curing others’ infections will prevent others’ infections from becoming our own. The students enjoyed seeing how this idea can drive both domestic and international health policies.”

A sampling of the published student essays are below:

Alexander Giummo ’22 and Mike Dunderdale’s ’23 op-ed titled “ A National Testing Proposal: Let’s Fight Back Against COVID-19 ” was published in the Journal Inquirer in Manchester, Conn.

They wrote: “With an expansive and increased testing plan for U.S. citizens, those who are COVID-positive could limit the number of contacts they have, and this would also help to enable more effective contact tracing. Testing could also allow for the return of some ‘normal’ events, such as small social gatherings, sports, and in-person class and work schedules.

“We propose a national testing strategy in line with the one that has kept Wesleyan students safe this year. The plan would require a strong push by the federal government to fund the initiative, but it is vital to successful containment of the virus.

“Twice a week, all people living in the U.S. should report to a local testing site staffed with professionals where the anterior nasal swab Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, used by Wesleyan and supported by the Broad Institute, would be implemented.”

Kalyani Mohan ’22 and Kalli Jackson ’22 penned an essay titled “ Where Public Health Meets Politics: COVID-19 in the United States ,” which was published in Wesleyan’s Arcadia Political Review .

They wrote: “While the U.S. would certainly benefit from a strengthened pandemic response team and structural changes to public health systems, that alone isn’t enough, as American society is immensely stratified, socially and culturally. The politicization of the COVID-19 pandemic shows that individualism, libertarianism and capitalism are deeply ingrained in American culture, to the extent that Americans often blind to the fact community welfare can be equivalent to personal welfare. Pandemics are multifaceted, and preventing them requires not just a cultural shift but an emotional one amongst the American people, one guided by empathy—towards other people, different communities and the planet. Politics should be a tool, not a weapon against its people.”

Sydnee Goyer ’21 and Marcel Thompson’s ’22 essay “ This Flu Season Will Be Decisive in the Fight Against COVID-19 ” also was published in Arcadia Political Review .

“With winter approaching all around the Northern Hemisphere, people are preparing for what has already been named a “twindemic,” meaning the joint threat of the coronavirus and the seasonal flu,” they wrote. “While it is known that seasonal vaccinations reduce the risk of getting the flu by up to 60% and also reduce the severity of the illness after the contamination, additional research has been conducted in order to know whether or not flu shots could reduce the risk of people getting COVID-19. In addition to the flu shot, it is essential that people remain vigilant in maintaining proper social distancing, washing your hands thoroughly, and continuing to wear masks in public spaces.”

An op-ed titled “ The Pandemic Has Shown Us How Workplace Culture Needs to Change ,” written by Adam Hickey ’22 and George Fuss ’21, was published in Park City, Utah’s The Park Record .

They wrote: “One review of academic surveys (most of which were conducted in the United States) conducted in 2019 found that between 35% and 97% of respondents in those surveys reported having attended work while they were ill, often because of workplace culture or policy which generated pressure to do so. Choosing to ignore sickness and return to the workplace while one is ill puts colleagues at risk, regardless of the perceived severity of your own illness; COVID-19 is an overbearing reminder that a disease that may cause mild, even cold-like symptoms for some can still carry fatal consequences for others.

“A mandatory paid sick leave policy for every worker, ideally across the globe, would allow essential workers to return to work when necessary while still providing enough wiggle room for economically impoverished employees to take time off without going broke if they believe they’ve contracted an illness so as not to infect the rest of their workplace and the public at large.”

Women’s cross country team members and classmates Jane Hollander ’23 and Sara Greene ’23 wrote a sports-themed essay titled “ This Season, High School Winter Sports Aren’t Worth the Risk ,” which was published in Tap into Scotch Plains/Fanwood , based in Scotch Plains, N.J. Their essay focused on the risks high school sports pose on student-athletes, their families, and the greater community.

“We don’t propose cutting off sports entirely— rather, we need to be realistic about the levels at which athletes should be participating. There are ways to make practices safer,” they wrote. “At [Wesleyan], we began the season in ‘cohorts,’ so the amount of people exposed to one another would be smaller. For non-contact sports, social distancing can be easily implemented, and for others, teams can focus on drills, strength and conditioning workouts, and skill-building exercises. Racing sports such as swim and track can compete virtually, comparing times with other schools, and team sports can focus their competition on intra-team scrimmages. These changes can allow for the continuation of a sense of normalcy and team camaraderie without the exposure to students from different geographic areas in confined, indoor spaces.”

Brook Guiffre ’23 and Maddie Clarke’s ’22 op-ed titled “ On the Pandemic ” was published in Hometown Weekly, based in Medfield, Mass.

“The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was recorded on January 20th, 2020. For the next month and a half, the U.S. continued operating normally, while many other countries began their lockdown,” they wrote. “One month later, on February 29th, 2020, the federal government approved a national testing program, but it was too little too late. The U.S. was already in pandemic mode, and completely unprepared. Frontline workers lacked access to N-95 masks, infected patients struggled to get tested, and national leaders informed the public that COVID-19 was nothing more than the common flu. Ultimately, this unpreparedness led to thousands of avoidable deaths and long-term changes to daily life. With the risk of novel infectious diseases emerging in the future being high, it is imperative that the U.S. learn from its failure and better prepare for future pandemics now. By strengthening our public health response and re-establishing government organizations specialized in disease control, we have the ability to prevent more years spent masked and six feet apart.”

In addition, their other essay, “ On Mass Extinction ,” was also published by Hometown Weekly .

“The sixth mass extinction—which scientists have coined as the Holocene Extinction—is upon us. According to the United Nations, around one million plant and animal species are currently in danger of extinction, and many more within the next decade. While other extinctions have occurred in Earth’s history, none have occurred at such a rapid rate,” they wrote. “For the sake of both biodiversity and infectious diseases, it is in our best interest to stop pushing this Holocene Extinction further.”

An essay titled “ Learning from Our Mistakes: How to Protect Ourselves and Our Communities from Diseases ,” written by Nicole Veru ’21 and Zoe Darmon ’21, was published in My Hometown Bronxville, based in Bronxville, N.Y.

“We can protect ourselves and others from future infectious diseases by ensuring that we are vaccinated,” they wrote. “Vaccines have high levels of success if enough people get them. Due to vaccines, society is no longer ravaged by childhood diseases such as mumps, rubella, measles, and smallpox. We have been able to eradicate diseases through vaccines; smallpox, one of the world’s most consequential diseases, was eradicated from the world in the 1970s.

“In 2000, the U.S. was nearly free of measles, yet, due to hesitations by anti-vaxxers, there continues to be cases. From 2000–2015 there were over 18 measles outbreaks in the U.S. This is because unless a disease is completely eradicated, there will be a new generation susceptible.

“Although vaccines are not 100% effective at preventing infection, if we continue to get vaccinated, we protect ourselves and those around us. If enough people are vaccinated, societies can develop herd immunity. The amount of people vaccinated to obtain herd immunity depends on the disease, but if this fraction is obtained, the spread of disease is contained. Through herd immunity, we protect those who may not be able to get vaccinated, such as people who are immunocompromised and the tiny portion of people for whom the vaccine is not effective.”

Dhruvi Rana ’22 and Bryce Gillis ’22 co-authored an op-ed titled “ We Must Educate Those Who Remain Skeptical of the Dangers of COVID-19 ,” which was published in Rhode Island Central .

“As Rhode Island enters the winter season, temperatures are beginning to drop and many studies have demonstrated that colder weather and lower humidity are correlated with higher transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19,” they wrote. “By simply talking or breathing, we release respiratory droplets and aerosols (tiny fluid particles which could carry the coronavirus pathogen), which can remain in the air for minutes to hours.

“In order to establish herd immunity in the US, we must educate those who remain skeptical of the dangers of COVID-19. Whether community-driven or state-funded, educational campaigns are needed to ensure that everyone fully comprehends how severe COVID-19 is and the significance of airborne transmission. While we await a vaccine, it is necessary now more than ever that we social distance, avoid crowds, and wear masks, given that colder temperatures will likely yield increased transmission of the virus.”

Danielle Rinaldi ’21 and Verónica Matos Socorro ’21 published their op-ed titled “ Community Forum: How Mask-Wearing Demands a Cultural Reset ” in the Ewing Observer , based in Lawrence, N.J.

“In their own attempt to change personal behavior during the pandemic, Wesleyan University has mandated mask-wearing in almost every facet of campus life,” they wrote. “As members of our community, we must recognize that mask-wearing is something we are all responsible and accountable for, not only because it is a form of protection for us, but just as important for others as well. However, it seems as though both Covid fatigue and complacency are dominating the mindsets of Americans, leading to even more unwillingness to mask up. Ultimately, it is inevitable that this pandemic will not be the last in our lifespan due to global warming creating irreversible losses in biodiversity. As a result, it is imperative that we adopt the norm of mask-wearing now and undergo a culture shift of the abandonment of an individualistic mindset, and instead, create a society that prioritizes taking care of others for the benefit of all.”

Shayna Dollinger ’22 and Hayley Lipson ’21 wrote an essay titled “ My Pandemic Year in College Has Brought Pride and Purpose. ” Dollinger submitted the piece, rewritten in first person, to Jewish News of Northern California . Read more about Dollinger’s publication in this News @ Wesleyan article .

“I lay in the dead grass, a 6-by-6-foot square all to myself. I cheer for my best friend, who is on the stage constructed at the bottom of Foss hill, dancing with her Bollywood dance group. Masks cover their ordinarily smiling faces as their bodies move in sync. Looking around at friends and classmates, each in their own 6-by-6 world, I feel an overwhelming sense of normalcy.

“One of the ways in which Wesleyan has prevented outbreaks on campus is by holding safe, socially distanced events that students want to attend. By giving us places to be and things to do on the weekends, we are discouraged from breaking rules and causing outbreaks at ‘super-spreader’ events.”

An op-ed written by Luna Mac-Williams ’22 and Daëlle Coriolan ’24 titled “ Collectivist Practices to Combat COVID-19 ” was published in the Wesleyan Argus .

“We are embroiled in a global pandemic that disproportionately affects poor communities of color, and in the midst of a higher cultural consciousness of systemic inequities,” they wrote. “A cultural shift to center collectivist thought and action not only would prove helpful in disease prevention, but also belongs in conversation with the Black Lives Matter movement. Collectivist models of thinking effectively target the needs of vulnerable populations including the sick, the disenfranchised, the systematically marginalized. Collectivist systems provide care, decentering the capitalist, individualist system, and focusing on how communities can work to be self-sufficient and uplift our own neighbors.”

An essay written by Maria Noto ’21 , titled “ U.S. Individualism Has Deadly Consequences ,” is published in the Oneonta Daily Star , based in Oneonta, N.Y.

She wrote, “When analyzing the cultures of certain East Asian countries, several differences stand out. For instance, when people are sick and during the cold and flu season, many East Asian cultures, including South Korea, use mask-wearing. What is considered a threat to freedom by some Americans is a preventive action and community obligation in this example. This, along with many other cultural differences, is insightful in understanding their ability to contain the virus.

“These differences are deeply seeded in the values of a culture. However, there is hope for the U.S. and other individualistic cultures in recognizing and adopting these community-centered approaches. Our mindset needs to be revolutionized with the help of federal and local assistance: mandating masks, passing another stimulus package, contact tracing, etc… However, these measures will be unsuccessful unless everyone participates for the good of a community.”

A published op-ed by Madison Szabo ’23 , Caitlyn Ferrante ’23 ran in the Two Rivers Times . The piece is titled “ Anxiety and Aspiration: Analyzing the Politicization of the Pandemic .”

John Lee ’21 and Taylor Goodman-Leong ’21 have published their op-ed titled “ Reassessing the media’s approach to COVID-19 ” in Weekly Monday Cafe 24 (Page 2).

An essay by Eleanor Raab ’21 and Elizabeth Nefferdorf ’22 titled “ Preventing the Next Epidemic ” was published in The Almanac .

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How to Protect Yourself and Prepare for the Coronavirus

With a clear head and some simple tips, you can help reduce your risk, prepare your family and do your part to protect others.

By Amelia Nierenberg and Tim Herrera

Here’s what you can do:

When going outside, be extra cautious
Consider wearing a mask in public
Wash your hands. With soap. Then wash them again.
With children, keep calm, carry on and get the flu shot
Stock up on groceries, medicine and resources

The coronavirus continues to spread worldwide , with over 1.2 million confirmed cases and at least 72,000 dead. In the United States, there have been at least 350,000 cases and more than 10,500 deaths, according to a New York Times database .

The coronavirus is spreading very quickly . Older Americans, those with underlying health conditions and those without a social safety net are the most vulnerable to the infection and to its societal disruption .

Though life as we know it is sharply off kilter, there are measures you can take.

Most important: Do not panic . With a clear head and some simple tips , you can help reduce your risk, prepare your family and do your part to protect others.

It can be its own challenge. Here are some tips.

For people fortunate enough to be able to stay home, being stuck inside 24 hours a day for weeks on end is unlike anything any of us has ever experienced. It’s a whole new set of stressors and unique experiences — on top of the very real cabin fever that can set in. But as difficult as sheltering in place can be, remember that it’s all about keeping you, your loved ones and your community safe.

First, remember that it’s OK to feel stressed and unproductive; give yourself permission to feel whatever it is you’re feeling . Because we’re spending so much time online, it can feel like you’re falling behind — why haven’t I finished that book and knitted that scarf and cooked that feast yet?! — “but staying inside and attending to basic needs is plenty.” And if you have children, acknowledge that these changes to daily life are difficult .

Among those basic needs is organizing and cleaning your home, both vastly different tasks than they used to be. To keep the home running smoothly, consider these tips to keep your appliances functioning, the mess to a minimum and the clutter at bay and changes you could make in how you do laundry .

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Read these 12 moving essays about life during coronavirus

Artists, novelists, critics, and essayists are writing the first draft of history.

by Alissa Wilkinson

The world is grappling with an invisible, deadly enemy, trying to understand how to live with the threat posed by a virus . For some writers, the only way forward is to put pen to paper, trying to conceptualize and document what it feels like to continue living as countries are under lockdown and regular life seems to have ground to a halt.

So as the coronavirus pandemic has stretched around the world, it’s sparked a crop of diary entries and essays that describe how life has changed. Novelists, critics, artists, and journalists have put words to the feelings many are experiencing. The result is a first draft of how we’ll someday remember this time, filled with uncertainty and pain and fear as well as small moments of hope and humanity.

The Vox guide to navigating the coronavirus crisis

At the New York Review of Books, Ali Bhutto writes that in Karachi, Pakistan, the government-imposed curfew due to the virus is “eerily reminiscent of past military clampdowns”:

Beneath the quiet calm lies a sense that society has been unhinged and that the usual rules no longer apply. Small groups of pedestrians look on from the shadows, like an audience watching a spectacle slowly unfolding. People pause on street corners and in the shade of trees, under the watchful gaze of the paramilitary forces and the police.

His essay concludes with the sobering note that “in the minds of many, Covid-19 is just another life-threatening hazard in a city that stumbles from one crisis to another.”

Writing from Chattanooga, novelist Jamie Quatro documents the mixed ways her neighbors have been responding to the threat, and the frustration of conflicting direction, or no direction at all, from local, state, and federal leaders:

Whiplash, trying to keep up with who’s ordering what. We’re already experiencing enough chaos without this back-and-forth. Why didn’t the federal government issue a nationwide shelter-in-place at the get-go, the way other countries did? What happens when one state’s shelter-in-place ends, while others continue? Do states still under quarantine close their borders? We are still one nation, not fifty individual countries. Right?

A syllabus for the end of the world

Award-winning photojournalist Alessio Mamo, quarantined with his partner Marta in Sicily after she tested positive for the virus, accompanies his photographs in the Guardian of their confinement with a reflection on being confined :

The doctors asked me to take a second test, but again I tested negative. Perhaps I’m immune? The days dragged on in my apartment, in black and white, like my photos. Sometimes we tried to smile, imagining that I was asymptomatic, because I was the virus. Our smiles seemed to bring good news. My mother left hospital, but I won’t be able to see her for weeks. Marta started breathing well again, and so did I. I would have liked to photograph my country in the midst of this emergency, the battles that the doctors wage on the frontline, the hospitals pushed to their limits, Italy on its knees fighting an invisible enemy. That enemy, a day in March, knocked on my door instead.

In the New York Times Magazine, deputy editor Jessica Lustig writes with devastating clarity about her family’s life in Brooklyn while her husband battled the virus, weeks before most people began taking the threat seriously:

At the door of the clinic, we stand looking out at two older women chatting outside the doorway, oblivious. Do I wave them away? Call out that they should get far away, go home, wash their hands, stay inside? Instead we just stand there, awkwardly, until they move on. Only then do we step outside to begin the long three-block walk home. I point out the early magnolia, the forsythia. T says he is cold. The untrimmed hairs on his neck, under his beard, are white. The few people walking past us on the sidewalk don’t know that we are visitors from the future. A vision, a premonition, a walking visitation. This will be them: Either T, in the mask, or — if they’re lucky — me, tending to him.

Essayist Leslie Jamison writes in the New York Review of Books about being shut away alone in her New York City apartment with her 2-year-old daughter since she became sick:

The virus. Its sinewy, intimate name. What does it feel like in my body today? Shivering under blankets. A hot itch behind the eyes. Three sweatshirts in the middle of the day. My daughter trying to pull another blanket over my body with her tiny arms. An ache in the muscles that somehow makes it hard to lie still. This loss of taste has become a kind of sensory quarantine. It’s as if the quarantine keeps inching closer and closer to my insides. First I lost the touch of other bodies; then I lost the air; now I’ve lost the taste of bananas. Nothing about any of these losses is particularly unique. I’ve made a schedule so I won’t go insane with the toddler. Five days ago, I wrote Walk/Adventure! on it, next to a cut-out illustration of a tiger—as if we’d see tigers on our walks. It was good to keep possibility alive.

At Literary Hub, novelist Heidi Pitlor writes about the elastic nature of time during her family’s quarantine in Massachusetts:

During a shutdown, the things that mark our days—commuting to work, sending our kids to school, having a drink with friends—vanish and time takes on a flat, seamless quality. Without some self-imposed structure, it’s easy to feel a little untethered. A friend recently posted on Facebook: “For those who have lost track, today is Blursday the fortyteenth of Maprilay.” ... Giving shape to time is especially important now, when the future is so shapeless. We do not know whether the virus will continue to rage for weeks or months or, lord help us, on and off for years. We do not know when we will feel safe again. And so many of us, minus those who are gifted at compartmentalization or denial, remain largely captive to fear. We may stay this way if we do not create at least the illusion of movement in our lives, our long days spent with ourselves or partners or families.

What day is it today?

Novelist Lauren Groff writes at the New York Review of Books about trying to escape the prison of her fears while sequestered at home in Gainesville, Florida:

Some people have imaginations sparked only by what they can see; I blame this blinkered empiricism for the parks overwhelmed with people, the bars, until a few nights ago, thickly thronged. My imagination is the opposite. I fear everything invisible to me. From the enclosure of my house, I am afraid of the suffering that isn’t present before me, the people running out of money and food or drowning in the fluid in their lungs, the deaths of health-care workers now growing ill while performing their duties. I fear the federal government, which the right wing has so—intentionally—weakened that not only is it insufficient to help its people, it is actively standing in help’s way. I fear we won’t sufficiently punish the right. I fear leaving the house and spreading the disease. I fear what this time of fear is doing to my children, their imaginations, and their souls.

At ArtForum , Berlin-based critic and writer Kristian Vistrup Madsen reflects on martinis, melancholia, and Finnish artist Jaakko Pallasvuo’s 2018 graphic novel Retreat , in which three young people exile themselves in the woods:

In melancholia, the shape of what is ending, and its temporality, is sprawling and incomprehensible. The ambivalence makes it hard to bear. The world of Retreat is rendered in lush pink and purple watercolors, which dissolve into wild and messy abstractions. In apocalypse, the divisions established in genesis bleed back out. My own Corona-retreat is similarly soft, color-field like, each day a blurred succession of quarantinis, YouTube–yoga, and televized press conferences. As restrictions mount, so does abstraction. For now, I’m still rooting for love to save the world.

At the Paris Review , Matt Levin writes about reading Virginia Woolf’s novel The Waves during quarantine:

A retreat, a quarantine, a sickness—they simultaneously distort and clarify, curtail and expand. It is an ideal state in which to read literature with a reputation for difficulty and inaccessibility, those hermetic books shorn of the handholds of conventional plot or characterization or description. A novel like Virginia Woolf’s The Waves is perfect for the state of interiority induced by quarantine—a story of three men and three women, meeting after the death of a mutual friend, told entirely in the overlapping internal monologues of the six, interspersed only with sections of pure, achingly beautiful descriptions of the natural world, a day’s procession and recession of light and waves. The novel is, in my mind’s eye, a perfectly spherical object. It is translucent and shimmering and infinitely fragile, prone to shatter at the slightest disturbance. It is not a book that can be read in snatches on the subway—it demands total absorption. Though it revels in a stark emotional nakedness, the book remains aloof, remote in its own deep self-absorption.

Vox is starting a book club. Come read with us!

In an essay for the Financial Times, novelist Arundhati Roy writes with anger about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s anemic response to the threat, but also offers a glimmer of hope for the future:

Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.

From Boston, Nora Caplan-Bricker writes in The Point about the strange contraction of space under quarantine, in which a friend in Beirut is as close as the one around the corner in the same city:

It’s a nice illusion—nice to feel like we’re in it together, even if my real world has shrunk to one person, my husband, who sits with his laptop in the other room. It’s nice in the same way as reading those essays that reframe social distancing as solidarity. “We must begin to see the negative space as clearly as the positive, to know what we don’t do is also brilliant and full of love,” the poet Anne Boyer wrote on March 10th, the day that Massachusetts declared a state of emergency. If you squint, you could almost make sense of this quarantine as an effort to flatten, along with the curve, the distinctions we make between our bonds with others. Right now, I care for my neighbor in the same way I demonstrate love for my mother: in all instances, I stay away. And in moments this month, I have loved strangers with an intensity that is new to me. On March 14th, the Saturday night after the end of life as we knew it, I went out with my dog and found the street silent: no lines for restaurants, no children on bicycles, no couples strolling with little cups of ice cream. It had taken the combined will of thousands of people to deliver such a sudden and complete emptiness. I felt so grateful, and so bereft.

And on his own website, musician and artist David Byrne writes about rediscovering the value of working for collective good , saying that “what is happening now is an opportunity to learn how to change our behavior”:

In emergencies, citizens can suddenly cooperate and collaborate. Change can happen. We’re going to need to work together as the effects of climate change ramp up. In order for capitalism to survive in any form, we will have to be a little more socialist. Here is an opportunity for us to see things differently — to see that we really are all connected — and adjust our behavior accordingly. Are we willing to do this? Is this moment an opportunity to see how truly interdependent we all are? To live in a world that is different and better than the one we live in now? We might be too far down the road to test every asymptomatic person, but a change in our mindsets, in how we view our neighbors, could lay the groundwork for the collective action we’ll need to deal with other global crises. The time to see how connected we all are is now.

The portrait these writers paint of a world under quarantine is multifaceted. Our worlds have contracted to the confines of our homes, and yet in some ways we’re more connected than ever to one another. We feel fear and boredom, anger and gratitude, frustration and strange peace. Uncertainty drives us to find metaphors and images that will let us wrap our minds around what is happening.

Yet there’s no single “what” that is happening. Everyone is contending with the pandemic and its effects from different places and in different ways. Reading others’ experiences — even the most frightening ones — can help alleviate the loneliness and dread, a little, and remind us that what we’re going through is both unique and shared by all.

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How to protect yourself and others from COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a serious disease, mainly of the respiratory system, affecting many people around the globe. It can cause mild to severe illness and even death. COVID-19 spreads easily between people. Learn how to protect yourself and others from this illness.

Information

HOW COVID-19 SPREADS

COVID-19 is an illness caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. COVID-19 most commonly spreads between people with close contact (about 6 feet or 2 meters). When someone with the illness coughs, sneezes, sings, talks, or breathes, droplets carrying the virus spray into the air. You can catch the illness if you breathe in these droplets or they get in your eyes.

In some instances, COVID-19 may spread through the air and infect people who are more than 6 feet away. Small droplets and particles can remain in the air for minutes to hours. This is called airborne (or aerosol) transmission, and it occurs mainly in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation. However, it is more common for COVID-19 to spread through close contact.

Less often, the illness can spread if you touch a surface with the virus on it, and then touch your eyes, nose, mouth, or face. But this is a much less common way the virus spreads.

HOW TO PREVENT COVID-19

You can spread COVID-19 before you show symptoms . Some people with the illness never have symptoms, but can still spread the disease. However, there are ways to protect yourself and others from getting COVID-19. These tips can help you and others stay safe:

Get an updated COVID-19 vaccine . Being vaccinated helps protect you from getting and spreading COVID-19. Being vaccinated can also help protect you from serious illness if you do get the virus.
Make sure children ages 6 months and older get the COVID-19 vaccine . Getting children and teens vaccinated helps prevent them from spreading COVID-19 to older relatives and young siblings and friends who can't or don't get the vaccine. It also helps protect children and teens from serious illness.
If you are vaccinated, and in an area where COVID-19 hospital admission rates are high, you can wear a face mask or respirator that fits well without gaps when you are indoors in public.
If you have a weakened immune system, you may want to wear a face mask indoors in public regardless of how active COVID-19 is in your community.
Avoid poorly ventilated indoor spaces and crowded areas, even if you are vaccinated. If you are indoors, open windows and doors and use fans to help bring in outdoor air, when possible. Use a portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) cleaner. Spending time outdoors or in well-ventilated spaces can help reduce your exposure to respiratory droplets.
COVID-19 tests can help prevent the spread to others. You can use COVID-19 self-tests at home and get quick results whether or not you have symptoms.
Wash your hands many times a day with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds. In general, this is a good practice to help prevent the spread of germs. Do this before eating or preparing food, after using the toilet, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) if soap and water are not available.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. Droplets that are released when a person sneezes or coughs are infectious. Throw away the tissue after use.
Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Do not share personal items such as cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding. Wash anything you have used in soap and water.
Know the symptoms of COVID-19. If you develop any symptoms, contact your health care provider.
Stay home if you think you have COVID-19 or test positive for the virus. Follow guidance for how long to stay away from others and when you can safely resume normal activities, as listed below.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET COVID-19

If you have COVID-19 or have symptoms of it, you must stay at home and avoid contact with other people , both inside and outside your home, to avoid spreading the illness.

Once you start to feel better, you can go back to your normal activities if BOTH of the following things are true:

For at least 24 hours, your symptoms have improved AND
You have not had a fever for at least 24 hours, and you are not using fever-reducing medicine

Even though you feel better, you may still be able to spread the virus to others for several days. For this reason, once you go back to your normal activities, continue to protect others from illness by taking these steps for 5 days:

Practice good hygiene by washing your hands and cleaning "high touch" areas around your home.
Take steps to bring cleaner air inside your home by opening windows and using exhaust fans.
Wear a mask around others.
Practice physical distancing by avoiding close contact and avoiding crowds.
Self-test for COVID-19 before being indoors with others.

You should also practice these steps for 5 days if you tested positive for COVID-19, but did not have any symptoms. Even though you have no symptoms, you can still spread the virus to others. Doing so will protect people at risk for serious illness, such as people who are immunocompromised.

If your fever returns after resuming normal activities, you should go back to staying home and away from others. Once your fever and symptoms improve for more than 24 hours, you can resume activities while taking steps to protect others for 5 more days.

Alternative Names

COVID-19 - Prevention; 2019 Novel Coronavirus - Prevention; SARS CoV 2 - Prevention

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. COVID-19: How COVID-19 spreads. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html . Updated August 11, 2022. Accessed March 10, 2024.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. COVID-19: How to protect yourself and others. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html . Updated July 6, 2023. Accessed March 10, 2024.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. COVID-19: Masks. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/masks.html . Updated August 12, 2021. Accessed March 10, 2024.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. COVID-19: Use and care of masks. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html . Updated May 11, 2023. Accessed March 10, 2024.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Respiratory virus guidance. www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/guidance/respiratory-virus-guidance.html . Updated March 1, 2024. Accessed March 10, 2024.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines. www.cdc.gov/covid/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html . Updated July 3, 2024. Accessed July 25, 2024.

Review Date 2/22/2023

Updated by: Frank D. Brodkey, MD, FCCM, Associate Professor, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. Editorial update 03/12/2024.

Is the lockdown important to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic? Effects on psychology, environment and economy-perspective

COVID-19's daily increasing cases and deaths have led to worldwide lockdown, quarantine and some restrictions. This study aims to analyze the effect of lockdown days on the spread of coronavirus in countries. COVID-19 cases and lockdown days data were collected for 49 countries that implemented the lockdown between certain dates (without interruption). The correlation tests were used for data analysis based on unconstrained (normal) and constrained (Tukey-lambda). The lockdown days was significantly correlated with COVID-19 pandemic based on unconstrained (r = −0.9126, F-ratio = 6.1654; t-ratio = 2.40; prob > .0203 with 49 observations) and based on Tukey-lambda (r = 0.7402, λ = 0.14). The lockdown, one of the social isolation restrictions, has been observed to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic, and showed that the spread of the virus can be significantly reduced by this preventive restriction in this study. This study offers initial evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic can be suppressed by a lockdown. The application of lockdown by governments is also thought to be effective on psychology, environment and economy besides having impact on Covid-19.

• The study examines the impact of lockdown (curfew) on the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
• The correlation tests are used for data analysis.
• This study offers initial evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic can be suppressed by a lockdown.
• This study assesses the effects of lockdown on psychological, environmental and economy.

1. Introduction

A disease similar to pneumonia cases began to emerge in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in December 2019 [ 1 , 2 ]. The studies revealed that the cases that emerged were a new type of coronavirus that was not previously described. This form of the virus was called Coronavirus 2019, or COVID-19, since it appeared in 2019 [ 3 ]. The source of this virus is thought to be the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China. It was understood in time that the virus, which is transmitted from animal to human, can spread from human to human.

Although the molecular mechanism of COVID-19 transmission pathway from human to human is still not resolved, the principle of transmission of respiratory diseases is similar in general [ 4 ]. Respiratory diseases are spread by droplet scattering. In this type of spreading, a sick person is exposed to this microbe to people around him by coughing or sneezing. In other words, environmental factors play an important role in the transmission of this virus [ 5 ].

The COVID-19 outbreak is spreading very fast every day and more than 4 million people have been actively infected by this virus so COVID-19 restrictions are applied in almost all areas of life [ 6 ]. The most basic measure to reduce the spread of coronavirus or to prevent infection is to follow hygiene rules [ 7 ]. The most important of these is washing hands. For this reason, the spread of this virus is slower in societies that have the habit of washing hands and pay attention to the general hygiene rules [ 8 ]. There is a high level of participation in the "stay at home" call by official institutions. Scientists warn that the COVID-19 virus can reach any age group quickly [ 1 , 9 ].

Approximately 214 countries reported the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases [ 10 ]. Countries have taken very strict restrictions such as vacation for schools, working from home, quarantine for regions with high number of cases, and most importantly, lockdown to slow down the COVID 19 outbreak. The lockdown days differ by countries. Countries have set the days when the lockdown started and ended according to the COVID-19 effect on their public. Some countries have extended the lockdown by many days due to COVID-19 continues its influence intensely on the public. Chakraborty and Maity have emphasized that the lockdown has both environmental and economic impact on countries. The lockdown has created the ground for renewal of the environment, especially with the closure of factories and the reduction of both private and public transportation vehicles used. COVID-19 increased the air quality in many parts of the world with the lockdown imposed during the pandemic process [ 9 ]. Due to the lockdown, economic activities have stopped reducing carbon emissions [ 11 ].

To prevent this pandemic, governments have started to apply bans under many social restrictions. Lockdown is at the forefront of these restrictions. The aim of this study is to analyze statistically that the lockdown plays an important role in preventing COVID-19 and to show its psychological effect on people. This study used COVID-19 data from 49 countries to analyze the impact of the lockdown to slow down the COVID-19 outbreak. Countries that do not constantly enforce the lockdown are not included in this study. The correlation tests were used for data analysis based on unconstrained (normal) and constrained (Tukey-lambda).

This study includes five sections. The first section deals with the literature review of studies related to COVID-19 pandemic. The second part gives detailed information about the methodology of the study. The results obtained from the method mentioned in the methodology section are discussed in the third section. An overview of the psychological, environmental, and economic impacts of the lockdown imposed in countries due to COVID-19 is discussed in the fourth section. In the last section, conclusion about the study has been provided.

2. Methodology

COVID-19 case data of the countries considered were collected from www.worldometer.com [ 6 ]. A total number of 3726797 million confirmed active COVID-19 cases have been documented worldwide as of May 5, 2020. The number of approved active COVID-19 cases in countries considered for this study was recorded as 1440776 as of May 5, 2020. COVID-19 cases and lockdown days data were collected for 49 countries that implemented the lockdown between certain dates (without interruption). The lockdown days of the countries were obtained from the websites of the official institutions of each country.

The correlation test was used to analyze the associations between lockdown days factor and total cases of COVID-19 by countries. The correlation of the lockdown on the number of COVID-19 cases was calculated as unconstrained (normal) and unconstrained (Tukey-lambda distribution) in two ways. The distribution of Tukey-Lambda has the shape parameter λ. The Tukey-Lambda distribution is created with a position parameter, μ and a scale parameter, σ. This is because the general form of probability functions is expressed in terms of standard normal distribution. Values less than this mean (0.14) a heavy-tailed distribution (−1 is close to a Approx. Cauchy). That is, as the optimal value of λ increases from 0.14 to −1, progressively heavy tails are implied. Similarly, as the optimal value of λ becomes greater than 0.14, shorter tails are implied. The Tukey-lambda distribution is expressed mathematically in Eq. (1) .

Fig. 1 shows the total number of COVID-19 cases by 49 countries. Most of the countries considered are located in the European region including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain. Although COVID appeared in 19 China, the European region has become the epicenter of the virus, and more cases have emerged in Europe than in China. The highest case of COVID-19 from selected countries occurred in Spain, 250561 COVID-19 cases on May 5, 2020. Italy announced its first approved COVID-19 case on January 31, 2020.The country with the lowest COVID-19 case is Paraguay, 461 COVID-19 cases on May 5, 2020.

Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases by countries.

Fig. 2 shows the days of lockdown imposed by 49 countries. Some of these countries continue the lockdown. However, the last day of lockdown in these countries was accepted as 5 May 2020 for this study. The Ireland, which has been curfewed for 68 days, has the longest lockdown period. A total of 21983 COVID-19 cases were approved as of May 5, 2020 in Ireland. Spain, the country with the highest number of cases, has been imposed lockdown for 53 days (see Fig. 3 ).

COVID-19 pandemic lockdown days by countries.

Transformed COVID-19 data.

Although China became the center in the first days of the epidemic, Italy passed China with the emerging cases. Even though Italy suffered a severe injury in this pandemic, Italy have managed to control the number of COVID-19 cases with the lockdown for a long time. On the other hand, although there is a downward trend in new cases confirmed in France and Spain, the number of cases confirmed in Spain has exceeded the number of cases confirmed in Italy.

Descriptive analyses were implemented for all the data. The statistical test was two-sided, and a value p < 0.05 was measured for model and parameter statistically significant based on the fit regression model. The data used for the study were analyzed using JMP Pro software (version 15.0), Numbers and Minitab 18.0 statistical computer program.

3. Results and discussions

Descriptive analyses were presented for all the data used in this study in Table 1 . The results of the descriptive analyses were prompted as 95% confidence intervals for upper and lower mean in lockdown days and total cases of COVID-19. The statistical test was two-sided, and a value p < 0.05 was measured for model and parameter statistically significant.

Descriptive statistics data on Lockdown days and COVID-29 cases.

	Lockdown Days	Cases
Mean	35.367347	29403.592
Std Dev	13.080988	57887.549
Std Err Mean	1.8687126	8269.6499
Upper 95% Mean	39.124645	46030.837
Lower 95% Mean	31.610049	12776.346
N	49.000000	49.000000
Variance	171.11224	000003.35
Skewness	0.3677305	2.6740095
Kurtosis	−0.523178	6.3728059
Minimum	14.000000	431.00000
Maximum	68.000000	250561.00

The data set used is not suitable for normal distribution according to Anderson-Darling (the value of AD was 9.376 and p-value of Anderson-Darling test was 0.0003) and Shapiro-Wilk (the value of W was 0.728 and p-value of Shapiro-Wilk test was 0.010) normality tests. Statistical processes were performed by transforming COVID-19 data. The transformed COVID-19 data using full Box-Cox transformation method ( for all λ : T ( y ) = ( y λ − 1 ) / λ , where the value of T(y) is the transformation of the observation data y ; the value of λ shows the power to which all observation data to be increased) is limited between 4.4263 and 6.7749 to adapt to the normal distribution (see Fig. 1 .).

A correlation analysis was made between the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. The correlation value varies between −1 and +1. The correlation value of a factor indicates that it has a negative relationship as it approaches −1, and a positive relationship as it approaches +1. The lockdown has been found to have a very strong correlation on approved COVID-19 cases. The unconstrained correlation value was calculated as −0.9126. Fig. 4 shows the Tukey-Lambda correlation curve for normality test.

Tukey-lambda normality plot.

The Tukey-Lambda distribution forms a distribution family that can approach the normal distribution. The maximum correlation of lockdown and COVID 19 case numbers occurred for the λ value of 0.14 (r = 0.7402), and COVID-19 data was modeled according to a normal distribution (see Table 2 ).

Tukey lambda-correlation.

Distribution	Lambda (λ)	Correlation (r)
Approx. Cauchy	−1.00	0.6557
Exact Logistic	0.00	0.7333
Approx. Normal	0.14	0.7402
U-Shaped	0.50	0.6968
Exactly Uniform	1.00	0.6697

The period of lockdown applied by 49 countries on average have taken 35.38 days. A lockdown was imposed for a minimum of 3 days while a lockdown was imposed for a maximum of 68 days by countries. During this period, an average of 29403 people in these countries were actively infected with COVID-19 virus. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases was recorded as a minimum of 431 and a maximum of 250561. Predictive statistics of COVID-19 data and lockdown of the mentioned countries are given in Table 3 . A minimum of 30 observations are required to create an effective statistical analysis. In this study, 49 data were used to calculate the lockdown in the aforementioned countries in the spread of COVID-19 pandemic with 95% relative confidence intervals (t-ratio = −0.83; F ratio = 5.7639; prob = 0.0413; adjusted R 2 = 0.7212). It has been observed that the developed model was found important according to the statistical analyses. The lockdown parameter is significant at p < .05, so the data is very close to zero at 95.0% confidence level (t-ratio = 2.40; F ratio = 6.1614; prob = 0.0203).

Validation of statistical analysis.

Source	Std Error	Sum of Squares	t-Ratio	F-Ratio	Prob > F Prob > \|t\|
Model	15944.03	19001496	−0.83	5.7639	0.0413
Lockdown Days	452.1786	6933250	2.40	6.1614	0.0203

The healthcare system capacities of countries have serious concerns about meeting the needs of infected COVID-19 patients. Therefore, countries have to take the strictest measures necessary to slow down or even stop this pandemic. Otherwise, this situation triggers the intensive care units to be at their maximum level in these countries. Although the number of infected patients is very high in Spain and Italy, the number of cases decreased significantly in recent days. This situation is also found in other countries. As a result of the strict measures taken, governments plan to return normal life gradually in the countries mentioned. As a result, an absolute decrease in the number of cases will occur if there is no possibility of virus mutation.

4. Effects of lockdown

4.1. psychological effects.

It is observed that there is a confusion with the rapid spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in the world and the emergence of serious consequences. For this reason, it is certain that the new data for COVID-19 mental health effects will be obtained more clearly with the big data to be obtained. According to the first findings obtained in the studies, Lockdown has been shown to be related to human psychology. It was determined that stress (8.0%) and depression (16.0–28.0%) were psychological reactions during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings have some limitations. These psychological symptoms emerged from only a few of the affected countries and may not reflect the experiences of people living in other parts of the world. As a result, it is clear that having confirmed cases and mortality rates due to the COVID-19 pandemic has an impact on mental health problems.

4.2. Environmental effects

The effect of the lockdown on the environment due to Covid-19 has been addressed in many studies. It is observed that the environment has started to renew itself due to all kinds of industry, vehicle movement and social activities of people continue at a low level for a long time. In particular, a positive effect of lockdown restrictions on air and water quality has been observed. Yunus et al. have quantitatively determined that the quality of the water of Venbanad Lake has increased approximately 15.6% in India with the remote sensing imaging method [ 12 ]. Kerimray et al. have analyzed the effect of the 27-day lockdown in the city of Almaty, Kazakhstan on the concentrations of air pollutants, and emphasized the increase of air quality in Almaty [ 13 ]. Another study has showed that the quality of air due to the lockdown in Delhi has a positive effect [ 14 ]. Dantas et al. have calculated the CO emission level as approximately 30.3–48.5% due to the lockdown in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [ 15 ]. For this study, we emphasized that the effect of lockdown on covid-19 was statistically significant. Examples of the environmental impacts of the indirect lockdown due to Covid-19 were provided.

4.3. Economic effects

The COVID-19 outbreak, which is now turning into a pandemic, is a global health crisis. However, the measures taken by countries against this epidemic bring along an unprecedented economic disaster [ 16 ]. The global pandemic, namely COVID-19, has been dealt with in many studies on the socio-economic effects of the world economy [ 17 ]. In almost 90% of the world, social isolation is applied in some way, people do not go out on the streets, workplaces are closed, flights are banned, people are dismissed. In terms of the extent of destruction in the economy during the pandemic and the speed of the expected recovery after the pandemic; at what level and when the outbreak will be brought under control, how long the current social distance/isolation-oriented measures will be loosened and when it will begin to normalize in the expansionary economic measures already taken.

5. The limitations of the study

There are some limitations of this study to measure the effect of Lockdown on COVID-19 cases. The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing so statistical analysis should continue. There are conflicting statements regarding lockdown by countries on COVID-19. In countries where the COVID-19 case is intensely occurring, either no lockdown is imposed or is applied intermittently. In addition, it is claimed that, besides the positive aspects of the lockdown, people who comply with this restriction cause a weakened immune system. The main reason for this is that there is too much food consumption and limited mobility. The effect of the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on human health may be the subject of future work.

6. Conclusion

COVID-19's daily increasing cases and deaths have led to worldwide lockdown, quarantine and some restrictions. This study aims to analyze the effect of lockdown days on the spread of coronavirus in 49 countries. This study offers initial evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic can be suppressed by a lockdown. In addition, other parameters such as demographic of population, density of populations, the parameters of weather, economy, infrastructure of healthcare systems may be considered in the studies considering that it may be effective on COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the application of lockdown by governments is also thought to be effective on psychology, environment and economy with it being effective on COVID-19.

Ethical approval

Not applicable.

Sources of funding

Author contribution.

Abdulkadir Atalan : study design, data collections, data analysis, software, writing- original draft, writing-review & editing.

Trial registry number

1.Name of the registry:

2.Unique Identifying number or registration ID:

3.Hyperlink to your specific registration (must be publicly accessible and will be checked):

Dr. Abdulkadir Atalan.

Provenance and peer review

Not commissioned, externally peer-reviewed.

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Abdulkadir Atalan: Data curation, Formal analysis, Software, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing.

Declaration of competing interest

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COVID-19 transmission and protective measures

COVID-19 transmission

COVID-19 spreads primarily from person to person in several different ways:

It can spread through small liquid particles. These particles range from larger respiratory droplets to smaller aerosols released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, speaks, sings or breathes.
It spreads mainly between people who are in close contact with each other, typically within 1 metre.
It can also spread in poorly ventilated and/or crowded indoor settings where aerosols remain suspended in the air or travel farther than 1 metre.
It can also spread if a person touches surfaces that have been contaminated by the virus.

Last updated: 8 August 2023

Aerosol transmission

COVID-19 transmission person to person

How to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19

Staying safe from respiratory viruses, get immunized..

Stay up to date on your flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines.

Stay home when sick.

Stay home until fever-free for 24 hours without using fever reducing medication AND other symptoms are mild and improving.

Wear a mask.

Wearing a mask when you are indoors with other people is a precaution you can take at any time. Wearing a mask helps protect you and those around you.

Practice good hygiene.

Cover your coughs and sneezes, clean frequently touched surfaces, and wash your hands often.

Take steps for cleaner air.

Open doors or windows to bring in fresh outside air, purify indoor air or gather outdoors.

Test and treat.

If you have cold or flu symptoms, and are at higher risk for severe disease, knowing what illness you have can help get you the right treatment. Antiviral medications for COVID-19 and flu work best when taken as soon as possible and are recommended for those at higher risk.

How to avoid catching and spreading COVID-19 infection

How covid-19 is spread.

COVID-19 spreads very easily through close contact with people who have the virus.

When someone with COVID-19 breathes, speaks, coughs or sneezes, they release small droplets containing the virus. You can catch it by breathing in these droplets or touching surfaces covered in them.

You are more likely to catch it indoors and in crowded places.

You can still catch or spread COVID-19 if you:

do not have symptoms
are fully vaccinated
have had the virus before

Many people will no longer be infectious to others after 5 days, but you can be infectious for up to 10 days.

How to reduce your risk of COVID-19 infection

It’s important to wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day. Try to avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.

If you're at increased risk from COVID-19

If you or your child are at increased risk of getting ill from COVID-19, try to avoid contact with people who have symptoms of COVID-19 until they feel better.

You may also want to:

open windows and doors if you meet people inside, or meet them outside instead
stay at least 2 metres away from people (particularly indoors or in crowded places)
work from home if you can, or talk to your employer about how they can help reduce your risk at work
wear a face covering when it's hard to stay away from other people
think about asking people to wear a face covering or take a rapid lateral flow test if you're meeting them inside

How to avoid spreading COVID-19

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive, there are things you can do to help you avoid passing it on to other people, including those you live with:

cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and encourage children to do this
regularly clean surfaces you touch often (such as door handles and remote controls) and in shared spaces, such as kitchens or bathrooms
try to stay away from other people, including those you live with, until you feel better
let people who need to come into your home know that you’ve tested positive or have symptoms
think about asking friends, family or neighbours to get food and other essentials for you
avoid indoor or crowded places (including public transport or large social gatherings) or places where there is not much fresh air if you need to leave your home
let healthcare professionals know about your positive test result or symptoms if you’re asked to attend an appointment in person

More information

Read more about COVID-19 symptoms and what to do
Read full guidance on living safely with respiratory infections, including COVID-19 on GOV.UK

Page last reviewed: 21 March 2023 Next review due: 21 March 2026

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Coronavirus FAQ

Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a NOVID and don't want to catch COVID. Can you guide me?

Face masks can dampen the spread of contagious diseases. OsakaWayne Studios/Getty Images/Moment RF hide caption

Okay, so it seems like everyone I know has come down with COVID this summer — even the people known as NOVIDs (never had COVID before). I’ve been lucky so far. What do I need to know to protect myself during the current surge?

You probably know all the strategies to stay safe. But maybe you’re suffering from COVID amnesia — perhaps the trauma of the early years of the pandemic has wiped out your memory of basic precautions like mask-wearing and hand-washing.

Meanwhile, others have become COVID-indifferent, says Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in the division of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

They’re living in a bubble, thinking yeah, well, whatever, que sera sera — but it won’t happen to me.

Then came the strong summer surge of 2024 in the U.S. and many other places. “ New waves of infection have been registered in the Americas, Europe and the western Pacific,” the U.N. reported this month.

And, adds Schaffner, while getting the virus is a mere annoyance for many, for others, especially older adults and people with underlying health conditions, the consequences can be dire. COVID can still make them pretty sick, land them in the hospital and result in long COVID. And the virus can prove fatal. This summer in the U.S., there have been 400 to 600 deaths a week linked to COVID-19.

Perhaps that is why, for the first time in the history of our Coronavirus FAQ series, doctors have been emailing us and asking us to remind people of the ways to ward off the virus that launched a pandemic now in its fourth year. So think of this edition of as your COVID refresher course.

Vaccines. Yes, an updated vaccine that addresses the currently circulating variants is on the way. Approval came on Thursday. Here’s our story .

Masks. A well-made mask — an N-95 or KN-95 — will still protect you even if others around you are not masked. And it’ll protect others if you might be contagious — say you’ve found out you were with someone who since tested positive but don’t know your status, says Schaffner.

During a COVID surge, you’re less likely to contract the virus if you mask up in crowded spaces like airports, airplanes and busy stores where exhaled pathogens may be in the air.

When making a mask decision, keep in mind that outdoor air is effective at dispersing those pathogens.

Dr. Schaffner says he currently puts on a mask whenever he’s around other people because he has a vulnerable family member and wants to reduce the risk of bringing COVID home.

If you’re out of mask practice, Schaffner gives a gentle but firm reminder that your mask has to fit over your nose and cover your chin and cheeks to protect your mouth properly. If you take mask breaks for a deep breath or a sip of water, Schaffner recommends making it a short break -- outdoors if possible or in a space where you’re not around others.

And oh yeah, you’re probably going to have to pay for the masks. We'll see if government giveaways for masks come back for the expected winter surge, but you probably won't see free masks at your local library right now.

Keep your distance. Putting some space between yourself and others is still a good strategy — even though earlier this summer it was reported that the six-foot rule from the early days of the pandemic was not based on data. A 6-foot distance is not a magic number that will prevent infection since we now know that exhaled pathogens can travel hundreds of feet. But as transmission expert Linsey Marr explains, “As you get farther away from the infected person, aerosols become more diluted, so the chance of inhaling [particles] usually goes down with distance.”

As an analogy, Marr suggests you think about cigarette smoke. Smaller COVID particles “behave like cigarette smoke. If you’re close to someone who exhaled a big puff of smoke, you’re exposed to more than if you’re farther away. The farther away you get, the better.”

What if my housemate catches it? Am I next? Another question to ponder in the wake of rising case counts: If my partner or housemate gets COVID do I automatically get it? Not necessarily, as infectious disease specialist Dr. Abraar Karan wrote in a story for NPR this year. If you’re fortunate, your roomie might have a short window of contagiousness and might not be a superspreader — some people just don’t exhale a lot of pathogens. Open windows and an indoor air filter can help reduce your risk. As do masks, of course.

Testing, testing. And here’s another COVID reminder: be prepared to test if you’re experiencing COVID-like symptoms.

Currently, the federal government is not distributing free tests. A test costs about $7.50 each online and in stores. If you have any in your COVID supply stash, check this FDA website to see if the expiration date has been extended.

But this fall will bring a return of government-supplied freebies. The federal government has just announced that by the end of September people will be able to order up to four free COVID tests from the website COVIDtest.gov.

You might also check expiration dates on items you bought in bulk during the pandemic, such as acetaminophen to reduce COVID fevers and hand sanitizer, which though it lasts for three to five years, might be close to or past the expiration date if you bought it when the world started shutting down in 2020. Expired hand sanitizer isn’t dangerous, per the FDA, it just may be less effective at fighting germs.

The timing of a test is critical. Since most of us have at least some immunity to the virus from prior bouts and vaccines which could initially suppress your load of virus, testing early on might not produce an accurate result. So it can take a few days for a test to register the virus.

And do test, says Dr. Harish Moorjani, an infectious disease specialist at Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.

Symptoms you think might be COVID-19 could be fall allergies or flu or RSV. For proper treatment, advises Moorjani, it’s good to know what you do – or don’t have.

If you do get COVID. Americans who test positive for the coronavirus are no longer advised by the CDC to stay home from work and school for five days.

The new guidelines are:

1. Stay home and away from others if you have respiratory virus symptoms such as fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose and headache.

2. You can go back to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, your symptoms are diminishing overall, and you have not had a fever and are not using fever-reducing medication.

3. Take added precautions for the next five days after a decision to stop isolating: for example, frequent hand washing, wearing a mask and physical distance from others if you can.

So the overall takeaway is: You can end your isolation sooner but a) you could still possibly be a little contagious and b) keep in mind that some people will be less cautious about isolation, which increases the risk of COVID exposure for the general public (see: masks, above).

A note about vaccine timing. We should note that if you’ve caught COVID within the past few days or weeks you “may” wait three months from a positive test or the start of symptoms, per the CDC, to make sure that your body mounts a robust response to the vaccine. Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, says that wait should be at least three months. That’s because if you have antibodies to the virus in your system because of a recent infection, the immune response to a vaccine can be weak.

New costs of COVID. People who are uninsured or have high deductibles may have to pay for vaccines and medication at the end of August when CDC ends its “bridge access” program which helped provide free coverage for some COVID-related expenses for such individuals.

COVID vaccines are free for people with health insurance including Medicare and Medicaid, but Dr. Robert Hopkins, chief medical officer of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, reminds people that to avoid copays or the full cost — about $120 for the updated COVID vaccine, you have to be vaccinated at an in-network provider.

A large pharmacy chain shouldn’t be a problem but if you have concerns, particularly about an independent pharmacy you can check with them to see if they are in your insurer’s network.

No insurance or having a hard time finding an in-network provider? Call 211 for state health department information and 311 for local health department information to find out about community health clinics and health department drives that offer the vaccine for free.

And if your doctor prescribes Paxlovid to reduce severity of symptoms, which Dr. Schaffner hopes is the case if you are older or have underlying health conditions that increase your risk for severe disease if you get COVID-19, your health insurer may charge a copay. Previously the federal government provided the drug for free regardless of insurance status.

If you need assistance to afford Paxlovid, you might want to contact Pfizer’s assistance program or call Pfizer at 877-219-7225.

One more thing: The summer surge will end of course but remember all this advice because … a winter surge is likely!

If you have a question you'd like us to consider for a future post, email us at [email protected] with the subject line: "Coronavirus Questions." See an archive of our FAQs here.

Fran Kritz is a health policy reporter based in Washington, D.C., and a regular contributor to NPR. She also reports for the Washington Post and Verywell Health . Find her on X: @fkritz

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Pandemics Don’t Really End—They Echo

T he public health emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic officially ended on May 11, 2023. It was a purely administrative step. Viruses do not answer to government decrees. Reported numbers were declining, but then started coming up again during the summer. By August, hospital admissions climbed to more than 10,000 a week. This was nowhere near the 150,000 weekly admissions recorded at the peak of the pandemic in January 2022.

The new variant is more contagious. It is not yet clear whether it is more lethal. Nor is it clear whether the recent rise is a mere uptick or foreshadows a more serious surge. More than 50,000 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in the U.S. in 2023. Somehow, this has come to be seen as almost normal.

Even while health authorities are keeping their eyes on new “variables of concern,” for much of the public COVID has been cancelled. The news media have largely moved on to other calamities. The pandemic is over. Is it?

History shows that pandemics have ragged endings. Some return again and again. The Justinian Plague that swept through the Roman Empire in the 6 th century returned in waves over the next 200 years. The Black Death that killed half the population of Europe between 1347 and 1351 came back more than 40 times over the next 400 years.

Read More: Will the New Vaccine Work Against the Latest Variant?

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic will be felt long after the last rapid test comes back positive. Millions today are still suffering from “ long COVID ”—a range of medical conditions that can appear long after the initial infection. This concept can be applied to the whole of society.

Pandemics have always frayed the social fabric, disrupted economies, deepened social divides, and intensified prejudices, leaving behind psychological scars—all of which have lasting political repercussions.

Angered by the British crown’s attempt to restore the inequalities of the pre-pandemic feudal system, which had been weakened by the massive depopulation caused by the plague, English peasants marched on London and nearly brought down the king. Repeated waves of cholera in Europe during the 19 th century increased social tensions and contributed to growing class warfare. A sharp increase in labor strife followed the 1918 flu pandemic.

Today, society seems similarly on edge and quick to violence, an observation that was also made about medieval society following the plague. The U.S. homicide rate in 2020 and 2021 increased by nearly 40 percent. It appears to have come down in some cities, but violent crime remains above pre-pandemic levels. Mass shootings have hit an all-time high, while random unprovoked aggression has increased in public spaces. The pandemic is not entirely to blame, but it has likely been a contributing factor.

Many Americans quit their jobs after the pandemic. Others are refusing to give up working from home . The so-called great resignation appears to be ending, but the labor militancy that featured in post-pandemic societies continues.

While the COVID-19 pandemic comes nowhere near the depopulation effects of the plague, it emptied the sidewalks in many major American cities. Office buildings have fewer workers. Restaurants have lost business. It is not uncommon to see rows of boarded up retail shops. COVID does not get all the blame. The rise in crime in many city centers keeps many away. Urban geography may be permanently altered.

As it often did after past pandemics, pessimism pervades the post-pandemic moodscape. Its explanation lies beyond the pathogens. A Biblical host of natural and man-made disasters—pestilence, war, famine, floods, drought, fire, contribute to a sense of foreboding.

The 1918 flu pandemic left a legacy of distrust in institutions and each other, which was passed down to children and grandchildren, COVID may have similar long-term effects.

Americans are a cantankerous lot, increasingly suspicious of malevolent motives behind anything government does. Partisan news outlets look for conflict and stoke outrage. In past pandemics, conspiracy theories flourished, often blaming immigrants and Jews. So too, some COVID conspiracy theories suggest that the virus was designed to kill Whites or Blacks, while sparing Asians and Jews. Nothing changes.

Some believe the government created the pandemic hoax or deliberately misled the public about the seriousness of the situation. They argue that needless lockdown orders and business shutdown ruined the economy; providing financial relief to businesses and families opened the way for massive corruption and left the country with insupportable debt; mask and vaccine mandates were assaults on personal liberty for the benefit of big Pharma profits. Some still claim that the vaccines themselves rivaled the virus in their lethality. Defiance has been elevated to patriotism.

Owing to response measures, improved medications, life-saving procedures for treating critically-ill patients, and the rapid availability of a vaccine, the outbreak did not replicate the death tolls of previous pandemics.

Although it sounds perverse, saving lives ended up contributing to the controversy. Simply put: The pandemic was not deadly enough . The 2 nd century Antonine Plague killed a quarter of the Roman Empire’s population. The 6 th century Justinian plague killed half the population of Europe. According to some historians, the first wave of the plague in the 14 th century again wiped out half of Europe’s inhabitants.

COVID has killed more than a million Americans, roughly a third of one percent—or about the same percentage of the population killed in World War II. As a percentage of the total population, the 1918 flu was twice as deadly.

The demographics of the death toll are important. The 1918 flu killed many younger people—those 25-40 years old accounted for 40% of the fatalities—while COVID killed mainly older Americans, as three-quarters of the dead were 65 or older. Those under 40 accounted for just 2.5% of the fatalities.

Some questioned why the country’s well-being should be jeopardized to save the elderly, many of whom already had other afflictions anyway. Expressed in the cruelest terms, nature was culling the herd. Indeed, some of the same groups that during earlier debates about national health care expressed outrage at the prospect of death panels “pulling the plug on grandma” suggested during the pandemic that the elderly would be willing to die to save the economy.

The COVID pandemic lacked visual impact. Except for those directly affected, COVID’s toll remained abstract. There was no modern equivalent of town criers calling “Bring out your dead” accompanied by carts making the rounds to collect corpses. Had COVID led to bodies piled in the streets, shared dread might have outweighed our differences. As it turned out, we had the science to address the pandemic. What we lacked was the social accord.

Discord continues in the political arena. The tradeoffs between preserving individual rights and protecting the public are legitimate areas to explore, but rather than looking for lessons to be learned, some politicians appear determined to settle scores. Pandemic disputes will almost certainly feature in the 2024 presidential election.

Any future outbreak of disease will likely again see cable news, the internet, and social media play major roles in shaping the information individuals choose in their decision making. This will inevitably make emergency control measures more difficult to impose. COVID’s biggest political casualty may be governability itself.

We are unable to join hands to remember the more than a million Americans that have succumbed to the virus—that are succumbing still. We cannot express a nation’s gratitude to the scientists, public health officials, and heroic frontline health workers, thousands of whom died saving lives during the pandemic. Stuck in the well-worn paths of previous pandemic prejudices and conspiracy theory re-runs, we cannot come together to mourn our losses and celebrate our survival.

There will be no collective thanksgiving, no elegies, no closure. As we have seen time and time again throughout human history, pandemics do not end—they echo.

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Rewiring the classroom: How the COVID-19 pandemic transformed K-12 education

Subscribe to the brown center on education policy newsletter, brian a. jacob and brian a. jacob walter h. annenberg professor of education policy; professor of economics, and professor of education - university of michigan, former brookings expert cristina stanojevich cs cristina stanojevich doctoral student - michigan state university.

August 26, 2024

The pandemic changed K-12 classrooms through new technologies, instructional practices, and parent-teacher communications, along with an emphasis on social-emotional learning.
Less tangibly, COVID-19 might have shifted perceptions of the value and purposes of K-12 schooling.
The durability and effects of these changes remain unclear and will depend on how educational leaders and policymakers manage them.

In March 2020, virtually all public school districts in the U.S. shut their doors. For the next 18 months, schooling looked like it never had before. Homes became makeshift classrooms; parents became de facto teachers. But by fall 2022, many aspects of K-12 education had returned to “normal.” Schools resumed in-person classes, extracurricular activities flourished, and mask mandates faded.

But did schools really return to what they were before the COVID-19 pandemic? Our research suggests not. We interviewed teachers, school leaders, and district administrators across 12 districts in two states, and then we surveyed a nationally representative set of veteran educators in May 2023. We found that the COVID-19 pandemic transformed K-12 education in fundamental ways.

Below, we describe how the pandemic reshaped the educational landscape in these ways and we consider the opportunities and challenges these changes present for students, educators, and policymakers.

Accelerated adoption of technology

One of the most immediate and visible changes brought about by the pandemic was the rapid integration of technology into the classroom. Before COVID-19, many schools were easing into the digital age. The switch to remote learning in March 2020 forced schools to fully embrace Learning Management Systems (LMS), Zoom, and educational software almost overnight.

When students returned to in-person classrooms, the reliance on these digital tools persisted. Over 70% of teachers in our survey report that students are now assigned their own personal device (over 80% for secondary schools). LMS platforms like Google Classroom and Schoology remain essential in many schools. An assistant superintendent of a middle-income district remarked, “Google Classroom has become a mainstay for many teachers, especially middle school [and] high school.”

The platforms serve as hubs for posting assignments, accessing educational content, and enabling communication between teachers, students, and parents. They have become popular among parents as well. One teacher, who has school-age children herself, noted :

“Whereas pre-COVID…you’re hoping and praying your kids bring home information…[now] I can go on Google classroom and be like, ‘Oh, it says you worked on Mesopotamia today. What was that lesson about?’”

Transformed instructional practices

The pandemic’s impact on student learning was profound. Reading and math scores dropped precipitously, and the gap widened between more and less advantaged students. Many schools responded by adjusting their schedules or adopting new programs. Several mentioned adopting “What I need” (WIN) or “Power” blocks to accommodate diverse learning needs. During these blocks, teachers provide individualized support to students while others work on independent practice or extension activities.

Teachers report placing greater emphasis on small-group instruction and personalized learning. They spend less time on whole-class lecture and rely more on educational software (e.g., Lexia for reading and Zearn for math) to tailor instruction to individual student needs. A third-grade teacher in a low-income district explained:

“The kids are in so many different places, Lexia is very prescriptive and diagnostic, so it will give the kids specifically what level and what skills they need. [I] have a student who’s working on Greek and Latin roots, and then I have another kid who’s working on short vowel sounds. [It’s] much easier for them to get it through Lexia than me trying to get, you know, 18 different reading lessons.”

Teachers aren’t just using technology to personalize instruction. Having spent months gaining expertise with educational software, more teachers find it natural to integrate those programs into their classrooms today. Those teachers who used ed tech before report doing so even more now. They describe using software like Flowcabulary and Prodigy to make learning more engaging, and games such as Kahoot to give students practice with various skills. Products like Nearpod let them create presentations that integrate instruction with formative assessment. Other products, like Edpuzzle, help teachers monitor student progress.

Some teachers discovered how to use digital tools to save time and improve their communications to students. One elementary teacher, for example, explains even when her students complete an assignment by hand, she has them take a picture of it and upload it to her LMS:

“I can sort them, and I can comment on them really fast. So it’s made feedback better. [I have] essentially a portfolio of all their math, rather than like a hard copy that they could lose…We can give verbal feedback. I could just hit the mic and say, ‘Hey, double check number 6, your fraction is in fifths, it needs to be in tenths.’”

Increased emphasis on social-emotional learning

The pandemic also revealed and exacerbated the social-emotional challenges that students face. In our survey, nearly 40% of teachers report many more students struggling with depression and anxiety than before the COVID-19 pandemic; over 80% report having at least a few more students struggling.

These student challenges have changed teachers’ work. When comparing how they spend class time now versus before the pandemic, most teachers report spending more time on activities relating to students’ social-emotional well-being (73%), more time addressing behavioral issues (70%), and more time getting students caught up and reviewing routines and procedures (60%).

In response, schools have invested in social-emotional learning (SEL) programs and hired additional counselors and social workers. Some districts turned to online platforms such as Class Catalyst and CloseGap that allow students to anonymously report their emotional state on a daily basis, which helps school staff track students’ mental health.

Teachers also have been adapting their expectations of students. Many report assigning less homework and providing students more flexibility to turn in assignments late and retake exams.

Facilitated virtual communication between parents and teachers

The pandemic also radically reshaped parent-teacher communications. Mirroring trends across society, videoconferencing has become a go-to option. Schools use videoconferencing for regular parent-teacher conferences, along with meetings to discuss special education placements and disciplinary incidents. In our national survey, roughly one-half of teachers indicate that they conduct a substantial fraction of parent-teacher conferences online; nearly a quarter of teachers report that most of their interactions with parents are virtual.

In our interviews, teachers and parents gushed about the convenience afforded by videoconferencing, and some administrators believe it has increased overall parent participation. (One administrator observed, “Our attendance rates [at parent-teacher conferences] and interaction with parents went through the roof.”)

An administrator from a low-income district shared the benefits of virtual Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings:

“It’s rare that we have a face-to-face meeting…everything is Docusigned now. Parents love it because I can have a parent that’s working—a single mom that’s working full time—that can step out during her lunch break…[and] still interact with everybody.”

During the pandemic, many districts purchased a technology called Remind that allows teachers to use their personal smartphones to text with parents while blocking their actual phone number. We heard that teachers continue to text with parents, citing the benefits for quick check-ins or questions. Remind and many LMS also have translation capabilities that makes it easier for teachers and parents to overcome language barriers.

Moving forward

The changes described above have the potential to improve student learning and increase educational equity. They also carry risks. On the one hand, the growing use of digital tools to differentiate instruction may close achievement gaps, and the ubiquity of video conferencing could allow working parents to better engage with school staff. On the other hand, the overreliance on digital tools could harm students’ fine motor skills (one teacher remarked, “[T]heir handwriting sucks compared to how it used to be”) and undermine student engagement. Some new research suggests that relying on digital platforms might impede learning relative to the old-fashioned “paper and pencil” approach. And regarding virtual conferences, the superintendent of a small, rural district told us, “There’s a disconnect when we do that…No, I want the parents back in our buildings, I want people back. We’re [the school] a community center.”

Of course, some of the changes we observed may not persist. For example, fewer teachers may rely on digital tools to tailor instruction once the “COVID cohorts” have aged out of the system. As the emotional scars of the pandemic fade, schools may choose to devote fewer resources to SEL programming. It’s important to note, too, that many of the changes we found come from the adoption of new technology, and the technology available to educators will continue to evolve (e.g., with the integration of new AI technologies into personalized tutoring systems). That being said, now that educators have access to more instructional technology and—perhaps more importantly—greater familiarity with using such tools, they might continue to rely on them.

The changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic provide a unique opportunity to rethink and improve the structure of K-12 education. While the integration of technology and the focus on social-emotional learning offer promising avenues for enhancing student outcomes, they also require continuous evaluation. Indeed, these changes raise some questions beyond simple cost-benefit calculations. For example, the heightened role of ed tech raises questions about the proper role of the private sector in public education. As teachers increasingly “outsource” the job of instruction to software products, what might be lost?

Educational leaders and policymakers must ensure that these pandemic-inspired changes positively impact learning and address the evolving needs of students and teachers. As we navigate this new educational landscape, the lessons learned from this unprecedented time can serve as a guide for building a more resilient, equitable, and effective educational system for the future.

Beyond technological changes, COVID-19 shifted perspectives about K-12 schooling. A middle-school principal described a new mentality among teachers in her district, “I think we have all become more readily able to adapt…we’ve all learned to assess what we have in front of us and make the adjustments we need to ensure that students are successful.” And a district administrator emphasized how the pandemic highlighted the vital role played by schools:

“…we saw that when students were not in school. From a micro and macro level, the environment that a school creates to support you growing up…we realized how needed this network is…both academically and socially, in growing our citizens up to be productive in the world. And we are happy to have everyone back.”

At the end of the day, this realization may be one of the pandemic’s most enduring legacies.

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FDA Approves and Authorizes Updated mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines to Better Protect Against Currently Circulating Variants

FDA News Release

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved and granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (2024-2025 formula) to include a monovalent (single) component that corresponds to the Omicron variant KP.2 strain of SARS-CoV-2. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have been updated with this formula to more closely target currently circulating variants and provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death. Today’s actions relate to updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

In early June, the FDA advised manufacturers of licensed and authorized COVID-19 vaccines that the COVID-19 vaccines (2024-2025 formula) should be monovalent JN.1 vaccines. Based on the further evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and a rise in cases of COVID-19, the agency subsequently determined and advised manufacturers that the preferred JN.1-lineage for the COVID-19 vaccines (2024-2025 formula) is the KP.2 strain, if feasible.

“Vaccination continues to be the cornerstone of COVID-19 prevention,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “These updated vaccines meet the agency’s rigorous, scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality. Given waning immunity of the population from previous exposure to the virus and from prior vaccination, we strongly encourage those who are eligible to consider receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variants.”

The updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines include Comirnaty and Spikevax, both of which are approved for individuals 12 years of age and older, and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, both of which are authorized for emergency use for individuals 6 months through 11 years of age.

What You Need to Know

Unvaccinated individuals 6 months through 4 years of age are eligible to receive three doses of the updated, authorized Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or two doses of the updated, authorized Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.
Individuals 6 months through 4 years of age who have previously been vaccinated against COVID-19 are eligible to receive one or two doses of the updated, authorized Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines (timing and number of doses to administer depends on the previous COVID-19 vaccine received).
Individuals 5 years through 11 years of age regardless of previous vaccination are eligible to receive a single dose of the updated, authorized Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines; if previously vaccinated, the dose is administered at least 2 months after the last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.
Individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible to receive a single dose of the updated, approved Comirnaty or the updated, approved Spikevax; if previously vaccinated, the dose is administered at least 2 months since the last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.
Additional doses are authorized for certain immunocompromised individuals ages 6 months through 11 years of age as described in the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine fact sheets.

Individuals who receive an updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine may experience similar side effects as those reported by individuals who previously received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and as described in the respective prescribing information or fact sheets. The updated vaccines are expected to provide protection against COVID-19 caused by the currently circulating variants. Barring the emergence of a markedly more infectious variant of SARS-CoV-2, the FDA anticipates that the composition of COVID-19 vaccines will need to be assessed annually, as occurs for seasonal influenza vaccines.

For today’s approvals and authorizations of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, the FDA assessed manufacturing and nonclinical data to support the change to include the 2024-2025 formula in the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. The updated mRNA vaccines are manufactured using a similar process as previous formulas of these vaccines. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to hundreds of millions of people in the U.S., and the benefits of these vaccines continue to outweigh their risks.

On an ongoing basis, the FDA will review any additional COVID-19 vaccine applications submitted to the agency and take appropriate regulatory action.

The approval of Comirnaty (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) (2024-2025 Formula) was granted to BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH. The EUA amendment for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine (2024-2025 Formula) was issued to Pfizer Inc.

The approval of Spikevax (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) (2024-2025 Formula) was granted to ModernaTX Inc. and the EUA amendment for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (2024-2025 Formula) was issued to ModernaTX Inc.

Related Information

Comirnaty (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) (2024-2025 Formula)
Spikevax (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) (2024-2025 Formula)
Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (2024-2025 Formula)
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine (2024-2025 Formula)
FDA Resources for the Fall Respiratory Illness Season
Updated COVID-19 Vaccines for Use in the United States Beginning in Fall 2024
June 5, 2024, Meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products.

Why do we have to keep getting COVID?

Illustration by GLOBE AND MAIL/GETTY IMAGES

Flannery Dean is a writer and editor based in Hamilton.

Nearly five years into life with COVID-19, I find myself selfishly wondering how many more times I – by which I mean, all of us – need to get it before we acknowledge that allowing multiple reinfections poses a very large problem? I thought my second bout of it (or was it my third?) in February, 2023, was tough – that one set me back a few months. But this nasty little bug, which is again surging here, there and everywhere, has bitten me once again, and has been a beast to overcome.

My latest infection – which began in June and is mild by medical standards – surprised me. I’m an active, healthy woman in her 40s. In addition to having been infected previously, I’ve gratefully received every single vaccine offered, including the booster shot only about 18 per cent of Canadians got last fall. I’m not sure I blame those who didn’t rush out in droves to get it. There was little public push to do so, and a general sense that infection after vaccination was okay so long as you’re “healthy.” Continued protection against a virus that makes swift and powerful adaptations is a hard sell when you don’t invest in the power of prevention, too.

Even so, after the fever passed, I spent a month largely confined to my bed, unable to do more than shuffle to my doctor’s office and back. I felt weak and nauseated in a way that made pregnancy queasiness seem quaint. My muscles felt tired or tingling or cold, or all three at once. I was regularly overcome by a sensation that I can only describe as a full-body panic attack, marked by a racing heart and rapid breathing. For weeks, I felt like my internal circuitry was on the fritz. Even my vision was blurred.

It remains so.

That blurry-eyed bit has been the hardest postviral symptom to ignore. Nearly two months after my initial infection, I still can’t see clearly. This has proven to be a remarkably distressing and mildly terrifying postviral challenge to navigate.

I’ve written about COVID, so I knew that it was a vascular disease and that infection may have a range of effects on brains, hearts, immune systems and other organs. But it turns out COVID may also be associated with vision changes.

What I can read about this symptom online is far different from the help I can access. No one is quite sure how to deal with this side effect. My doctor recommended I see an optometrist, who was in turn compassionate and understanding but was unsure what to do about this either. I’m waiting for a referral to see an ophthalmologist.

In the meantime, I still need to work – I still want to work – and am figuring out ways to function without anxiety about what may or may not be going on.

I’m not the only one experiencing post-COVID complications in a health care climate that’s struggling to figure out what to do with people like me. About two million Canadians are reportedly experiencing long-term symptoms after an infection. Those numbers can only be expected to increase if we continue to behave as if there are no long-term implications inherent in allowing infections to surge twice yearly. There’s also evidence to suggest that long COVID afflicts more working-age people, i.e. the people who’ve been told it’s okay to work while you’re sick (and, by the way, you don’t have much of a choice).

This growing problem of people who don’t feel well for lengthy periods of time after COVID is also occurring as access to health care has never been more challenging. I feel immensely grateful to even have a family doctor – a privilege around 6.5 million people in Canada can’t claim for themselves.

Even with my compromised vision, it’s clear to me that with governments doing less and less in the face of a complex virus, the multiple knock-on effects of this approach are coming at a high human cost. But who’s counting that cost?

Despite mounting evidence that reinfection is equivalent to rolling the dice , we’ve yet to implement policies known to be effective at helping reduce transmission. I’m not talking about shutting things down. I’m talking about finally and decisively implementing the practical interventions that public-health advocates, epidemiologists, virologists and engineers have been advocating for since 2020: improving indoor air quality, which reduces airborne contaminants; granting workers paid sick leave so that they can rest and not infect others (even during the height of the pandemic, workers only got two paid sick days in Ontario); and instituting meaningful policies during rising periods of transmission.

Mask, stay home when sick, rest – this is the advice we’ve been getting for years. But these are not individual actions to take as much as privileges taken for granted. Kids in schools that operate without such policies or proper ventilation systems are, in Ontario, at the mercy of a Ministry of Education that once saw fit to float the notion that COVID doesn’t transmit in schools at all, and there is a persistent, convenient myth circulating among parents that infection is good for kids – preferable to vaccination, even. (For the record, all my infections came courtesy of my son’s school.)

Seniors in care homes can’t demand care workers be tested regularly for infection or be granted paid sick days or vet the air quality in their care homes. Workers aren’t entitled to paid time off and don’t dictate the terms of safe employment.

Public-health advice means little without policies in place to make it effective.

If the pandemic began with messages of solidarity, it rapidly devolved into reassurances that only the truly vulnerable would experience COVID’s greatest harms. In the shadow of that predatory view of human life, the population of the vulnerable has only expanded. Reinfection raises the risk of finding out how vulnerable you and those around you are, too.

As a new clever variant spreads, it feels wise to ask: How many times is enough to get a virus that – unlike our politicians – understands the power of rapid adaptation?

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Safe outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic doesn't have to halt all of your outdoor fun. Here are several fun outdoor activities you can still enjoy.

Since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the activities of many people have been affected.

With COVID-19 vaccines, testing and treatment, events and travel are back to typical levels in many places. But as waves of COVID-19 cases — called outbreaks — happen, it's important to stay flexible with your plans.

Even if it takes extra planning, seeking out fun activities can help you cope with life's challenges. That's especially true if you do activities with people in your community and boost your social network.

When it comes to being social and active during the COVID-19 pandemic, outdoor activities can be a good way to have fun safely.

Why choose outdoor activities?

It's harder to catch the virus that causes COVID-19 when you are in a space with good airflow and where you can spread out.

The COVID-19 virus is mainly spread from person to person. The virus spreads when a person with COVID-19 breathes, coughs, sneezes, sings or talks.

When you're outside, fresh air is always moving, so your risk of breathing in the virus that causes COVID-19 is lower.

Low-risk ways to move more

When COVID-19 is spreading in your area, low-risk activities can keep you active in a safe way. In general, any activity that allows you to keep your distance from others is a lower risk activity.

Wearing a mask can give you added protection against catching the COVID-19 virus.

In warm or cold weather, there are many ways to be active outdoors. Walking, running and hiking are common options either in your neighborhood or at a park.

Cold-weather activities, such as skiing or sledding, can be an option for one person or a group. Finding a fun activity during the cold months can help you enjoy the season and winter activities more.

Low- to moderate-risk outdoor activities

Some outdoor activities have a low to moderate risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. Basically, the less an activity brings you into contact with groups of people, the lower the risk of exposure to the virus.

Outdoor patio dining at uncrowded restaurants where patio tables are spaced apart is typically safer than indoor dining.

Gathering with a small group of friends and meeting outdoors may be a good option.

At the beach or swimming pool, it's the close contact with others, not water itself, that can make activities at these locations risky. Water itself doesn't spread the virus that causes COVID-19 from person to person.

High-risk outdoor activities

Being in large gatherings or crowds of people where it's difficult to stay a safe distance apart makes some outdoor activities higher risk for exposure to the COVID-19 virus. Festivals and parades are examples.

Think safety and enjoyment

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it's important to take care of yourself and those around you.

Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines to help prevent serious COVID-19 illness.
Make your activities as safe as possible.
Test for COVID-19 if you have symptoms.
Cancel plans if someone may be sick.

When you are out, clean your hands often. Avoid touching your face. If you live in an area where the virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading, wear a well-fitted mask.

With the right information, you can make thoughtful choices about ways to bring a sense of normalcy and joy to your life during the ups and downs of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Create joy and satisfaction. Mental Health America. https://www.mhanational.org/create-joy-and-satisfaction. Accessed June 7, 2024.
Social connection. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/connection/index.html. Accessed June 7, 2024.
Taking steps for cleaner air for respiratory virus prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/air-quality.html. Accessed June 7, 2024.
Goldman L, et al., eds. COVID-19: Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, community prevention, and prognosis. In: Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Elsevier; 2024. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed June 7, 2024.
Nyenhuis SM, et al. Exercise and fitness in the age of social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2020.04.039.
Masks and respiratory viruses prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/masks.html. Accessed June 7, 2024.
How to stay active in cold weather. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/getting-active/how-to-stay-active-in-cold-weather. Accessed June 7, 2024.
Exercising in hot and cold environments. American College of Sports Medicine. https://www.acsm.org/read-research/resource-library/resource_detail?id=2b5a55f7-e357-4909-b68f-727a604e3913. Accessed June 7, 2024.
Leibowitz K, et al. Winter is coming: Wintertime mindset and wellbeing in Norway. International Journal of Wellbeing. 2020; doi:10.5502/ijw.v10i4.935.
About physical distancing and respiratory viruses. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/physical-distancing.html. Accessed June 7, 2024.
DeSimone DC (expert opinion) Mayo Clinic. June 7, 2024.
Stay up to date with your vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html. Accessed June 7, 2024.
How COVID-19 spreads. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html. Accessed June 7, 2024.
Preventing respiratory viruses. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/index.html. Accessed June 7, 2024.
Hygiene and respiratory viruses Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/prevention/hygiene.html. Accessed June 7, 2024.

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Essay on Coronavirus Prevention
After extensive research, there are now COVID-19 vaccines available to the public. Everyone must consider getting it to lead healthy lives ... Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas. How to Prevent Coronavirus. The first and foremost thing for coronavirus prevention is that everyone must do is get the vaccine as soon as it is ...
Prevent COVID-19: How to Protect Yourself from the Coronavirus
Cover all surfaces of your hands with the sanitizer and rub them together until they feel dry. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Visit the CDC website for guidelines on how to properly wash your hands and use hand sanitizer. And see our video below on how soap kills the coronavirus.
How to stop the spread of COVID-19
COVID-19 tests can help prevent the spread to others. You can use COVID-19 self-tests at home and get quick results whether or not you have symptoms. Wash your hands many times a day with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds. In general, this is a good practice to help prevent the spread of germs.
Coronavirus: What is it and how can I protect myself?
The most effective way to avoid getting COVID-19 is to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Other ways to avoid COVID-19 are to: Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick or has symptoms. Wash your hands often using soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Protect Yourself From COVID-19 in a Safe and Healthy Way
Pre-Prevention Monoclonal Antibody Therapy. Evusheld is a monoclonal antibody therapy by AstraZeneca to prevent COVID-19 in individuals who are unlikely to have a response to COVID-19 vaccines. These antibodies are given to certain individuals who are not infected with SARS-CoV-2. Qualifications for Evusheld include people (12 years and older ...
How to Protect Yourself and Your Family from Coronavirus Disease 2019
The best strategy to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 is to continue to follow the CDC's recommended public health guidelines to help prevent transmission of COVID-19, including getting vaccinated if you are eligible (see the latest vaccine guidelines from the CDC), wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing, washing your hands ...
Reducing the spread of coronavirus starts with basic hygiene
This is the latest story in our Coronavirus Update series, in which Harvard specialists in epidemiology, infectious disease, economics, politics, and other disciplines offer insights into what the latest developments in the COVID-19 outbreak may bring.. Turns out Mom was right. Health experts say the best, simplest ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that has killed ...
Staying Safe from COVID-19
Staying Safe from COVID-19. The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 spreads primarily from person to person through respiratory droplets. This can happen when someone with the virus coughs, sneezes, sings or talks when close to others. By closely following a few safety measures, you can help protect yourself and others from getting sick.
Advice for the public on COVID-19
Keep physical distance of at least 1 metre from others, even if they don't appear to be sick. Avoid crowds and close contact. Wear a properly fitted mask when physical distancing is not possible and in poorly ventilated settings. Clean your hands frequently with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older people and those with underlying medical ...
Students' Essays on Infectious Disease Prevention, COVID-19 Published
Kalyani Mohan '22 and Kalli Jackson '22 penned an essay titled " Where Public Health Meets Politics: COVID-19 in the United States ," which was published in Wesleyan's Arcadia Political Review. They wrote: "While the U.S. would certainly benefit from a strengthened pandemic response team and structural changes to public health ...
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Prevention: 12 Things to Do Now
Wash your hands frequently and carefully. Use warm water and soap and rub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Work the lather to your wrists, between your fingers, and under your fingernails. You ...
How to Write About Coronavirus in a College Essay
Writing About COVID-19 in College Essays. Experts say students should be honest and not limit themselves to merely their experiences with the pandemic. The global impact of COVID-19, the disease ...
How to Protect Yourself and Prepare for the Coronavirus
Consider wearing a mask in public. Wash your hands. With soap. Then wash them again. With children, keep calm, carry on and get the flu shot. Stock up on groceries, medicine and resources. The ...
12 moving essays about life during coronavirus
Read these 12 moving essays about life during coronavirus. Artists, novelists, critics, and essayists are writing the first draft of history. A woman wearing a face mask in Miami. Alissa Wilkinson ...
COVID-19: Prevention and control measures in community
Preventive strategies are focused on the isolation of patients and careful infection control, including appropriate measures to be adopted during the diagnosis and the provision of clinical care to an infected patient. Important COVID-19 prevention and control measures in community are summarized in Table. Table 1.
Easy COVID-19 Prevention and Safety Tips
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is over half-a-year old and while daily case numbers have come down from their mid-summer peak, they still remain at high levels across the country. Advertisement
How to protect yourself and others from COVID-19
COVID-19 tests can help prevent the spread to others. You can use COVID-19 self-tests at home and get quick results whether or not you have symptoms. Wash your hands many times a day with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds. In general, this is a good practice to help prevent the spread of germs.
Is the lockdown important to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic? Effects on
The COVID-19 outbreak is spreading very fast every day and more than 4 million people have been actively infected by this virus so COVID-19 restrictions are applied in almost all areas of life . The most basic measure to reduce the spread of coronavirus or to prevent infection is to follow hygiene rules [ 7 ].
Prevent the spread of COVID-19 by washing your hands often
If you're healthy, washing your hands can keep you from getting sick.If you're sick, it can keep you from passing the illness to others. Coronaviruses can stay viable for hours and sometimes days, depending on the surface they're on and other environmental conditions.Though catching COVID-19 from contact with a contaminated surface is unlikely, washing your hands properly reduces the risk ...
COVID-19 advice
COVID-19 transmission. It can spread through small liquid particles. These particles range from larger respiratory droplets to smaller aerosols released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, speaks, sings or breathes. It spreads mainly between people who are in close contact with each other, typically within 1 metre.
How to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19
If you have cold or flu symptoms, and are at higher risk for severe disease, knowing what illness you have can help get you the right treatment. Antiviral medications for COVID-19 and flu work best when taken as soon as possible and are recommended for those at higher risk.
How to avoid catching and spreading COVID-19 infection.
COVID-19 spreads very easily through close contact with people who have the virus. When someone with COVID-19 breathes, speaks, coughs or sneezes, they release small droplets containing the virus. You can catch it by breathing in these droplets or touching surfaces covered in them. You are more likely to catch it indoors and in crowded places.
Coronavirus FAQ: Can you give me a refresher course in how to avoid
Maybe you're COVID indifferent. Or a COVID amnesiac. Or a NOVID who wants to keep your no COVID streak going. With cases rising this summer, it's time for a refresher course on how to avoid the virus.
Pandemics Don't Really End—They Echo
T he public health emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic officially ended on May 11, 2023. It was a purely administrative step. Viruses do not answer to government decrees. Reported numbers ...
Rewiring the classroom: How the COVID-19 pandemic ...
The changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic provide a unique opportunity to rethink and improve the structure of K-12 education. While the integration of technology and the focus on social ...
FDA Approves and Authorizes Updated mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines to Better
FDA approved and authorized for emergency use updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (2024-2025 formula) to more closely target currently circulating variants to prevent COVID-19 and to provide better ...
Why do we have to keep getting COVID?
Flannery Dean is a writer and editor based in Hamilton. Nearly five years into life with COVID-19, I find myself selfishly wondering how many more times I - by which I mean, all of us - need ...
Safe outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it's important to take care of yourself and those around you. Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines to help prevent serious COVID-19 illness. Make your activities as safe as possible. Test for COVID-19 if you have symptoms. Cancel plans if someone may be sick.
COVID spread mitigation in schools urged by health experts
Health experts are urging school staff and families to take active steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 amid rising infections as school districts stick to their previous plans to combat the vi…

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