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  1. What is the likelihood of dying from COVID-19 as an elderly person?

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an individual who is 85 years of age or older...

  2. How might seasonal flu symptoms be different from coronavirus symptoms?

    Symptoms from the seasonal flu and COVID-19 are not very different. However, COVID-19 is much deadlier than the flu....

  3. If a person who is infected with coronavirus, but who does not have symptoms, donates blood, and a patient eventually receives blood from that person, is the patient at risk of infection, and also at risk of spreading the virus themselves?

    To date, there has been no evidence of transfusion-based transmission of the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2), nor of the related...

  4. Does the microwave kill the virus?

    Microwaves kill germs in food by heating up mainly water in an object to high temperatures, which passes heat...

  5. Can UV light be used to inactivate the virus?

    The antimicrobial potential of UVC light has long been established. Its widespread use in public settings is limited due...

  6. Can just hot water kill the COVID-19 virus on surfaces? If yes, for how long?

    No, hot water alone cannot kill the virus that causes COVID-19 on surfaces. The virus (SARS-CoV-2) has a fat-based...

  7. Will there be permanent damage to my lungs or other organs if I’m infected with the COVID-19 virus?

    While most people who have COVID-19 recover within a few weeks, some have prolonged symptoms which has been called...

  8. In what ways could the healthcare system become overwhelmed?

    As COVID-19 cases surge in the U.S., some hospitals are struggling with an increase in patients and a shortage...

  9. Does the size of a population make a difference in outcomes during an outbreak (US vs Italy, for example)?

    We often talk about outbreaks in terms of the proportion of a population that is affected. Important factors in...

  10. What symptoms should I look out for when taking care of someone at home? When do I know it is time to seek immediate medical attention for them?

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website has thorough guidelines for caring for individuals with COVID-19 at home....

  11. Who should be donating blood now in response to the current blood shortage? What factors should be considered, like blood type and risk?

    Hospitals across the U.S. are currently facing shortages of all blood types and products due to COVID-19-related cancellations of...

  12. Is Bactine effective as hand sanitizer against COVID-19 virus?

    According to the active ingredients list, Bactine uses Benzalkonium as an antiseptic (as substance that stops germs). One recent...

  13. Can COVID-19 be passed from a pregnant woman to the fetus or newborn?

    For the latest information regarding pregnancy, newborns, and COVID-19, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website....

  14. How much money is the federal government spending to address the coronavirus pandemic, and what is the US spending the money on?

    The federal government is spending billions of dollars to combat COVID-19. Explore who the US is buying from, what...

  15. Is there a vaccine against COVID-19?

    To date, career public servant-scientists at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have granted Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs)...