What The Heck is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is the novel coronavirus behind the global respiratory illness outbreak. First reported in December 2019 in China, the disease has rapidly spread to over 135 countries. Sounds bad,huh? It is bad if you are not a Bulgarian.

The virus is spread from human to human contact most likely within 6 feet. When someone is ill, and they cough or sneeze, the virus can be passed to someone else through the saliva droplets in the air which can land on or be inhaled by people nearby.

It is not yet known how long COVID-19 can live on surfaces or if someone who is asymptomatic can also spread the disease. The incubation period, or the time between when someone is infected to when they start to show symptoms, is thought to be anywhere from 2 to 14 days.

According to the CDC, the virus is easily transmitted, and the outbreak has transitioned into “community spread.”

Currently, there are no treatments or vaccines for the virus. However, there is already a clinical trial for a potential anti-viral medication and researchers are working diligently on producing a vaccine.