Coronavirus has been front and center in the news lately and, while myths and scare tactics swirl around us, we thought it would be helpful to discuss how to separate the facts from the falsehoods and share some basic truths on what the coronavirus is, and how it fits into our world.

First, we encourage people to know their sources. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are two excellent and reputable sources for information on all things health and disease related. If you are reading an article, you should look for known scientific journals, reputable health professionals, or unbiased, non-politically motivated health organizations as their sources. If you see that article “A” sites article “B” and, article “B” sites article “A” that just goes in a circle. Look for a study or expert that has knowledge about the topic they are talking about. Don’t know who the doctor or scientist that’s quoted is? Feel free to look them up too!

So now that we know how to find some reliable information, what exactly is the coronavirus? The World Health Organization notes the coronavirus is actually part of a large family of similar viruses. Some cause illnesses only in people, some only in other animals, and some, like the 2019-nCoV strain that has come out of Wuhan City in China, cause illness in both.

Some strains of the coronavirus cause mild illnesses, like the common cold, while others cause Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The CDD reports the MERS outbreak had a death rate of 30 to 40 percent, while BMJ Journal calculated SARS at 9.6 percent.

So the “coronavirus” we are all hearing about is actually a new strain in the coronavirus family of viruses, called 2019-nCoV, which doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Why are we hearing so much about it then? The answer is because it is new. Because this is a new strain of coronavirus there is no vaccine to protect us from it, we don’t yet know what the death rate is going to look like, and also because it is new scientists are still trying to figure out exactly how it is spread, who can spread it, and for how long. The other problematic thing? Like SARS, MERS, and influenza, this new coronavirus can also cause pneumonia, which is deadly in its own right.

Here is what WHO knows so far: the virus is a respiratory virus spread through contact with the tiny droplets produced when a person with the virus coughs or sneezes, or we come into contact with their saliva or discharge from their nose. That’s why making sure we all practice sneezing and coughing into a flexed elbow, or a tissue we immediately discard into a closed bin, is so important. Then we need to wash our hands or use an alcohol-based hand rub.

It might be possible for people with no symptoms to spread the virus, which is why they are quarantining people for two weeks who have traveled in affected areas even if they aren’t showing symptoms.

Because this virus is still so new, researchers and scientists believe that we will see more cases before we reach the peak of the outbreak. This is why they are trying to take conservative steps now to prevent more infections later on, and why it’s important for everyone to keep washing our hands, or using an alcohol-based hand rub if our hands are not visibly dirty, maintaining at least three feet between ourselves and other people, particularly those who are coughing, sneezing, and have a fever, and avoid touching our eyes, nose, and mouth so we don’t put germs in them.

If you do have a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early. Tell your health care provider if you have traveled in an area in China where 2019-nCoV has been reported, or if you have been in close contact with someone who has traveled from China and has respiratory symptoms.

If you have mild respiratory symptoms and no travel history to or within China, carefully practice basic respiratory and hand hygiene and stay home until you are recovered, if possible.

For more information, call Franklin VNA and Hospice at 934-3454 or visit www.FranklinVNA.org.