In this update, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dispels common COVID-19 rumors and sets the facts straight.
*Please Note: This information is being shared directly from the CDC website.
Know the facts about coronavirus disease 2019.
For up-to-date information, visit CDC’s coronavirus disease 2019 situation summary page.
Fact 1: Diseases can make anyone sick regardless of their race or ethnicity.
Fear and anxiety about COVID-19 can cause people to avoid or reject others even though they are not at risk for spreading the virus.
Fact 2: For most people, the immediate risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to be low.
Older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for more serious complications from COVID-19.
Fact 3: Someone who has completed quarantine or has been released from isolation does not pose a risk of infection to other people.
For up-to-date information, visit CDC’s coronavirus disease situation summary page.
Fact 4: There are simple things you can do to help keep yourself and others healthy.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Fact 5: You can help stop COVID-19 by knowing the signs and symptoms:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
Seek medical advice if you ...
- Develop symptoms
AND
- Have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or live in or have recently traveled from an area with ongoing spread of COVID-19. Call ahead before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room. Tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.
