COVID-19: 6 key questions answered by experts

Mar 23, 2020

A person peers through the blinds from inside the Life Care Center of Kirkland, the long-term care facility linked to several confirmed coronavirus cases in the state, in Kirkland, Washington, U.S. March 11, 2020 Coronavirus china virus health healthcare who world health organization disease deaths pandemic epidemic worries concerns Health virus contagious contagion viruses diseases disease lab laboratory doctor health dr nurse medical medicine drugs vaccines vaccinations inoculations technology testing test medicinal biotechnology biotech biology chemistry physics microscope research influenza flu cold common cold bug risk symptomes respiratory china iran italy europe asia america south america north washing hands wash hands coughs sneezes spread spreading precaution precautions health warning covid 19 cov SARS 2019ncov wuhan sarscow wuhanpneumonia pneumonia outbreak patients unhealthy fatality mortality elderly old elder age serious death deathly deadly

Virus particles can be released through bodily fluids, such when coughing or sneezing. Image: REUTERS/Karen Ducey

Lotti Tajouri

Associate Professor, Biomedical Sciences, Bond University

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This illustration shows the shape of a coronavirus particle. CDC / Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAM, CC BY Coronavirus china virus health healthcare who world health organization disease deaths pandemic epidemic worries concerns Health virus contagious contagion viruses diseases disease lab laboratory doctor health dr nurse medical medicine drugs vaccines vaccinations inoculations technology testing test medicinal biotechnology biotech biology chemistry physics microscope research influenza flu cold common cold bug risk symptomes respiratory china iran italy europe asia america south america north washing hands wash hands coughs sneezes spread spreading precaution precautions health warning covid 19 cov SARS 2019ncov wuhan sarscow wuhanpneumonia pneumonia outbreak patients unhealthy fatality mortality elderly old elder age serious death deathly deadly

This is what the coronavirus particle looks like. Image: CDC / Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAM, CC BY

The novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 (yellow) emerging from the surface of cells (blue/pink) cultured in the lab. NIAID Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML), U.S. NIH, CC BY Coronavirus china virus health healthcare who world health organization disease deaths pandemic epidemic worries concerns Health virus contagious contagion viruses diseases disease lab laboratory doctor health dr nurse medical medicine drugs vaccines vaccinations inoculations technology testing test medicinal biotechnology biotech biology chemistry physics microscope research influenza flu cold common cold bug risk symptomes respiratory china iran italy europe asia america south america north washing hands wash hands coughs sneezes spread spreading precaution precautions health warning covid 19 cov SARS 2019ncov wuhan sarscow wuhanpneumonia pneumonia outbreak patients unhealthy fatality mortality elderly old elder age serious death deathly deadly

The COVID-19 coronavirus (yellow) emerging from the surface of cells (blue/pink). Image: NIAID Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML), U.S. NIH, CC BY

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