There are steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting sick from viral respiratory infections, and help prevent transmitting infections to others, including:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands
• Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces
• Stay home from work or school if you have a fever or are not feeling well

We are still learning about how the COVID-19 affects people. Symptoms may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Symptoms of people with confirmed COVID-19 infections have primarily included:

• Fever
• Cough
• Difficulty breathing

If you develop symptoms of a fever or respiratory illness, contact your health care provider before going to their office or the emergency department. You can also contact the NH Division of Public Health Services at 603-271-4496, if you have questions or concerns.

It’s not clear yet how easily COVID-19 spreads from person-to-person. Human coronaviruses most commonly spread from an infected person to others through respiratory droplets, including:

• Through the air by coughing and sneezing;
• Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands;
• Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands.

This is similar to how influenza and other respiratory infections spread. Until we learn more about how easily the COVID-19 spreads between people, healthcare providers may wear special personal protective equipment (e.g. masks and eye protection) when evaluating a patient if there is concern for infection with the COVID-19.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, but only several types are known to commonly cause infections in people, with these common human coronaviruses usually causing mild to moderate respiratory illness (like the common cold). Newer human coronaviruses, like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and the COVID-19 can cause more severe symptoms. The COVID-19 is originally thought to have spread from animals to humans, but now person-to-person spread is occurring.