Spread Of Coronavirus

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With cases of COVID-19 reported across the globe, health officials are focused on slowing the spread. By understanding how coronavirus spreads, you can take the right steps so you don't get sick and infect others.
Experts believe the virus that causes COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person. There are several ways this can happen:
The virus most often spreads through people who have symptoms . But it is possible to pass it on without showing any signs. Some people who don't know they've been infected can give it to others. This is called asymptomatic spread. You can also pass it on before you notice any signs of infection, called presymptomatic spread.
Sometimes, a person can trace how they got the virus because they know that they've been in contact with someone who's sick. In other cases, the cause is unknown. Community spread is when someone gets the virus without any known contact with a sick person.
A few pets have tested positive for the new coronavirus. Not all of these animals had signs of illness, but some have had mild symptoms. The animals may have caught the virus from close contact with humans who were infected.
Public health officials say they are still studying COVID-19 but it appears that humans can transmit it to pets but not as likely that pets can transmit it to humans.
Many experts say the omicron COVID variant appears to be more infectious than the previous dominant strain, delta. The CDC hasn’t confirmed this. But the agency did predict that omicron would probably spread more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Researchers say that on average, every person who has COVID-19 will pass it on to 2 or 2.5 others. One study says that number is even higher, with one sick person infecting between 4.7 and 6.6 others.
By comparison, someone who has the flu will probably give it to an average of 1.1 to 2.3 others. But one person with measles might spread it to 12 to 18 others.
Research has found that although children tend to get infected with the coronavirus less often and have milder symptoms than adults, they can still catch and spread it. Some have become seriously ill and even died.
It's highly unlikely that you'll catch COVID-19 from packages, groceries, or food. The important thing is to limit your contact with other people. If you do your own shopping, try to keep at least 6 feet away from others in the store. That might not be possible all the time, so wear a face mask, too. If you use a delivery service, have them leave groceries, food, or packages outside your front door if you can.

Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before and after bringing things into your home. If you want, you can wipe down plastic, metal, or glass packaging with soap and water. Then clean and disinfect countertops and anything else you or your bags have touched.
The term “flattening the curve” was used often early in the pandemic as a way to demonstrate the availability of medical treatment in a location vs. the number of infections.
You may have seen a graph labeled “Flattening the curve” showing a tall, narrow curve and a short, wide curve with a line through it. It helped indicate how many sick people hospitals in a certain area could treat at one time. The tall curve went above the line. That meant too many people were sick at once and that region likely wouldn’t have enough hospital beds for all the people who needed treatment. The flatter curve showed what happened when the spread of the virus slowed down. The same number of people may get sick, but the infections happened over a longer time, so hospitals could treat more people.
There are COVID-19 vaccines available, and you are encouraged to be vaccinated. You should still try to limit your contact with other people. CDC guidelines suggest:
It may seem extreme to limit large gatherings, ask people to work from home, and occasionally close schools, restaurants, and theaters. But health experts say these are the best ways to slow the spread of the virus. As some places ease these rules, keep in mind that the virus hasn’t gone away. Be careful about your contact with others.
To stop the spread of coronavirus, people who are sick need to self-quarantine, or stay away from those who are well. Because you may not show symptoms right away, you should also self-quarantine if you know that you've come into contact with someone who has COVID-19.
If you've tested positive for COVID-19, isolate yourself . Stay at home in a room that's separate from everyone else, if possible. Avoid contact with other people and pets. Wear a face mask when you have to be near other people.
If your symptoms get worse, call your doctor or hospital before you go in. Follow their instructions to get medical help.
Isolate yourself until there's no chance that you could spread the virus . Your doctor can tell you when it's safe to stop.
UpToDate: “Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Epidemiology, virology, and prevention,” “Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.”
World Health Organization: “Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report -- 73,” “Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).”

Pathogens : “SARS-CoV-2 and Coronavirus Disease 2019: What We Know So Far.”
Hartford HealthCare: “How to Avoid COVID-19 at the Supermarket.”
CDC: "Cases in U.S.," "How it Spreads," "Preventing the Spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Homes and Residential Communities," “Recommendation Regarding the Use of Cloth Face Coverings, Especially in Areas of Significant Community-Based Transmission,” “Coronavirus and Travel in the United States,” “If You Have Animals,” “COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination,” “Omicron Variant: What You Need to Know,” “What You Should Know about COVID-19 and Pets,” “Your Guide to Masks,” “How to Protect Yourself & Others,” “CDC Updates and Shortens Recommended Isolation and Quarantine Period for General Population.”
World Organisation for Animal Health: “Questions and Answers on the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).”
Columbia Mailman School of Public Health: "Public Health Rallies to 'Flatten the Curve.'"
Harvard Medical School: "Coronavirus Resource Center."
Johns Hopkins Medicine: "Coronavirus, Social Distancing and Self Quarantine."
Kaiser Health News: "Flattening the Curve and Social Distancing: Understanding the Drastic Measures That Experts Keep Talking About."
Michigan Health: "Flattening the Curve for COVID-19: What Does It Mean and How Can You Help?"
News release, National Institutes of Health.
Wisconsin Public Radio: “Social Distancing In Wisconsin: Your Questions, Answered.”

The New England Journal of Medicine : “Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1.”
China CDC Weekly: “Notes from the Field: Isolation of 2019-nCoV from a Stool Specimen of a Laboratory-Confirmed Case of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).”

MedRxiv : “The Novel Coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, is Highly Contagious and More Infectious Than Initially Estimated.”
UC Davis Health: “Omicron variant: What we know so far about this COVID-19 strain.”
Johns Hopkins: “COVID Omicron Variant: What You Need to Know.”
University of Rochester Medical Center: “Omicron is Spreading: Here’s What Our Scientists Know.”
Mayo Clinic: “Mayo Clinic expert discusses the latest on omicron variant.”
© 2005 - 2022 WebMD LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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COVID-19 can spread easily.
COVID-19 can spread between people.
COVID-19 can spread when people are too close.
COVID-19 can spread when people cough.
COVID-19 can spread when people sneeze.
COVID-19 can spread when people talk.
COVID-19 can spread when people sing.
Stay away from crowds.
Stay away from inside places with lots of people.
Stay away from people who are sick.
Stay away from people if you are sick.
COVID-19 may get on your hands if you touch things.
Wash your hands after you touch things.
You may spread COVID-19 to animals.
Avoid touching animals outside your home.
Wash your hands after you touch animals.
Stay at least 6 feet away from people outside your home.
Stay away from people who are sick.
Wear a mask to protect everyone.
The mask must cover your nose.
The mask must cover your mouth.
The mask must fit under your chin.
The mask must be snug on your face.
Make sure breathing is easy.
Wash your hands often.
Wash your hands with soap and water.
Wash your hands for 20 seconds.
Sing the happy birthday song twice while washing your hands.
Use hand sanitizer if that is all you have.
Rub the hand sanitizer all over your hands.
Rub your hands until they feel dry.
Washing your hands with soap and water is best.
Original Guidance: How COVID-19 Spreads
Development of these materials was supported by a grant from the CDC Foundation, using funding provided by its donors. The materials were created by the Center for Literacy & Disability Studies, Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation at Georgia Tech. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided subject matter expertise and approved the content. The use of the names of private entities, products, or enterprises is for identification purposes only and does not imply CDC endorsement.
Project funding ended 9/30/2021. All edits after that date are completed solely by CDC.
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