We only update these FAQs periodically and are not posting daily or weekly updates to rapidly developing information. For frequent and timely updates on emerging data, we recommend some of our friends in the Nerdy Neighborhood: Dear Pandemic, Your Local Epidemiologist, Science Whiz Liz, IMPACT, and Unambiguous Science
What is COVID-19?
- How do viruses work and how do they make us sick?
- What is SARS-CoV2? What are coronavirues?
- Why did the SARS-CoV2 virus become a pandemic?
- How related is COVID-19 to the flu?
- How infectious is COVID-19? What is the “R-value” and why is it important?
- How does “Rt” change?
How does COVID-19 spread?
- How does SARS-CoV2 spread?
- How much virus is needed to infect someone and make them sick?
- What is viral load? How does it relate to how sick someone is?
- What are fomites and how do they contribute to COVID-19 spread?
- What is the difference between aerosols and droplets?
- Does COVID-19 spread by airborne transmission?
- Can asymptomatic people spread COVID-19?
Who is at high-risk for COVID-19?
- What does the term high risk mean?
- Who is high risk for COVID-19?
- What are “vulnerable populations”?
- What does blood type have to do with COVID-19?
- Are men at higher risk of COVID-19 than women?
- Are kids at lower risk?
- Why do kids tend to have milder symptoms?
- What is multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children?
- Why do some people have mild symptoms, others have severe symptoms, and some people have no symptoms?
- Why does COVID-19 affect some socioeconomic groups and cultural communities more than others?
- What needs to happen to reduce the disparities in harder-hit communities?
- As a person who is not in a position of power or influence, how can I help communities with higher levels of COVID-19 risk?
Do masks slow the spread of COVID-19?
- What are current mask recommendations in the US?
- Do masks slow the spread of COVID-19?
- Who does a mask protect?
- What is the right way to wear a mask?
- When should you wear a mask?
- Should we be wearing masks outdoors?
- Are there any reasons why someone should not wear a mask?
- Should kids wear masks?
- Is wearing a mask dangerous?
- What is the difference between respirators, N95s, KN95s, surgical masks and cloth masks?
- What type of cloth mask is best?
- Should you wash your mask?
- Why has advice on masks changed?
Diagnostic COVID Testing
- What is a COVID-19 test?
- What is contact tracing?
- Why is testing important?
- What types of tests are available?
- How do diagnostic tests work?
- How accurate is current COVID-19 diagnostic testing?
- What does a negative diagnostic test mean?
- When should you get tested?
- Are rising numbers of COVID-19 due to more testing?
Immunity and Herd Immunity
- What is an antibody?
- Why are antibodies are important for immunity?
- What are COVID antibodies?
- What do we know about COVID-19 immunity?
- Can people be reinfected with SARS-CoV2?
- Can I boost my immune system to protect myself against COVID?
- What is herd immunity?
- How do we achieve herd immunity?
- Have we ever controlled a disease through herd immunity?
- Should I get other vaccines for my children and me during the pandemic?
- Is natural herd immunity a good strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic?
Will a COVID vaccine be safe and effective?
- What is a realistic vaccine timeline?
- What are companies and government agencies doing to meet this timeline?
- Is the vaccine being rushed?
- How will we know a COVID vaccine is safe?
- Will vaccines continue to be monitored after a vaccine is approved?
- Is the vaccine being tested on children?
- What does it mean if a vaccine trial is paused?
- Will mutations of the SARS-CoV2 virus make vaccines ineffective?
- Does a vaccine need to be “perfect” to help?
- What happens if not enough people get vaccinated?
- Will a vaccine eradicate COVID-19?
- Do we need a vaccine before anything can return to normal?
- Who will get the COVID-19 vaccine first?
- What kinds of vaccines are being tested?
- Which COVID-19 vaccine will be best?
- When will SciMoms decide to vaccinate their children with new COVID-19 vaccines?
What you need to know about COVID variants
- What are COVID variants?
- Can COVID tests tell me if I have the Delta variant or other COVID variant?
- Do the vaccines work against COVID variants?
- Do vaccines prevent transmission of the Delta variant?
- Why has the Delta variant spread so quickly?
- Does the Delta variant make people sicker?
- How do we stop COVID variants?
- Do viruses evolve to become more “gentle”?