Browse frequently asked questions below!
If you can't find what you're looking for, contact us.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a condition caused by a virus that can spread from person to person, it was first described in Wuhan, China in late 2019. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a new coronavirus that has spread around the world and can cause mild symptoms (or no symptoms) to severe illness.
Coronaviruses are a family of viruses, some causing mild illnesses like the flu and others causing more severe outbreaks like SARS and MERS. SARS-CoV-2 is the type of coronavirus that is causing the current pandemic, it bears that name since it is the second coronavirus to cause severe acute respiratory syndrome). COVID-19 is the name given to the disease caused by SARS-CoV-3.
Symptoms vary in degree of severity depending on the person. Symptoms can appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus.
Many different symptoms have been described but the most common are:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Difficulty breathing (feeling short of breath)
- Fatigue
- Muscle and body aches
- Headache
- Recent loss of smell or taste
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
COVID-19 is spread mainly from person to person, mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. It is possible that people can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.
The spread can be prevented with isolation measures, it is recommended to stay at least 6 feet away from another person, frequent hand washing, use gel with at least 70% alcohol, use face masks and avoid meetings in closed.
There is no evidence that you can get it from food
The role of surface transmission is debated, only highly contaminated surfaces are believed to be at high risk. At the laboratory, The SARS-CoV-2 virus can survive until 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel surfaces; less than 4 hours on copper surfaces and less than 24 hours on cardboard
Yes. Apparently the Coronavirus can stay alive for several hours in closed spaces, particularly if there is no sunlight and high rate humidity along with poor ventilation
NO. There is no evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be transmitted by mosquitoes.
Social distancing, avoiding social events, wearing a mask, staying home if you feel unwell, washing your hands, getting tested if you suspect you are ill or have been in contact with someone ill, getting the vaccine once it is available.
Yes, the use of a mask is always recommended.
If it is an emergency, medical attention should not be delayed, non-urgent elective procedures could wait. Vaccination of children should not be delayed.
It is important to isolate yourself and not be in contact with them for 10 days from the onset of symptoms or from the positive test. Wearing a mask is important. If possible, use a separate bathroom, do not share food, and keep contact surfaces sanitized.
Not everything is known about immunity to the virus, if there is reinfection, so it is important to continue maintaining prevention measures even if you have already been sick.
The test should be done if I have suggestive symptoms of the disease or if you have been in contact with someone infected. Tests are also done to measure prevalence in some populations.
Yes, the test has no adverse effects.
The tests can be of several types, a rapid test, which has less reliability, and a PCR test that is taken with a nose or throat scraping. Scheduling depends on your health provider.
The results of the test depend on the type that has been performed, if it is the search for the virus by means of PCR it will take approximately 1-3 days, depending on the laboratory. If it's a quick test, it will tell you right then and there.
Yes, it is possible to test negative and later have a positive result.The test result only means that you did not have COVID-19 at the time of testing.
However, that does not mean you will not get sick.
- You might test negative if the sample was collected early in your infection and test positive later during your illness.
- You could also be exposed to COVID-19 after the test and get infected then..
Several domestic dogs and cats have tested positive for COVID-19 after being in contact with infected humans.
LACC Based on the information available at this time, there is no evidence that animals can spread COVID-19 and the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is low. Pets have other types of coronaviruses that can make them sick, like canine and feline coronaviruses.
These other coronaviruses cannot infect people and are not related to the current COVID-19 outbreak.
However, since animals can spread other diseases to people, it’s always a good idea to practice healthy habits around pets and other animals, such as washing your hands and maintaining good hygiene.
No, although contagion to pets has been reported, this has been very rare.
Yes, but remember to take care of the healthy distance measures and hygienic measures.
Yes, children can get COVID-19 but are not a higher risk compared to adults.
Several studies have found that overall, people under age 18 are between one-third and one-half as likely as adults to contract the virus, and the risk appears lowest for the youngest children. The reason remains the subject of intense study.
Yes — even though children might have less severe disease than adults they can still transmit the disease to others.
In the US <2% of confirmed cases were in persons younger than 18.
Children under-2 appear to be at a higher risk of severe illness than older children, but it is still rare. Newborns can be infected during childbirth or exposure to sick people after delivery.Caregivers who have COVID or are awaiting results would wear face coverings and wash their hands when caring for the baby. Current evidence suggests the risk of a neonate acquiring SARS-CoV-2 from its mother is low. It is unlikely COVID is transmitted by breast milk, breastfeeding is still recommended for COVID-19 positive mothers.
Generally, children experience milder symptoms than adults. A recent study done in China showed that 90% of children had mild or no symptoms but serious illness can still happen. Children can have similar symptoms as adults. Fever and cough are common and they can also experience sore throat, fatigue and diarrhea. Most children recover within one to two weeks. More severe symptoms like those associated with Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome have also been described.
MIS-C is a serious condition in which many parts of the body become inflamed. Inflammation of the herat, blood vessels, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes and the digestive system. It is thought to be an immune system reaction to the virus.
Symptoms of MIS-C can include:
- Fever lasting more than a couple of days
- Rash
- Conjunctivitis (redness of the white part of the eye)
- Stomachache
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea
- A large, swollen lymph node in the neck
- Red, cracked lips
- A tongue that is redder than usual and looks like a strawberry
- Swollen hands and/or feet
- Irritability and/or unusual sleepiness or weakness
Yes, children of all ages can get tested for COVID-19. The decision to test a child should be made by their health provider and their parents.
Prevention measures in children are similar to the ones for adults:
- Avoid contact with sick people, cover cough and sneezes, hand hygiene, clean and disinfect highly touched surfaces, maintain social distance, and wear a mask.
- The CDC recommends that everybody over 2 years of age wear a mask in a public setting.
-Children under 2 shouldn’t wear masks because of the danger of suffocation