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The coronavirus is sparking fears it could become a pandemic - here's why
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As of Feb. 27, the World Health Organization had recorded 59 confirmed cases of new coronavirus in the U.S. 

One of the U.S. cases was in Arizona —  a man in his 20s who is part of the Arizona State University community and had traveled to the Wuhan area of China — is no longer infected and is out of isolation.

a person riding on the back of a bicycle: A student makes his way on Arizona State University's campus in Tempe on Jan. 30, 2020. © Patrick Breen/The Republic A student makes his way on Arizona State University's campus in Tempe on Jan. 30, 2020.

Here are some big questions and answers as concerns about a global pandemic continue to grow:

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How bad could this get?

The situation with new coronavirus is so uncertain that it's difficult to say how bad things could get. But Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials say Americans should prepare for "severe" disruptions to everyday life.

"Ultimately, we expect we will see community spread in this country," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said on Feb. 25.

Some health experts say if new coronavirus continues to spread in the U.S., the result in Arizona could be similar to a bad flu season, where emergency rooms and health clinics are crowded, and death rates are higher than normal. (Preliminary estimates from the CDC so far this flu season indicate at least 16,000 influenza deaths through Feb. 15).

Yet information about the virus is changing daily as more cases are reported around the globe.

CORONAVIRUS IN ARIZONA: Updates on where the virus is now, symptoms, travel 

Will schools and workplaces close?

Possibly. The CDC says public health interventions for new coronavirus could include school closures and dismissals; using internet-based teleschooling to continue education; and replacing in-person business meetings with video or telephone conferences.

On a larger scale, communities may need to modify, postpone or cancel mass gatherings, CDC officials say. Also, there could be stepped-up, consistent measures to clean frequently touched surfaces and objects at home, at school, at work and at large gatherings.

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School closures in Arizona may not be the right decision.

During the 2009 H1N1 "swine flu" pandemic, guidance from the CDC called for closing schools when a student was diagnosed with the new virus. But Dr. Bob England, who was then head of the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, said as soon as it became evident that the swine flu was spreading across the Valley, the choice became to "either close every school, or none."

Working with Will Humble, who was then the director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, England reopened all the schools he'd already closed within the first week of the epidemic.

"We decided that the economic and social disruption caused by closing schools would do more harm than good," England and Humble wrote in a recent op-ed. "That proved to be the right choice."

England is now interim director of the Pima County Health Department in Tucson.

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Should I wear a mask?

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including new coronavirus. You should only wear a mask if a health-care professional recommends it.

A face mask should be used by people who have new coronavirus and are showing symptoms, which is to protect others from the risk of getting infected.

"Surgical face masks are designed to keep secretions in," said Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine, medical director of disease control for the Maricopa County Department of Public Health. "Surgeons wear them so that they don't get saliva or secretions on the patient. It's not to protect themselves from the patient."

Another kind of mask called an N95 respirator is designed to keep infectious particles out, she said. 

"When you are wearing an N95 respirator, it's to protect the wearer from being infected," she said. "So sick people wear the mask and well people wear N95, as long as they've been fit-tested."

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires an annual "fit test" to confirm the fit of any respirator that forms a tight seal on the wearer’s face before it is used in the workplace, the CDC says.

Are there travel restrictions and if so, what are they?

Travel restrictions are changing on a daily basis. As of Feb. 26, affected areas with widespread or sustained community transmission were:

  • China
  • Iran
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • South Korea

Destinations identified by the CDC as being at risk for community spread are Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. But as of Feb. 26, the extent of the virus had not spread enough to meet the criteria for any travel restrictions.

According to a Jan. 31 presidential proclamation, foreign nationals who have visited China in the past 14 days may not enter the U.S.

To see the latest updates on travel and the new coronavirus go to the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html

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How is new coronavirus different from the flu and what are its symptoms?

Unlike the flu, there is no vaccine against new coronavirus. There are also antiviral medications that can treat the symptoms and shorten the duration of the flu, while the effectiveness of antivirals against new coronavirus is not yet known.

Symptoms of new coronavirus are similar to the flu, and both can cause pneumonia. Reported illnesses from new coronavirus have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death. Symptoms can include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

"It's quite contagious or you wouldn't have seen the numbers explode as fast as we did in more than one location," said England of the Pima County Health Department.

Most of the time the virus causes mild symptoms and sometimes no symptoms at all, England said. Also, transmission has occurred from people who have no symptoms.

For that reason, it's difficult to say whether the new coronavirus has a higher mortality rate than the flu. People with mild or no symptoms aren't showing up in the numbers, he said.

"In all likelihood, a vastly large number of people are having mild or no symptoms," he said. "I would expect once this thing gets around, it's really going to get around and it's going to infect a lot of people. But it's going to feel like a bad flu season."

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Does hand sanitizer help?

Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs in most situations. 

If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, the CDC says. England recommends using sanitizer with 70% or more alcohol.

You can tell the sanitizer's alcohol content by looking at the label.

Is anyone at risk of dying from this virus?

As with seasonal flu, people with compromised immune systems and underlying health conditions are more at risk, public health officials say.

Also at higher risk are health care workers if they aren't wearing full personal protective equipment.

Even young and healthy people can die of the flu, but it's rare.

Using data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harvard epidemiologist Dr. Michael Mina says mortality rates for people with new coronavirus who are ages 30 to 39 are just .2%. By comparison, mortality rates for those older than 80 years old are 14.8%, he found.

How do I protect myself and my family?

Public health officials advise taking everyday preventive actions to avoid the spread of all respiratory infections, including novel coronavirus:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then immediately throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Should we be stockpiling food and other supplies?

The CDC advises having at least a three-day supply of food and water on hand at any time as a protective measure against any emergency or disaster.

Choose foods that have a long storage life, require little or no cooking, water, or refrigeration, in case utilities are disrupted. Make sure to store food that meets the needs of family members who are on special diets, of babies and of pets.

For water, try to store at least 1 gallon of water per day for each person and each pet. Consider storing more water than this for hot climates, for pregnant women and for people who are sick.

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I have symptoms of new coronavirus. Should I go to the ER?

Not unless it's a life-threatening emergency, says Dr. Michael White, chief medical officer for Valleywise Health in Phoenix.

The best thing to do if someone suspects they have new coronavirus or another respiratory illness, White says, is to call their primary care physician. It's important to reduce the transmission of viruses in areas like emergency room and doctor's office waiting rooms, he said.

Public health and hospital officials say a situation where too many people are seeking care at the emergency room could prevent those who are the most seriously ill from getting the care they need.

Reach health care reporter Stephanie Innes at Stephanie.Innes@gannett.com or at 602-444-8369. Follow her on Twitter @stephanieinnes

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Answers to 10 big questions about new coronavirus

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