Thanks for your question. Right now a lot of people share your concerns. The coronavirus is a virus. Symptoms can include: fever, cough, shortness of breath, and body aches. If you are having these symptoms, we recommend you call your healthcare provider to discuss the best next treatment steps.
While there is no vaccine for it currently, there are some things you can do to help lower your own and others’ risk of getting the coronavirus:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. It is important to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
- Avoiding touching your face (including your eyes, nose, and mouth).
- Cough into your elbow (NOT your hands).
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
For the most up to date information on the coronavirus we recommend checking the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website (cdc.gov) and checking with your local health department.
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.