Students at Indiana University asked their coronavirus COVID-19 questions and Fairbanks School of Public Health epidemiologist and director of epidemiology education Thomas Duszynski answered questions.
Coronavirus COVID-19 Student Q&A
What is the science of tracking pandemics?
Description of the video:
Hi, I am Tom Duszynski, I am the director of epidemiology education here at the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health on the IUPUI campus. Most of my career, I have spent doing infectious disease epidemiology. So, epidemiology is the science of tracking and detecting patterns and trends in populations. In my specialty, I am using it for infectious diseases, like COVID-19 that are out there circulating as a pandemic right now.
Who is most at risk for getting coronavirus COVID-19?
Description of the video:
Since this is a novel virus, something new, there is no immunity in the population that we are aware of. So everyone is at risk for disease but not everyone is at risk for severe disease.
Is the media overreacting about coronavirus?
Description of the video:
No, we’re not overreacting to the situation. This is exactly what public health should be doing. And the population should be doing, right, to protect yourself, social isolation, good handwashing, keeping people separated is really what we need to be doing.
When should we expect to overcome this pandemic?
Description of the video:
We do not know how long this is gonna last, right? This is a new virus. So, we look to other countries. We could look to China right now to see what happened because it occurred there first. Normally, historically, pandemics in the past have lasted at least about a year.
Is there a vaccine for coronavirus COVID-19?
Description of the video:
It is a new virus, which means we do not have any specific treatments right now. No antivirals have shown to be effective. As far as a vaccine, there are vaccines in development, but they are at least a year to 18 months away from production and use in the population.
How dangerous is coronavirus COVID-19 for a young person?
Description of the video:
So, we have got a lot of questions about how this affects 20-something-year-olds, and the good news is that it is not as dangerous of a disease among a younger population. The younger you are, the more robust your immune system is, the better off those students fare. So you are probably gonna be in good shape.
What are symptoms of coronavirus COVID-19?
Description of the video:
Signs and symptoms of coronavirus include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. Now the problem is so does influenza, right? So the only way for us to tell the difference between these is getting tested, and there are not enough test kits in the state.
What are the top 3 things I can do to avoid coronavirus?
Description of the video:
Best way to protect yourself is social distancing, stay home if you can, right, this idea of keeping people apart. Second, wash your hands frequently and try not to touch your face. Third, disinfect the house, clean the doorknobs, light switches and the toilet handle.
How worried should I be for my older relatives?
Description of the video:
Those at highest risk are older individuals, especially those with lung disease or other immunocompromising conditions. So, Grandma and Grandpa, while you are on spring break instead of visiting them, maybe call them, especially if you are sick, right, keep the distance.
How is coronavirus COVID-19 different from other outbreaks?
Description of the video:
SARS, MERS, H1N1, they were all new viruses just like this one is, at one time, right? More than 30 new diseases have emerged in the world in the past 40 years. So this is just part of evolution.
Why is coronavirus worse in other countries?
Description of the video:
Italy, first of all, has an older population than the US on average. Second, it has been in that country longer than it has been here in the US. Unfortunately, in the coming weeks to months, we could see more cases here in the US, as well as more severe outcomes.
If you get coronavirus, can you get it again?
Description of the video:
Current evidence shows that once you get this virus and you recover from it, chances are you are not going to get it again, that you are going to build immunity to it.
How long does it take to recover from coronavirus COVID-19?
Description of the video:
On average? If you get the virus, you will be sick for about a week.