Vaccines and US

About COVID-19

In a matter of mere days in early 2020, our lives were turned upside down. We read about and listened to the available information on COVID-19 and wondered how to protect ourselves against an unseen enemy. Many of us turned to science looking for answers, but this virus was new to everyone and the science was evolving. The resources on this page explain the science of COVID-19, how it spreads, how to protect yourself, and how scientists around the world have worked together to understand it.

Watch the COVID-19 ASL Video Series from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for more information »

How COVID-19 Spreads and How to Stop It

Find out how COVID-19 spreads and learn how everyday safety measures, from homemade masks to hygiene, can stop its spread and keep our communities safe.

Minnesota Department of Health

How COVID-19 Spreads in Communities

What starts as one person with COVID-19 can quickly become dozens or more. Take steps to protect your family, your friends, and people you may not even know.

Orlando Science Center

Masks Aren't Good for Everything

Watch a humorous video about what masks are good and not so good for.

Minute Physics

Why Masks Work Better than You'd Think

Watch a quick explainer about the math behind how well masks work at stopping disease transmission.

What are the Treatments for COVID-19?

What Are The Treatments for COVID-19?

What are the treatments for COVID-19?

If you think you may have been exposed to a person who has COVID-19, contact your health care provider. You can also follow these steps:

Stay home and stay away from the people you live with to prevent spreading COVID-19 to them

Get tested for COVID-19

Monitor your symptoms

If you have any of the following emergency warning signs, get medical care immediately:

Trouble breathing

Persistent pain or pressure in your chest

Confusion

Inability to wake up or stay awake

Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on your skin tone

If you have COVID-19, your health care provider will talk to you about the best ways to treat it.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved one drug, remdesivir, which is known by the brand name Veklury, to treat COVID-19.

Your health care provider may prescribe this medicine to treat your COVID-19 symptoms and help you get better.

Your health care provider may also recommend that you take over-the-counter medicines, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, to reduce a fever and help you feel better.

It’s important to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. In some cases, your health care provider may recommend that you receive intravenous fluids to stay hydrated.

It’s also important to get plenty of rest. This will help your body fight the virus.

If you are very sick, your health care provider may recommend that you receive treatment for COVID-19 in a hospital.

In some people, COVID-19 can damage the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, and gastrointestinal organs.

If you have any of these complications, you may receive medicines to treat them.
For example, some people may receive blood thinners to prevent or treat blood clots.

Remember that the best way to protect yourself is to avoid getting or spreading COVID-19. Some things you can do to keep yourself and others healthy include the following:

Stay 6 feet away from people who don’t live in your house

Wear a mask over your nose and mouth

Avoid crowded places

Wash your hands often

Cover your nose and mouth if you cough or sneeze

Clean frequently touched surfaces

Get a flu vaccine and get a COVID-19 vaccine

Let’s review what we just discussed and go over some of the key points:

If you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19, contact your health care provider.

Your health care provider will talk to you about the best ways to treat COVID-19.

If you are very sick, your health care provider may recommend that you receive treatment for

COVID-19 in a hospital.

The best way to protect yourself is to avoid getting or spreading COVID-19.

National Library of Medicine

What Are The Treatments for COVID-19?

Learn what to do if you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19, learn about different medicines and ways to treat COVID-19, and learn about ways to avoid getting or spreading COVID-19.

¿Cuáles son los tratamientos para el COVID-19?

¿Cuáles son los tratamientos para el COVID-19?

Si cree que pudo haber estado expuesto a una persona que tiene COVID-19, comuníquese con su proveedor de atención médica. También puede seguir estos pasos:

Quédese en casa y manténgase alejado de las personas con las que vive para evitar transmitirles el COVID-19

Hágase la prueba de COVID-19

Controle sus síntomas

Si tiene alguno de los siguientes síntomas de advertencia de emergencia, busque atención médica de inmediato:

Dificultad para respirar

Dolor o presión persistente en el pecho

Confusión

Incapacidad para despertar o permanecer despierto

Piel, labios o uñas pálidos, grises, o azulados, dependiendo del tono de su piel.

Si tiene COVID-19, su proveedor de atención médica le hablará sobre las mejores opciones de tratamiento.

La Administración de Drogas y Alimentos de los Estados Unidos (FDA) ha aprobado un medicamento, Remdesivir, conocido por el nombre de marca Veklury, para tratar el COVID-19.

Su proveedor de atención médica puede recetarle este medicamento para tratar su COVID-19 y ayudarlo a mejorar.

Su proveedor de atención médica también puede recomendarle que tome medicamentos de venta libre, como acetaminofén o ibuprofeno, para reducir la fiebre y ayudarlo a sentirse mejor.

Es importante beber mucha agua para mantenerse hidratado. En algunos casos, su proveedor de atención médica puede recomendarle que reciba líquidos por vía intravenosa para mantenerse hidratado.

También es importante descansar lo suficiente. Esto ayudará a su cuerpo a combatir el virus.

Si está muy enfermo, su proveedor de atención médica puede recomendarle que reciba tratamiento para COVID-19 en un hospital.

En algunas personas, COVID-19 puede dañar el corazón, los vasos sanguíneos, los riñones, el cerebro, la piel, los ojos y los órganos gastrointestinales.

Recuerde que la mejor manera de protegerse es evitar contagiarse o propagar COVID-19. Algunas cosas que puede hacer para mantenerse a sí mismo y a otros saludables incluyen lo siguiente:

Si tiene alguna de estas complicaciones, puede recibir medicamentos para tratarlas.

Por ejemplo, algunas personas pueden recibir anticoagulantes para prevenir o tratar los coágulos de sangre:

Manténgase a 6 pies de distancia de las personas que no viven en su casa

Use una mascarilla sobre su nariz y boca

Evite los lugares con mucha gente

Lávese las manos con frecuencia

Cúbrase la nariz y la boca si tose o estornuda

Limpiar las superficies que se tocan con frecuencia

Vacúnese contra la gripe

Vacúnese contra el COVID-19

Repasemos lo que acabamos de discutir y repasemos algunos de los puntos clave:

Si cree que pudo haber estado expuesto al COVID-19, comuníquese con su proveedor de atención médica.

Su proveedor de atención médica le hablará sobre las mejores formas de tratar COVID-19.

Si está muy enfermo, su proveedor de atención médica puede recomendarle que reciba

tratamiento para COVID-19 en un hospital.

La mejor manera de protegerse es evitar contagiarse o propagar COVID-19.

National Library of Medicine

¿Cuáles son los tratamientos para el COVID-19?

Mire este video para saber qué hacer si cree que pudo haber estado expuesto al COVID-19, para conocer los diferentes medicamentos y las formas de tratar el COVID-19, y para aprender sobre las formas de evitar contraer o contagiar el COVID-19.

Deep Dive COVID-19 Science

Explore more in-depth science behind the coronavirus, including its genetic code and the latest research on COVID-19.

Minute Physics

How To Tell If We're Beating COVID-19

This video is a collaboration with Aatish Bhatia about how to see the COVID-19 tipping point using a logarithmic scale in "phase space," plotting the growth rate against the cumulative cases, rather than either of these against time.

Minute Physics

Why Less Sensitive Tests Might Be Better

This video is about how cheap, fast, and less sensitive rapid antigen tests might be better for screening (& maybe surveillance) than PCR COVID tests.

Exploratorium

What We Know About the Coronavirus from Genetics

Dr. Derisi talks with the Exploratorium about the biology of the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2; the large testing facility the Biohub created within weeks; and insights into the virus from its genome.

Last update: May 11, 2022