Coronavirus is slowly becoming a larger concern in the global realm, and because it is the middle of the cold and flu season, every person needs to try and keep illness away as much as possible. What makes the coronavirus so concerning is that it is so easily transmitted, like a common cold. Close contact with infected persons can result in contamination, and it can also be transmitted through respiratory droplets produced when a person coughs or sneezes. 

The other concern with the virus is the fact that the symptoms are those of a regular cold. Fever, coughing, and shortness of breath are a few of the most common symptoms, which are often less than alarming to the normal person. It is because of this that Quinn Holl, a senior, is concerned about the amount of “unknowns surrounding the disease.”

So what is one to do in this situation? The best way to assure no one is infected is to take as many preventative measures as possible. According to the CDC, frequent hand washing after using the bathroom, sneezing, or coughing is the main line of defense against any illness. If washing hands is not an option, Holl uses hand sanitizer to prevent germs on her hands. She also tries to avoid touching her face with her hands during school, which is something the CDC recommends. 

For more information about coronavirus from the CDC, go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/prevention.html