COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) is caused by infection by the virus SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2). The disease was first observed clinically in China in December 2019, caused by a coronavirus previously unknown to science. COVID-19 rapidly spread around the world by person-to-person spread, and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. Key features include:
- Sick people release the virus from their nose or mouth in very fine, airborne aerosol particles, and in larger droplets. Aerosols and droplets may be released by breathing, speaking, laughing, coughing, singing, playing musical instrument, heavy breathing during exercise, and during medical procedures. Droplets landing on surfaces may also be infectious.
- People are infected when the virus enters mucous membranes like the nose, mouth or eyes. A larger dose of virus results in a higher likelihood of infection, and possibly more severe disease. The risk of infection becomes greater the longer one is exposed, the closer the contact (especially within 6 feet), the greater the amount or distance of droplet spread (lowered by face covering), and lack of dilution by clean air (inside worse than outdoors).
- Unlike many other respiratory viruses, people with no symptoms (like cough or fever) may still be infected with, and transmit, SARS-CoV-2 to others.
- Both medical grade respirators or procedure masks, and non-medical multi-layer face coverings, can reduce transmission. The coverings reduce the spread of droplets and aerosols by infected people, and the dose of virus received by uninfected people. Therefore face covers worn both by infected people and their contacts help prevent infection.
- Infected people may have no symptoms, to mild symptoms (like common-cold), to severe pneumonia or multi-organ failure and death. The risk of severe disease is greater in elders (>age 70) and in those with various underlying health conditions like obesity or heart disease. Death rates among infected people are much greater than for typical influenza.
- Newly developed vaccines appear effective to reduce both the severity and transmission of disease in adults. (Testing in children is in progress.)
The combination of asymptomatic transmission, airborne transmission, and high rates of hospitalization and death make this pandemic unusually challenging to hospitals and other healthcare organizations. Understanding the characteristics of disease transmission has helped identify effective responses, from the global level down to individual households. Our website focuses primarily on how Region 8 hospitals and health departments are managing COVID transmission risks. The following sites provide more national and international perspectives and tools that may also be useful.
Colorado Hospital Association Rural COVID Playbook
Walks through various planning and response scenarios from perspective of rural hospitals.
ASPR TRACIE (US DHHS) COVID-19 Resources
Vast collection of resources created or collected by the US Dept of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response for healthcare.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 site index
National Institutes of Health COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines
Region 1 (NE US) Regional Disaster Health Response Network COVID Resources
Omnibus of varied planning and response resouces including infection prevention.
World Health Organization COVID-19 page
Mountain Plains ECHO COVID-19 Webcasts
