***This post was last updated, Monday, March 23***
The outbreak and global spread of a deadly coronavirus has dominated news coverage and generated numerous questions about prevention, surveillance and transmission around the world.
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert and health policy professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has been a popular resource for journalists and the public in answering those questions. He is continually interacting with the media and consulting as the response to the disease unfolds.
Since the initial outbreak in Wuhan, China, there have been 938 cases and 29 deaths in the United States as of March 11, according to the CDC.
Here is a collection of news coverage featuring Dr. Schaffner.
Ways to reduce your risk of exposure
PLAYLIST: Videos to help you stay safe and informed
Coronavirus: Preventive health tips in 1 minute
Bloomberg: What is a coronavirus?
NPR: Coronavirus FAQ
Will a mask help? Is the coronavirus a novel infection? Questions and answers featuring Vanderbilt's top infectious disease expert and health policy professor.
Healthline: What to do if you think you're sick
Don't immediately head to a clinic or hospital, Schaffner said. "You don’t want to expose everybody else in the waiting room, whether you have influenza or coronavirus infection or some other respiratory virus,” Schaffner said.
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/think-you-have-the-coronavirus-heres-what-to-do-next
NYT: Myths about the coronavirus
One myth: Vitamin C will help.
"If there’s going to be an advantage, it’s going to be very modest,” Dr. Schaffner said.
Additional resources
CDC: How a coronavirus spreads
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/transmission.html
Coronavirus FAQ
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html
What to do if you are sick
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
