COVID-19 Info

About COVID-19

What is COVID-19?:

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause illness in people and others cause illness in animals. Human coronaviruses are common and are typically associated with mild illnesses, similar to the common cold.

COVID-19 is a new disease that has not been previously identified in humans. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people, and more rarely, these can then spread from person to person through close contact.

What are the risks of getting COVID-19?:

COVID-19 is a serious health threat, and the situation is evolving daily. The risk will vary between and within communities, but given the increasing number of cases in Canada, the risk to Canadians is considered high. This does not mean that all Canadians will get the disease. It means that there is already a significant impact on our health care system. If we do not flatten the epidemic curve now, the increase of COVID-19 cases could impact health care resources available to Canadians.

The risk for COVID-19 may be increased for certain settings such as:

cruise ships

crowded areas (such as public transit and shopping centres)

gatherings (spiritual and cultural settings, theatres, sports arenas, festivals and conferences)

How does COVID-19 spread?:

Human coronaviruses cause infections of the nose, throat and lungs. They are most commonly spread from an infected person through:

respiratory droplets generated when you cough or sneeze

close, prolonged personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands

touching something with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands

Current evidence suggests person-to-person spread is efficient when there is close contact.