My name is Dr. Marie Socha and I am the owner of SHRR Consulting, Inc.  I am adding this "COVID-19/JUST THE FACTS" page as a concise resource where you can obtain information about this illness.  

END OF THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY/MAY 11, 2023:

• Fact Sheet: COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Transition Roadmap.  The current pandemic Public Health Emergency officially ended, per U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, on May 11, 2023.  For more information on this, please go to this link.  

GENERAL INFORMATION:

• Where can I find COVID-19 vaccination dispensing sites in my area?  Go to https://vaccinefinder.org/ to find vaccine dispensing sites in your area.  This sites allows you to narrow the search to a specific type (brand) of vaccine.
• "Efficacy of Portable Air Cleaners and Masking for Reducing Indoor Exposure to Simulated Exhaled SARS-CoV-2 Aerosols — United States, 2021."  Go to:   https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7027e1.htm 

Articles on effectiveness of Face Masks & Community Mitigation:

• "Efficacy of Generalized Face Masking Mandates" article. Reference:  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34778494/
• "Effectiveness of face masks for reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2: a rapid systematic review." Reference: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37611625/
• Per Wang et al (2020) in the article, "Reduction of secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in households by face mask use, disinfection and social distancing: a cohort study in Beijing, China", it was shown that " the study confirms the highest risk of transmission prior to symptom onset, and provides the first evidence of the effectiveness of mask use, disinfection and social distancing in preventing COVID-19.".  Reference:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7264640/pdf/bmjgh-2020-002794.pdf
• From an article in CDC's Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report (MMWR), "The number of COVID-19 cases in Arizona stabilized and then decreased after sustained implementation and enforcement of statewide and locally enhanced mitigation measures, beginning approximately 2 weeks after implementation and enforcement of mask mandates and enhanced sanitations practices began on June 17; further decreases were observed during July 13–August 7, after statewide limitations and closures of certain services and businesses." "https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6940e3.htm
• Per  Michelle Lee Zhi Qing De Deyn (Department of Medicine, James Cook University Hospital) in Letter to the Editor, Journal Of Infection (2020), "Properly-worn face masks probably help stem the spread of the coronavirus, albeit other environmental and ambient factors such as temperature, wind velocity and humidity would also affect how the respiratory droplets travel."  Reference:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7316449/pdf/main.pdf

•  The Role of Community-Wide Wearing of Face Mask for Control of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Epidemic Due to SARS-CoV-2

1. Background: Face mask usage by the healthy population in the community to reduce risk of transmission of respiratory viruses remains controversial. We assessed the effect of community-wide mask usage to control coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
2.  Conclusion: Community-wide mask wearing may contribute to the control of COVID-19 by reducing the amount of emission of infected saliva and respiratory droplets from individuals with subclinical or mild COVID-19.
3. For a full-text copy of this document available below, or go to: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7177146/

COVID-19 Guidance for cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools and homes:

1. Normal routine cleaning with soap and water will decrease how much of the virus is on surfaces and objects, which reduces the risk of exposure.
2. Disinfection using EPA-approved disinfectants against COVID-19 can also help reduce the risk.  Frequent disinfection of surfaces and objects touched by multiple people is important.
3. When EPA-approved disinfectants are not available, alternative disinfectants can be used (for example, 1/3 cup of bleach added to 1 gallon of water, or 70% alcohol solutions). Do not mix bleach or other cleaning and disinfection products together. This can cause fumes that may be very dangerous to breathe in. Bleach solutions will be effective for disinfection up to 24 hours. Keep all disinfectants out of the reach of children. Read EPA’s infographic on how to use these disinfectant products safely and effectively.

How is COVID-19 Spread?

• People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. 
• The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. 
• These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. 
• People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets.  This is why it is important to stay more than 3 (to 6) feet away from a person who is sick.” [NOTE: The U.S. CDC suggests social distancing to be 6 feet away as opposed to 3 feet, which is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO)].

How can you protect yourself against COVID-19 (CDC)?

1.  Clean your hands often

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

2.  Avoid close contact

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for  people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

3.  Cleaning & disinfection for Households

• Community members can practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks, and electronics (see below for special electronics cleaning and disinfection instructions)) with household cleaners and EPA-registered disinfectants (file is also available at the bottom of the page) that are appropriate for the surface, following label instructions. Labels contain instructions for safe and effective use of the cleaning product including precautions you should take when applying the product, such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use of the product.
• For electronics follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products. Consider use of wipeable covers for electronics. If no manufacturer guidance is available, consider the use of alcohol-based wipes or use a spray (on a clean cloth or paper towel) containing at least 70% alcohol to disinfect touch screens. Dry surfaces thoroughly to avoid pooling of liquids.

How long does Coronavirus stick around on surfaces?

• That depends. According to a pre-print posted Tuesday on medRxiv, the virus persists in the air for up to 3 hours, 2 to 3 days on stainless steel and plastic surfaces, and 24 hours on cardboard. 
• Sources for this section:  https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.09.20033217v1.full.pdf