In this special episode, Dr. Lena and Dr. Dean talk about disease due to the novel coronavirus and the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss major developments this week including whether the stay at home social distancing has had much effect, is it safe to open up and will this result in a 2nd wave of infections, the early results of vaccine trials, a study that looked at whether infection with SARS-CoV-2 results in immunity, recent changes on the emphasis on how COVID-19 transmission occurs, and the benefits of being outside.
Note that the information provided was accurate at the time this episode was recorded, but that this is a rapidly changing situation.
This episode written by Drs. Dean Blumberg and Lena van der List.
Supplemental information:

* Abishek Chandrashekar et al. Science publication SARS-CoV-2 infection protects against rechallenge in rhesus macaques

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention How COVID-19 Spreads

* Hua Qian et al. Preprint publication Indoor transmission of SARS-CoV-2

* UC Davis Children’s Hospital Coronavirus (COVID-19) resources for parents

Photo from the National Institutes of Health. This transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S., emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab.