Coronavirus Questions: Dr. Mallika Marshall Answers Your Questions
BOSTON (CBS) – As the number of coronavirus cases continues to grow, we are receiving a number of questions from the public. Dr. Mallika Marshall answered some of the questions sent to WBZ's Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.
Are there any precautions to take in sending and receiving snail mail? – Melissa, Twitter
Mallika: There has been some concern about receiving packages from China. It is unlikely that the virus could survive the amount of time and temperature variations involved in shipping a package from Asia. I think it's unlikely that you would contract the virus through domestic packages or envelopes, but to be on the safe side, I would suggest you wash your hands after handling any packages or mail.
Can it live on paper, like magazines in a doctor's office? – Jen, Instagram
Mallika:This is something I think people should be wary of. If someone who is sick coughs, or sneezes, or touches something like a magazine and you touch it within hours, it is possible that you could get that virus on your hands and then touch them to your face and get infected. So I would avoid touching the reading materials in a doctor's office or airplane.
Will using hand lotion after washing increased my chances of carrying the virus? – Patty, Facebook
Mallika: No, as long as you aren't sharing it with others who could have contaminated the bottle or jar. It is a good idea to use moisturizer after washing your hands to keep them from getting dry and cracked.
Does the temperature of a room or outdoors affect the virus? - Instagram
Mallika: Honestly, we don't know yet. Many viruses are temperature sensitive. For example, the flu virus is active in colder temperatures but disappears when the weather warms up. Coronaviruses, in general, don't usually like sunlight, warmer temps, and humidity. However, since this is a new virus, we just don't know yet.
How virulent is the disease when it comes to kids, teens & young adults? - Instagram
Mallika: Preliminary studies have shown that while kids get infected at about the same rate as adults, they don't tend to get as sick.
Which areas in Massachusetts are most at risk? – Vinny, Instagram
Mallika: To date, there are 95 confirmed and presumptive cases in Massachusetts. The greatest number are in Middlesex County followed by Norfolk and then Suffolk counties.
At the very least, shouldn't all conventions and public events be canceled for at least the next 2 months? – JW, Facebook
Mallika: As you can see, organizations are coming to that realization and large gatherings and events are being canceled one by one. There with be more to come. If an event isn't canceled, you should definitely think twice about attending, especially if you're at higher risk.