Louisiana has been a hot spot for the disease, and it has a much higher per capita death rate than Texas. But Campbell says traveling from state to state doesn’t matter so much as what you are doing during your travels.

“Were you in an enclosed area such as a dance hall or a bar? And were there a number of people who were within six feet; whether or not they were using face coverings? All of those things are high-risk behavior in terms of picking up COVID-19.”

If so, he says, get tested.

Campbell says testing is only necessary if you develop symptoms, or if you were exposed to someone who has the disease.

There is no screening for COVID-19 during blood donations, but blood banks are taking donors’ temperatures as a precaution. Also, before any donated blood is used in a patient, hospitals test it for safety.

Currently, tests take about 24 hours to process. But eventually, Campbell expects there will be tests that take mere minutes to process and will be widely available.

There are two types of tests: diagnostic tests specifically look for SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19. But they haven’t been wholly reliable; they’ve missed some positive cases. The other kind of test looks for COVID-19 antibodies; in other words, it determines whether someone has contracted the virus and their body has fought the disease. With testing still limited, Campbell said reopening the state is risky because many people who have the disease without symptoms will go undetected, and could pass the virus to others. What’s more, testing isn’t a silver bullet, he said; the best way to prevent the spread is still social distancing and hand-washing.

The United States does not yet have a robust testing plan in place. Campbell said effective testing might mean every American would be tested each week until there is a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19. Until then, gatherings endanger public health. What’s more, the behaviors that keep people apart, like social distancing, have been shown to be the most effective at slowing the spread of the virus, in the absence of good testing or treatment.

The best COVID-19 diagnostic test can usually detect the virus four days after someone has been infected – so, four days into the incubation period.

“Prior to that time, unfortunately, we really don’t have a reliable test.”

The new coronavirus is “highly virulent and highly infectious,” Campbell said. That means it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to get back to normal life until there’s vaccine.

“I would like to be more optimistic about making more strides toward a normal economy, but I can’t see that that’s a short-term possibility.”

Note: The following question has been updated to include more recent medical findings.

Data from Wuhan, China, where the pandemic started, showed that the virus can be passed from mother to child. Three out of 33 children in one study contracted the disease from their mother; all survived but one needed intensive medical care. But a more recent study of over 400,000 women in the U.S., indicated that pregnant women are more likely to experience severe COVID-19 symptoms than women who are not pregnant. The COVID-19 vaccine is now recommended during pregnancy, and for lactating mothers.

s long as cooks and restaurant workers follow regular standards for food preparation, ordering takeout is generally safe. The only risk would be if someone were to cough or sneeze into the food; the virus could theoretically survive and be transmitted to the customer. But that likelihood goes down even more if the food is heated.

Asthma is a serious condition, and anyone who experiences wheezing should seek medical care immediately – even young people. Young people with underlying health conditions have died from COVID-19, Campbell said.

The influenza virus, for example, tends to spread more slowly in summer. But Campbell said that doesn’t seem to be the case with the new coronavirus; it is currently spreading in warm-weather countries. And when cold weather sets in again later this year, Campbell worries the regular flu season will compound existing problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Follow closely the guidance from public health officials even as businesses start to reopen; Campbell said public health expertise is more important than ever right now because the number of cases and deaths are still rising in Texas.

“As someone who respects the opinion of experts in controlling what has been a very, very dangerous kind of situation … it would be important to follow the recommendations of experts in waiting at least a two-week period of time with decreasing cases before we would consider the situation in the community to be safe,” Campbell said.

The risk is real. COVID-19 has infected over 1 million people and killed thousands in the United States alone. In light of that, Campbell said all Americans “must consider the consequences of their behavior.”

It’s a mix. When people practice social distancing, that helps flatten the curve – in other words, it slows how quickly the virus spreads. But when the government removes restrictions, individual behavior starts to change back toward activities that could put their health, and public health, at risk. Campbell said that with fewer restrictions, Texas faces another spike in COVID-19 cases.

Until a vaccine or treatment is available, getting a haircut is risky. Regular testing could help customers make an informed decision about when and where to get their hair cut, but Campbell says “we are far from that at the present time.”

Campbell said he would insist that business owners take customers’ temperatures before entering an establishment because it reduces the statistical likelihood that an infected person would pass the virus to someone.

There’s no guarantee that children are safe from COVID-19, especially if they go back to group activities where it’s harder to practice social distancing. Many kids who get the disease don’t have symptoms, or only mild symptoms. But in rare instances they can develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C. Meanwhile, they can spread the coronavirus to other more vulnerable people like the elderly or those with compromised immune systems.

Though social-distancing practices and precautions like masks are important for everyone to follow, Campbell said adults need to model that behavior so that kids follow suit.

Look for camps that keep kids in small, isolated groups.

“That minimizes exposure,” Campbell said.

Also look for camps that follow masking and other social-distancing guidelines.

But participating in any group activity right now means that kids will be more susceptible to the coronavirus, and more likely to spread it to others when they return home.

A self-imposed 10- to 14-day quarantine is a good idea when coming into contact with someone who’s recently been in higher-risk situation like air travel. That’s because at least 25% of people who get the coronavirus don’t show any symptoms. Campbell said that despite airlines’ assurances that they’re making adjustments to protect passengers’ health, air travel still puts passengers at greater risk for contracting COVID-19.

Campbell said outside spaces are safer than inside ones when it comes to the coronavirus. When inside, it’s important to wear a mask to prevent spreading the virus. That even applies when working out at a gym, for instance. But even when outside, if you’re spending time in closer proximity to others, you need to wear a mask.

“There are a lot of things that apply to being inside, I think, that could be a whole lot stricter than outside. But still, social distancing is very important.”

Exercise and play is crucial for kids, so if they are playing with others during the pandemic it’s best for them to do it outside. But they are still at risk for getting the virus, especially if they aren’t practicing social distancing or wearing masks. And when it comes to whether they play in the yard or a swimming pool, Campbell said it isn’t so much about where they play but how.

“Somebody that goes out and swims laps probably is at low risk. [But] people maybe playing games or in very close quarters … need to be concerned about acquiring the virus, even outside.”

Masks do help, but they only provide some protection against the coronavirus. It can still spread between people, even those who don’t show symptoms, and especially when they’re less than 6 feet apart.

“The larger the protest and the more confined the area is where the protests are being conducted will increase the likelihood of acquisition of the virus.”

Campbell said he expects another spike in positive COVID-19 cases and deaths soon, not only because of the protests, but because people are gathering again as the state reopens.

People with healthy immune systems develop antibodies to the disease. Some of those antibodies are “neutralizing” ones, which means they attack the coronavirus, and they theoretically could be used in vaccine development. But not all antibodies are neutralizing.

Remove food packaging when possible – you can even wipe down packaging with disinfectant wipes or a sanitizing solution. And don’t forget to thoroughly rinse produce before eating it.

Masks do help prevent the transmission of the coronavirus through a cough or sneeze, especially if they’re made of a thicker material like denim. But Campbell said they’re not a silver bullet; they’re most effective when combined with other preventive behaviors like social distancing and hand-washing.

It’s difficult to know who has the disease, or who might have it but not have symptoms. Campbell said there are lots of cases in more dense, urban areas, but smaller cities and rural areas have cases too. Regardless of where you live, assume you can get the disease from anyone; take precaution with a mask, hand-washing and social distancing.

Experts at the National Institutes of Health say an approved vaccine could be available by early 2021. But we won’t see the benefits until large numbers of people are vaccinated. Nor will we know exactly how effective it is until it’s used on a large scale. Still, Campbell says expecting a vaccine by early next year is realistic.

“The idea of being able to expect an effective vaccine at the first of the year makes a whole lot of sense,” he said.

Knowing a person’s “viral load” – the amount of a virus in someone’s blood – is essential for treating and monitoring people with HIV or hepatitis C, for example. But since COVID-19 is not a chronic illness, as far as we know, viral load might not matter as much.

“COVID-19, being a more acute situation, wouldn’t necessarily be aided by knowing things like viral loads,” Campbell said.

Ivermectin is normally used to treat parasitic infections in humans and animals. There’s some research into its possible use for treating COVID-19, but nothing has yet been proven. Campbell says it’s one of many treatments that people tout as a possible cure, without evidence.

“I can’t think of a situation where ivermectin has been helpful for something similar to COVID-19.”

Researchers are learning new things every day about the coronavirus and COVID-19. Campbell says it’s possible that almost half of people with COVID-19 might never have symptoms. And for those who do develop symptoms, they are most likely to spread the virus during the 24 hours before those symptoms appear.

“[It’s] a very, very high-risk time for transmitting that virus to other people.”

That means nothing has really changed in terms of protecting yourself from getting the virus. Maintain social distance, wear a mask in public and wash your hands frequently.

Some individuals have experienced a COVID-19 infection with symptoms similar to allergies – that includes a stuffy nose or a mild cough – without “red flag” symptoms, which are a fever of 100 degrees or more, shortness of breath or a severe dry cough. Sneezing is a possible symptom of COVID-19, but it’s more closely associated with other illnesses. In mild cases of COVID-19, it may be difficult to distinguish it from allergies. But doctors only recommend seeking medical attention if you experience the more severe, red flag symptoms.