COVID-19 is an abbreviation for Coronavirus Disease 2019, a respiratory disease caused by a coronavirus that can be transmitted from person to person.

The virus is thought to be transmitted primarily between people in close contact (about 6 feet) with each other and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

• More severely infected people are also more contagious. However, many people with insignificant symptoms may also transmit the virus to others.
• There is no vaccine or treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and researchers are working to develop one.