Christina Tan, MD, MPH, state epidemiologist, assistant commissioner, New Jersey Department of Health, provides an overview of COVID-19 including the epidemiology, symptoms, and treatment methods.

Interview transcript (modified slightly for readability):

Late last year we started to see a cluster of unusual pneumonias come up in China. That's when we first started to get an indication that there might be some sort of new, novel emerging infection that was going on. As we were following the progress of this cluster of unusual pneumonia illnesses in China, there was more information that was evolving and then subsequently, scientists were able to identify this novel coronavirus.

With COVID, this novel coronavirus illness, we're seeing a lot of individuals with severe respiratory illnesses. So, a lot of the cases that we're seeing have fever, shortness of breath, cough, a lot of lower respiratory tract illnesses. This is a little bit different, a little bit more severe than what we've been seeing with your routine respiratory virus illnesses.

Currently, in the United States, we are looking at different criteria for COVID illnesses. For now, the criteria are looking at individuals with a history of exposure to the hot zone, Wubei Province in China, or contact with individuals who are confirmed cases of COVID and with clinical presentation of fever and respiratory tract illness. that include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

Currently, the care is supportive. There are no treatments that are available for managing COVID other than supportive care or treating the symptoms of this illness.

As with other respiratory illnesses, we want to ensure that people follow those commonsense things that we do, for instance, when we're in the middle of respiratory virus season. Covering your cough, making sure that you stay home when you're sick, making sure that you go see your health care provider if you're concerned about your health, and to give a call to your health care provider ahead of time so that they can be prepared for you coming in.

Epidemiology, Symptoms, and Treatment of COVID-19

Christina Tan, MD, MPH, state epidemiologist, assistant commissioner, New Jersey Department of Health, provides an overview of what is known about transmission of the novel coronavirus and what clinicians in the United States should know.

The information is still evolving about the transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 illness. We have seen limited person to person spread. Primarily the person to person transmission that we've been seeing has been in China. Here in the United States, currently, as of mid-February, we've only seen about 15 cases of COVID in the United States associated with travel to China. Of these, there were only 2 that were associated with person-to-person spread.

So currently, right now we're asking health care providers to be really vigilant in looking for illnesses that might be compatible with COVID-19 illness. We also encourage childcare providers to take good travel histories. We also understand, you know that there might be that risk exposure element with these with these individuals who might have these illnesses. In the United States, the CDC has issued guidance with regard to what clinicians can be looking for. We always strongly encourage clinicians to go on the CDC website, because things are changing so rapidly, just to keep themselves abreast of the most up to date information, such as what the current criteria are that we're looking for.

With novel and emerging infections, we don't know too much at the beginning. There's always the challenge of dealing with potentially changing case definitions, potential information that becomes more evident later on as we get more information. We always try to get the balance of ensuring that we get the message out there to clinicians that sometimes things will change. Sometimes when you're looking for illnesses, you might need to modify what you're looking for based on the newest information that's available.

What Should US Clinicians Know About COVID-19?

 Christina Tan, MD, MPH, state epidemiologist, assistant commissioner, New Jersey Department of Health, shares what infection prevention measures should be implemented in the wake of COVID-19 and discusses the 2019-20 US flu season.

We definitely want to remind all health care facilities to be reviewing their infection control plans, whether in the middle of an emerging infectious disease issue such as COVID, or you know, just kind of routinely just to make sure that they're following infection control guidance and proper protocols. All health care facilities should have plans in place regarding dealing with respiratory illnesses. We have to remind ourselves that every single year we see seasonal flu, we see respiratory illnesses emerge. Keeping those infection control plans in mind and exercising those infection control protocols are really key to not only dealing with the routine, but also a step toward the prevention of emerging issues.

We're always concerned about the emergence of any infectious disease. Currently, we're also very concerned about the emergence of COVID-19, and how that might evolve and might impact what we see circulating in the community. But you know, it's important to know that this COVID-19 emergence is also occurring simultaneous to our regular seasonal influenza. What we're seeing in New Jersey, as well as elsewhere throughout the country, is we are seeing peak activity of influenza right now. January, February is typically around the time that we see peak activity So, this is an opportunity to remind everybody to be mindful that you know, if you haven't gotten your flu vaccine yet, get vaccinated for flu. Take those easy steps. Cover your coughs and sneezes, make sure you wash your hands all the time. Stay home when you're sick. Those types of precautions are helpful not only for seasonal flu, but also for whatever it might be emerging.

Is the Emergence of COVID-19 Overshadowing US Flu Season?

 Christina Tan, MD, MPH, state epidemiologist, assistant commissioner, New Jersey Department of Health, discusses why it is important to prepare for disease epidemics and why it’s important to reduce stigma during an outbreak.

Preparedness is very important just in general to keep in the back of our minds, because we've seen over the last decade, the emergence of a variety of different emerging infections. Whether it's COVID-19, whether it's SARS, a related novel coronavirus situation, MERS, again another related novel coronavirus that has emerged in the last decade, to other illnesses with different transmission modes such as Zika virus, or, for instance, the emergence of imported Ebola cases and as well as imported measles cases. Preparedness is always a very important issue that we should always be keeping in the front of our minds, whether you're in health care or in public health.

Unfortunately, we're hearing about cases of stigmatization and prejudice against certain populations, particularly related to travelers coming back from China. We want to remind everybody that what we're fighting right now is a virus. We're not fighting against pockets of our population who might have had a risk factor that put them at risk for, for COVID-19 illness. We want to remind everybody that the best way to dispel myth is to keep yourself informed. Go to trusted sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website where they're keeping up with the most up to date information so that we can make sure that we get the facts out there. That is really important for dispelling any sort of myths.

Preparing for Epidemics and Reducing Stigma

 Christina Tan, MD, MPH, state epidemiologist, assistant commissioner, New Jersey Department of Health, shares trusted resources that clinicians can use to receive accurate and updated information about COVID-19.

It is really important for clinicians to keep as updated as possible on the evolution of an emerging infections such as COVID-19. It's also important that clinicians trust and go to trusted sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website, for the most accurate information. We have to go to those trusted sources. Keeping yourself abreast and attuned to the most updated information is probably the most important thing that clinicians can do to help dispel myths, and also to try to eliminate stigma that might be emerging. We are concerned that we don't want to see stigma associated with certain populations. This is a virus that impacts everybody. This is not an issue that just impacts just one population or subset alone.

Whether it's related to protecting yourself against emerging infections or from your run of the mill influenza that's circulating throughout the community, it's those commonsense steps that people can take. Wash your hands frequently. Make sure that you cover your cough in your sneezes. Make sure that you stay home when you're not well. Also make sure that you call your health care provider in the event that you have concerns about your health. These are all really important steps that individuals can take. Again, because we're in the middle of flu season, we want to remind everybody get your flu shot, because that is one tool that we do have to protect against what is a common threat to us all right now.

COVID-19: Epidemiology, Treatment, and Prevention

Epidemiology, Symptoms, and Treatment of COVID-19

What Should US Clinicians Know About COVID-19?

Is the Emergence of COVID-19 Overshadowing US Flu Season?

Preparing for Epidemics and Reducing Stigma

How to Avoid Myths and Misinformation About COVID-19