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coronavirus faqs

Wednesday December 16, 2020

Students wear masks at a school in Baghdad. Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images hide caption

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Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Coronavirus FAQ: Should I Wash My Kid's Clothes Every Day After School?

December 16, 2020 • Plus: Can the virus make me sick many years later, like the chickenpox virus does?

Friday December 4, 2020

Malaka Gharib/NPR

Coronavirus FAQs: Are Playgrounds Too Risky? Do I Need A Mask For Outdoor Exercise?

December 4, 2020 • States are closing down playgrounds again as case counts rise. Is that a good idea? Also: What's the deal with masks and outdoor exercise?

Friday November 20, 2020

Coronavirus FAQ: How Safe Is It To Work Out In A Gym Or Play Indoor Sports?

People attend a SoulCycle class under an outdoor tent in September in New York City. Noam Galai/Getty Images hide caption

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Noam Galai/Getty Images

Coronavirus FAQ: How Safe Is It To Work Out In A Gym Or Play Indoor Sports?

November 20, 2020 • And what about those outdoor tents that gyms and spin studios are setting up? Is it safe to exercise in there, too?

Friday November 13, 2020

Malaka Gharib/NPR

Coronavirus FAQ: How Do I Clean My Mask — Washing Machine? Oven? Broccoli Steamer?

November 13, 2020 • Readers want to know the best way to maintain a reusable mask? There are a few options. But spoiler alert ... keep it out of the oven!

Monday November 9, 2020

Coronavirus FAQ: Could COVID-19 Ever Be Considered A Preexisting Condition?

A nurse checks vitals for a Navajo woman, who came to a coronavirus testing center in Arizona, complaining of virus symptoms. Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images

Coronavirus FAQ: Could COVID-19 Ever Be Considered A Preexisting Condition?

November 9, 2020 • That's a question people are asking as the Supreme Court hears oral arguments for a case on the future of the Affordable Care Act — which guarantees coverage for preexisting conditions.

Friday November 6, 2020

Malaka Gharib/NPR

Coronavirus FAQs: Should I Purell My Nostrils? Can Lysol Disinfect The Air?

November 6, 2020 • Can rubbing hand sanitizer inside the nostrils help reduce infection? Can spraying Lysol in a room every hour or so disinfect the air? Plus: a primer on how to use hand sanitizer effectively.

Tuesday November 3, 2020

Connie Hanzhang Jin/NPR

Coronavirus FAQs: Are 3 Masks Better Than 1? Will Mouthwash Keep You Safe?

November 3, 2020 • Readers are asking: Should we double up on masks for double the protection? Does gargling with mouthwash have an impact on the virus?

Friday October 23, 2020

Coronavirus FAQs: What's Up With Bubble Dining? Should You Hand Out Halloween Candy?

The latest pandemic dining twist is the outdoor bubble, seen here at a New York City restaurant. Sure, it's a way to stay warm as winter looms ... but does it reduce your risk of getting infected by COVID-19? Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images hide caption

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Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Goats and Soda

Coronavirus FAQs: What's Up With Bubble Dining? Should You Hand Out Halloween Candy?

October 23, 2020 • Answers to your COVID-19 questions about how to handle Halloween trick-or-treaters, whether it's safe to eat in a restaurant's outdoor bubble and whether you can be infected through your ear canal.

Friday October 16, 2020

Coronavirus FAQs: Open Windows In Winter, Holding Your Breath, Sprayed Masks?

When it's cold outside, is it safe to bring a socially distanced gathering into your house if the windows are open for a short bit and then shut so indoor temperatures don't plummet? We answer this question below. Tessa Bunney/Corbis via Getty Images hide caption

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Tessa Bunney/Corbis via Getty Images

Goats and Soda

Coronavirus FAQs: Open Windows In Winter, Holding Your Breath, Sprayed Masks?

October 16, 2020 • This week our readers have lots of — interesting — queries involving opening windows during winter in North Dakota, trying not to breathe during a micro-encounter and spraying a mask with ... oil?

Friday October 9, 2020

Coronavirus FAQ: What's The Deal With The '15 Minute Rule'?

Outdoor dining in Bonn, Germany. Indoor dining is riskier than outdoor meals, experts say. Outdoor air can disrupt viral particles that have been expelled. Andreas Rentz/Getty Images hide caption

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Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

Goats and Soda

Coronavirus FAQ: What's The Deal With The '15 Minute Rule'?

October 9, 2020 • The conventional wisdom is that it takes 15 minutes of close contact to a contagious person to put you at risk. But even a short exposure could prove problematic.

Friday October 2, 2020

Coronavirus FAQ: Folks At Trump-Biden Debate Were Scanned For Fever. Is That Helpful?

A temperature check is conducted at a Trump campaign rally last month in Toledo, Ohio. Stephen Zenner/LightRocket via Getty Images hide caption

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Stephen Zenner/LightRocket via Getty Images

Goats and Soda

Coronavirus FAQ: Folks At Trump-Biden Debate Were Scanned For Fever. Is That Helpful?

October 2, 2020 • Temperature scans are becoming commonplace around the world — at political events, at doctors' offices, at airports and more. Do they provide useful info to help reduce the spread of COVID-19?

Friday September 25, 2020

Coronavirus FAQs: Why Can't The CDC Make Up Its Mind About Airborne Transmission?

Shanti Hands for NPR

Goats and Soda

Coronavirus FAQs: Why Can't The CDC Make Up Its Mind About Airborne Transmission?

September 25, 2020 • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week said that the coronavirus spreads "most commonly" through air — then took it back. Is this something I should be worried about?

Friday September 18, 2020

Coronavirus FAQ: I See People Wearing Disposable Coveralls On Planes. Good Idea?

Air passengers wearing practically full-body coveralls at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in India. Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP via Getty Images

Goats and Soda

Coronavirus FAQ: I See People Wearing Disposable Coveralls On Planes. Good Idea?

September 18, 2020 • Some passengers don a disposable suit over their clothes to help shield themselves from the coronavirus. Is that helpful? What about gloves, face shields and goggles? Also: A blanket idea!

Friday September 11, 2020

Coronavirus FAQs: What Are The New Dating Rules? And What About Hooking Up?

Malaka Gharib/NPR

Goats and Soda

Coronavirus FAQs: What Are The New Dating Rules? And What About Hooking Up?

September 11, 2020 • Should you go on a date with someone new ... or revisit an ex if you feel safer that way? How do you know if a potential partner is following pandemic safety rules? And is it safe to have sex?

Friday September 4, 2020

Coronavirus FAQ: Is It A Good Idea To Buy An Air Cleaner For My Home?

As people spend more time together indoors with the changing of the seasons, could an air cleaner provide an added layer of protection against the transmission of the coronavirus by removing a percentage of viral particles from the air? Ben de la Cruz/NPR hide caption

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Ben de la Cruz/NPR

Goats and Soda

Coronavirus FAQ: Is It A Good Idea To Buy An Air Cleaner For My Home?

September 4, 2020 • Do portable air cleaning machines really help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the home? The frustrating short answer: "It depends." Find out what it depends upon.