COVID-19, questions and answers
Coronaviruses are a type of virus that usually infect animals, but some of them can also affect humans and cause respiratory problems, mostly with mild symptoms. The new coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and has gradually spread to other countries.
The disease caused by this virus is known as COVID-19, a term coined from the words “Coronavirus Disease 19”, and usually only causes mild respiratory symptoms.
The disease is spread mainly by direct contact with an infected person’s respiratory droplets, for example through coughing or sneezing. These droplets can infect others through the nose, eyes or mouth. This is why it is important to wash your hands and to cover your mouth with disposable tissues or the inside of your elbow when coughing.
According to the most recent data, the symptoms of COVID-19 may take 2 to 14 days to appear, although they usually take 5 to 6 days.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 in 80% of infected people include a fever, coughing and difficulty breathing. In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, kidney failure and other complications. These more severe cases generally affect the elderly or people suffering from a chronic disorder such as cardiovascular or lung disease and immunity problems.
The highest risk groups are the elderly, people with chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular or pulmonary disorders, cancer, immunodeficiencies, high blood pressure, diabetes, and pregnancy on the precautionary principle.
The general individual protection measures for the prevention of COVID-19 are as follows:
- Avoid close contact, with a minimum distance of two metres, with people showing symptoms of respiratory infection, such as coughing or sneezing.
- Wash your hands often (washing with soap and water or alcohol-based solutions), particularly after being in direct contact with people who are ill or with their surroundings.
For more information on hand hygiene, see:- Washing your hands with soap [PDF] [in Catalan]
- Cleaning your hands with alcohol preparations [PDF] [in Catalan]
- When coughing or sneezing, cover your nose and mouth with the inside of your elbow or with a disposable tissue that must be discarded immediately, and then wash your hands.
- Avoid sharing food or utensils (such as cutlery, glasses, napkins and handkerchiefs) or other items if they have not been properly cleaned.
- You should not touch your mouth, nose or eyes after handling any objects, particularly in public places, without first washing your hands.
- We must protect in particular the people in the highest risk groups: the elderly and people with chronic diseases.
- Use the healthcare system responsibly and only go to healthcare facilities if strictly necessary. Remember that you can call primary care services if you have any queries, except on weekends when you have to call 061, or 112 for serious and life-threatening emergencies.
- Follow the indications of social isolation.
People without respiratory symptoms do not need to wear a mask. The World Health Organization recommends the use of masks for people who have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or for carers of people with symptoms such as a fever or coughing.
The use of masks is vital for healthcare professionals and carers (both at home and at healthcare facilities). The most effective measures for preventing infection are those set out above. Health professionals will indicate their use in those situations where it is considered necessary.
The new coronavirus can survive on the surface from a few hours to nine days. If a person wears gloves and touches a surface with viruses, they can also survive on the gloves and people could acquire the infection by touching their nose, mouth or eyes with the gloves. Furthermore, the use of gloves gives a false sense of security, people can forget the fundamental recommendation of renting out their hands often with water and soap.
There is currently no specific treatment to fight this virus. Antibiotics can only treat bacterial infections and are not effective against infections caused by viruses, such as COVID-19. However, there are many treatments to control its symptoms.
In the current scenario of sustained community transmission, these cases have been prioritized for testing:
- People with a severe acute respiratory infection who are hospitalized or who meet the criteria for hospital admission, and
- people with a severe acute respiratory infection of any severity belonging to one of the following groups: (a) health and social care professionals, (b) other essential services, to prevent transmission in these contexts.
Tests will be considered for particularly vulnerable people; according to individualized clinical assessment. Routing testing will not be performed on those who have mild acute respiratory infections that are not included in the above assumptions. These people will be considered as possible cases and will be indicated home isolation for 14 days from the beginning of the symptoms. In these cases, your primary care team should supervise monitoring and discharge.
People who have symptoms of an acute respiratory infection (fever, coughing or difficulty breathing) are considered possible cases, and should stay at home and contact their primary care team by phone, except on weekends when they have to call 061. The healthcare professionals will decide what action to take and give you instructions.
Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who only have mild symptoms – this is the majority of patients – can recover self-isolating at home in accordance with the guidelines recommended by healthcare professionals
In case your symptoms worsen or you have a real feeling of severity, you should call 112.
Both people with mild symptoms compatible with COVID-19, and the close contacts of these people with whom they live, should isolate themselves from other people and take the measures indicated by healthcare professionals. The main aim of self-isolation measures is to keep the virus isolated and prevent it from spreading.
It is the healthcare professionals who will decide, by assessing the clinical criteria and the circumstances of the healthcare and social environment, whether a person is suitable for self-isolation at home (confirmed cases and close contacts). Healthcare professionals will monitor and remain in contact with the infected person.
The conditions of the house must allow the isolation of the person in a well-ventilated room and, if possible, the availability of a proper bath. The isolated person has to be available for the necessary medical evaluations, and both the person and his/her companions have to be able to apply correctly and consistently the basic measures of hygiene, prevention and control of the infection. Health services will provide all the necessary indications.
You can find more information on the Government of Catalonia’s Health Channel
The following are considered close contacts:
- Any person who has been caring for a likely or confirmed case of COVID-19 who presented symptoms: healthcare professionals who did not use appropriate protective measures, relatives or other people with similar physical contact.
- Any person who has been in the same place as, and within 2 metres of, someone with likely or confirmed COVID-19 who presented symptoms (people living together, visitors, etc.).
People who have had “close contact” with a case of COVID-19 will be indicated home quarantine for 14 days. If you have symptoms during this period, you must follow the home isolation measures and contact your primary care team, except on weekends when you have to call 061.
The surfaces (handles, doors, general furniture, etc.) with which the patient and/or their secretions have been in contact must be cleaned and disinfected. Cleaning staff should wear protection in the form of a mask and gloves and wash their hands after cleaning.
Cleaning and disinfection should be carried out using a household disinfectant containing a 1:100 bleach solution (1 part bleach and 99 parts water) prepared on the day of use. These viruses become inactive after five minutes of contact with normal disinfectants, such as household bleach or a sodium hypochlorite solution containing 1,000 ppm of active chlorine.
No special precautions to avoid infection need to be taken with animals or food in Catalonia. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), there is currently no evidence to suggest that food is a likely route of transmission or source of the virus. However, it is recommended that you follow basic rules of hygiene when handling and preparing food: clean, cook, separate and cool.
You can find more information at the Catalan Food Safety Agency:
There is no evidence to suggest that food is a source of transmission of COVID-19
There is currently no scientific evidence that domestic animals can be infected with SARS-CoV-2, nor that they can develop or transmit COVID-19 to people or other animals.
However, animals can be passive carriers of viral particles (on their skin, in their nose). This situation could happen if a pet is exposed to the virus by people with COVID-19 and who are excreting the virus, so complying with prevention measures will be important so as not to put the family or co-habitants at risk.
You can find more information on the Colegio Oficial de Veterinarios de Barcelona (COVB), the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Dirección General de Derechos de los animales:
Very little data is available on pregnant women with COVID-19, but it seems that they are not more susceptible to coronavirus infection.
Pregnant women with COVID-19 may be at higher risk for severe illness, morbidity or mortality as compared to the general population, as has been seen in other coronavirus infections and other viral respiratory infections during pregnancy, such as the flu.
The virus is transmitted mainly by direct contact with an infected person’s respiratory droplets, for example through coughing or sneezing.
It is not known whether a pregnant woman with COVID-19 can transmit the virus before, during or after delivery, and there is no evidence to suggest that this is the case.
Although there is not enough data to make a strong recommendation on breastfeeding for women with COVID-19, it is important to insist that breastfeeding has many benefits, such as the potential passage of moocher-child antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. For this reason, and in view of the current evidence, it is recommended maintaining breastfeeding from the moment of birth, as long as the clinical conditions of the newborn and the mother allow it. The WHO recommends maintaining breastfeeding in both confirmed and probable cases, as long as measures for the prevention of infections by micro-organisms transmitted by drops and contact (hand hygiene and face mask) are maintained. In the case of mothers with severe illness, the use of breast milk extraction is recommended.
You can find more information on the Government of Catalonia’s Health Channel:
Information for professionals
You can find more information at the Spanish Ministry of Health:
Documentos técnicos para profesionales [In Spanish]
There is a lot of misinformation on the internet and social media that promotes fear. You will find quality, up-to-date information on the following links: