The World Health Organization answers some common questions about COVID-19, the latest strain of coronavirus.

Are there any specific medicines to prevent or treat COVID-19?

To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat COVID-19.

However, those infected with the virus should receive appropriate care to relieve and treat symptoms, and those with severe illness should receive optimized supportive care. Some specific treatments are under investigation and will be tested through clinical trials. WHO is helping to accelerate research and development efforts with a range of partners.

Does COVID-19 affect older people, or are younger people also susceptible?

People of all ages can be infected by COVID-19. Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease), appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.

WHO advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus - for example, by following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene.

Are antibiotics effective in preventing and treating COVID-19?

No, antibiotics do not work against viruses, only against bacteria. COVID-19 is a virus, and therefore, antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment.

However, if you are hospitalized for COVID-19, you may receive antibiotics because bacterial co-infection is possible.

Do vaccines against pneumonia protect you against COVID-19?

No. Vaccines against pneumonia, such as pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine, do not provide protection against COVID-19.

The virus is so new and different that it needs its own vaccine. Researchers are trying to develop a vaccine against COVID-19, and WHO is supporting their efforts.

Although these vaccines are not effective against COVID-19, vaccination against respiratory illnesses is highly recommended to protect your health.

Can regularly rinsing your nose with saline help prevent infection with COVID-19?

No. There is no evidence regularly rinsing the nose with saline has protected people from infection with COVID-19. There is some limited evidence regularly rinsing the nose with saline can help people recover more quickly from the common cold. However, regularly rinsing the nose has not been shown to prevent respiratory infections.

Can pets at home spread COVID-19?

At present, there is no evidence that companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with COVID-19. However, it is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after contact with pets. This protects you against various common bacteria such as E.coli and Salmonella that can pass between pets and humans.

Is it safe to receive a letter or a package from China?

Yes, it is safe. People receiving packages from China are not at risk of contracting COVID-19. From previous analysis, we know coronaviruses do not survive long on objects, such as letters or packages.

Are hand dryers effective in killing COVID-19?

No. Hand dryers are not effective in killing COVID-19. To protect yourself against COVID-19, you should frequently clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Once your hands are cleaned, you should dry them thoroughly by using paper towels or a warm air dryer.

Can an ultraviolet disinfection lamp kill COVID-19?

UV lamps should not be used to sterilize hands or other areas of skin, as UV radiation can cause skin irritation.

How effective are thermal scanners in detecting people infected with COVID-19?

Thermal scanners are effective in detecting people who have developed a fever (i.e., have a higher-than-normal body temperature) because of infection with COVID-19. However, they cannot detect people who are infected but are not yet sick with fever. This is because it takes between two and 10 days before people who are infected become sick and develop a fever.

Can spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body kill COVID-19?

No. Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not kill viruses that have already entered your body. Spraying such substances can be harmful to clothes or mucous membranes (i.e., eyes and mouth). Be aware that both alcohol and chlorine can be useful to disinfect surfaces, but they need to be used under appropriate recommendations.

Can eating garlic help prevent infection with COVID-19?

Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties. However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from COVID-19.

Does putting on sesame oil block COVID-19 from entering the body?

No. Sesame oil does not kill COVID-19. There are some chemical disinfectants that can kill COVID-19 on surfaces. These include bleach/chlorine-based disinfectants, ether solvents, 75% ethanol, peracetic acid and chloroform. However, they have little or no impact on the virus if you put them on the skin or under your nose. It can even be dangerous to put these chemicals on your skin.