is a respiratory illness caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. Symptoms often include cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell.
Our understanding of how the virus spreads is evolving as we learn more about it, so check the CDC website for the latest information.
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person: Recent studies indicate that the virus can be spread by people who are not showing symptoms.
It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.