Washing Hands Is Way More Important Than Wearing Masks When Trying To Stave Off Coronavirus, Experts Say

Public health experts offer insight on the coronavirus. While the illness is spreading quickly, scientists say it does seem less deadly than previous outbreaks caused by the same type of virus. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies are racing to come up with a vaccine.

The New York Times: Many In China Wear Them, But Do Masks Block Coronavirus? Chinese authorities have encouraged people in the city of Wuhan to wear surgical masks in public to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus. The question is: do they work? Many infectious disease specialists say the cheap disposable masks, which cover the nose and mouth, may help prevent the spread of infections if they are worn properly and used consistently. (Rabin, 1/23)

Reuters: Wuhan Virus Does Not Appear To Be As Deadly As SARS, Singapore PM Says Singapore’s prime minister said on Friday that the city-state was well prepared to tackle the Wuhan flu virus, adding that it did not appear to be as deadly as the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) pandemic. The Southeast Asian city-state, a global travel hub, on Thursday confirmed its first case of the coronavirus strain, which originated in China, and said another case has preliminarily tested positive. (1/24)

READ the entire article here