Illustration by Fernando Delgado, a latino multidisciplinary artist in Chicago.

By Leslie Hurtado

On July 29, Rizoma Collective, a Cicero/Berwyn a political, grassroots organization, hosted a “COVID-19 Myth Busters” bilingual virtual event on Facebook Live. Cicero nurse Yuri Guzman facilitated the online event and provided COVID-19 information in English and Spanish.

Cicero has had 354 confirmed COVIC-19 cases in the last 14 days according to the Cook County Department of Public Health. During the event participants asked a series of important questions, from COVID-19 testing to disease transmission.

Before Guzman started answering questions about COVID-19, she told listeners that the majority of information provided would be based on her experiences working with COVID-19 patients and medical information from health organizations such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Guzman emphasized the importance of wearing masks, disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, decontaminating hands with hand sanitizer and maintaining six feet of distance in public settings.

Below is a list of what community members asked Guzman.

Guzman’s responses have been edited for clarity and accuracy.

What is the coronavirus?

The coronavirus is a type of virus that has existed for a long time. There are different types of coronaviruses that have affected humans and animals but the coronavirus that is causing coronavirus disease 2019, known as COVID-19, is new. What we know about COVID-19 is that it causes respiratory illness, and it is a disease that [health care workers] have never seen before.

How can one get sick?

The virus is transmitted through respiratory droplets. When someone talks, coughs, or sneezes, the droplets come out of the person that is infected. Someone standing in close proximity can contract the virus through these droplets. One has a higher risk to contract the virus if the person is in close contact with someone who has tested positive.

You have a greater probability of getting the illness through your mouth and nose. However, another mode of transmission is through the eyes. We have seen more eye transmission in medical professionals because they're exposed to people who are ill.

If someone is close in contact with someone who has the virus, how long should it take before one starts showing symptoms?

We know that there are people who take the COVID-19 test and test positive, but they [might] not show symptoms. Usually, people start to show symptoms two to fourteen days after they have been exposed. Those that have been infected can be contagious for 14 days. The most common symptoms are fevers, headaches, tiredness, coughing, sore throat, loss of taste, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and uncommonly the pink eye infection.

Is it true that children can contract COVID-19?

Anyone can get sick with COVID-19 but adults make up most of the known cases to date. There have been cases all over the world where children, merely days old, have tested positive. There haven't been cases where the mother has passed on the virus while the baby's still in the belly. It appears that contraction probably happens after the baby is born. Children for the most part, do tend to recover relatively well.

Do we all have to quarantine if someone tests positive with COVID-19 when we share the same physical space?

Yes, you do have to quarantine. If you had contact with somebody and you found out while you interacted with this person that they tested positive, then you should quarantine and monitor yourself for symptoms. You can reach out to a medical provider and see if they can guide you more to see if you need to be tested. Most likely what they'll tell you is that you will have to quarantine for fourteen days.

How safe is it to wear gloves in public spaces?

Most people are wearing gloves when they are grocery shopping. When they put their hands in their pockets, they touch their phones. When they get in their car, and take off the gloves, they touch their phone. Well, then that person just contaminated the phone. So, it's better if you get into the habit of washing your hands if you do wear gloves.

Can you get the virus from your pet?

The likelihood is extremely low, and we tell people to treat your pet like you treat yourself by having minimal contact with other people and other pets. Try to maintain a distance of six feet, if possible.

Can someone get the virus more than once?

The coronavirus is from the SARS family of viruses...typically, what we know from that family of viruses is that once you get it, you do tend to be immune for some time, although with COVID-19 it is unclear how long that immunity lasts. There have been cases worldwide where people have, for reasons we do not understand, contracted the virus for the second time.

Can you get the virus by going swimming or to the pool?

The virus is only transmitted via droplets that are spread when you talk, cough and when you sneeze. There is no evidence that the virus spreads through the water in the pool. So, what we recommend is if you do go swimming, you should bring an extra mask just in case your mask gets wet. If your mask gets wet, it is no longer a good mask, and even if you are in the water, try to maintain some distance.

Should I wear the mask when I work out?

It is probably not a good idea to wear a mask while exercising as it will be hard for you to breathe. If the mask gets wet from your sweat, then it is not as effective. Maintain physical distance when working out.

Do the majority of people recover from COVID-19?

Yes, the majority of people recover from COVID-19. Obviously, there's still things we don't know about the virus. It appears that some people have issues that they deal with later on. Some people have symptoms that take months to leave their system, and we don't know what the final outcome of that will be.

Who can donate plasma?

If you have tested positive, we ask that you wait 14 days before you donate, but for the most part, you can donate. [COVID-19] is not transmitted via blood or blood products. So, the risk of contracting COVID-19 via blood or plasma is [not possible].

How do you clean N95 masks?

As far as I know, it is not possible to clean an N95 mask. The best thing you can do is keep your N95 mask dry. Try to take care of your mask as much as possible. Try to keep it from getting wet. If, after a certain time, you've noticed that your mask is wet or soiled, then it is time for a new one.

To watch the “COVID-19 Myth Busters” event click here. For information on COVID-19 testing sites, read our list here.

Leslie Hurtado is a community reporter who works on COVID-19 coverage for Cicero Independiente. You can send her questions or suggestions at reporter@ciceroindependiente.com