Donald McNeil

SECTIONS SEARCH SKIP TO CONTENTSKIP TO SITE INDEXREADER CENTER Account READER CENTER | Our Infectious Diseases Reporter on the ‘Urgent’ Response to the Coronavirus 10 The Coronavirus Outbreak Latest Updates Maps and Tracker Tips and Advice Life at Home Newsletter ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story TIMES INSIDER Our Infectious Diseases Reporter on the ‘Urgent’ Response to the Coronavirus Donald G. McNeil Jr. writes about what the experts are saying. Here, he answers questions about the pandemic. Donald G. McNeil Jr. has covered infectious diseases at The Times for two decades. Donald G. McNeil Jr. has covered infectious diseases at The Times for two decades.Credit...Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times Melina Delkic By Melina Delkic March 19, 2020 10 Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. Donald G. McNeil Jr. has been covering epidemics for nearly two decades. Times Insider first interviewed him a little over a month ago, when there were 13 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States. Now, more than 7,000 cases have been reported in the U.S. as of Wednesday, and all 50 states are racing to stymie the spread of infection. Mr. McNeil has been reporting on experts’ recommendations for what to do next. He took a break from that to answer a few questions. What do we know about clusters? If you get the disease, you are most likely — 75 percent to 80 percent likely — to transmit it to people who are in your household, in your family or people who are in close contact with you at all times. A family in New Rochelle, N.Y., is probably where every single case in New York City came from right now. The entire outbreak in Seattle leads back to one person. We know that from genetic testing. When it’s all over, you can look at the situation and see what looked like a blanket over the whole city was actually a whole bunch of clusters. ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story You’ve said this is a crisis but it’s not unstoppable. How do we stop it? We need to shut down all travel, as experts have said. And then we really aggressively tackle the clusters. People have got to stop shaking hands; people have got to stop going to bars and restaurants. New clusters are appearing every day. Latest Updates: Coronavirus Outbreak in the U.S. Some governors face growing resistance as many businesses open their doors around the country. The F.D.A. issues the expected authorization for emergency use of a new virus treatment. New Jersey is now reporting more virus deaths than New York. See more updates Updated 4m ago More live coverage: Global Markets New York It’s basically urgent that America imitates what China did. China had a massive outbreak in Wuhan, spreading all over the country, and they’ve almost stopped it. We can shut off the roads, flights, buses and trains. I don’t think we’ll ever succeed at doing exactly what China did. It’s going to cause massive social disruption because Americans don’t like being told what to do. In places like China, Singapore and Taiwan, they’ve gone through the SARS epidemic — they know how scary it is. Sign up to receive an email when we publish a new story about the coronavirus outbreak. Sign Up Is that what some countries are missing? This sense of collective action and selflessness? That is absolutely what many Americans are missing — that it’s not about you right now. My parents were in the World War II generation and there was more of a sense of, “Hey, we did something amazing; we ramped up this gigantic societal effort.” It was this sense of we’re all in this together. We’ve got to realize that we’re all in this together and save each other’s lives. That has not penetrated yet and it needs to penetrate because we all have to cooperate. ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story The sad thing is, most people — this has been true in every epidemic I’ve covered, whether it’s Zika in Puerto Rico or AIDS in South Africa — don’t believe in the disease until they see someone get sick and die from it, someone they know. And it’s too bad. It’s, “Oh, that’s happening to those people over there, that’s happening in China, that’s not going to happen to us.” I imagine that after decades of covering epidemics, you understood the severity of this coronavirus early on. Tell me about when this became serious for you. I remember vividly. I went on a trout-fishing trip to Argentina in January, not thinking this was terribly serious: It sounds like an animal disease and it’s going to kill a limited number of people. By the time I came back, China admitted there was sustained human-to-human transmission. I started watching the case counts double and doing the math in my head, and I realized, “Oh my God, this is going pandemic.” When was the moment you realized that? It was late January. I was on the subway, going from work to my girlfriend’s house, just sort of thinking about the numbers and realizing, “Wait a minute, that doubling rate is so fast, there’s no way this isn’t going to become a pandemic.” I started writing on a piece of notebook paper trying to see if I was crazy — and then looked up the 1918 pandemic and realized that was the closest model to this. What should we know about “sheltering in place?” It’s very, very inconvenient. It destroys your vacation plans. My niece’s wedding is off. People are heartbroken over this, but it beats being dead, or having somebody you love being dead. It beats the alternative. Follow the @ReaderCenter on Twitter for more coverage highlighting your perspectives and experiences and for insight into how we work. The Coronavirus Outbreak Frequently Asked Questions and Advice Updated April 11, 2020 What should I do if I feel sick? If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. When will this end? This is a difficult question, because a lot depends on how well the virus is contained. A better question might be: “How will we know when to reopen the country?” In an American Enterprise Institute report, Scott Gottlieb, Caitlin Rivers, Mark B. McClellan, Lauren Silvis and Crystal Watson staked out four goal posts for recovery: Hospitals in the state must be able to safely treat all patients requiring hospitalization, without resorting to crisis standards of care; the state needs to be able to at least test everyone who has symptoms; the state is able to conduct monitoring of confirmed cases and contacts; and there must be a sustained reduction in cases for at least 14 days. How can I help? The Times Neediest Cases Fund has started a special campaign to help those who have been affected, which accepts donations here. Charity Navigator, which evaluates charities using a numbers-based system, has a running list of nonprofits working in communities affected by the outbreak. You can give blood through the American Red Cross, and World Central Kitchen has stepped in to distribute meals in major cities. More than 30,000 coronavirus-related GoFundMe fund-raisers have started in the past few weeks. (The sheer number of fund-raisers means more of them are likely to fail to meet their goal, though.) Should I wear a mask? The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. How do I get tested? If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. How does coronavirus spread? It seems to spread very easily from person to person, especially in homes, hospitals and other confined spaces. The pathogen can be carried on tiny respiratory droplets that fall as they are coughed or sneezed out. It may also be transmitted when we touch a contaminated surface and then touch our face. Is there a vaccine yet? No. Clinical trials are underway in the United States, China and Europe. But American officials and pharmaceutical executives have said that a vaccine remains at least 12 to 18 months away. What makes this outbreak so different? Unlike the flu, there is no known treatment or vaccine, and little is known about this particular virus so far. It seems to be more lethal than the flu, but the numbers are still uncertain. And it hits the elderly and those with underlying conditions — not just those with respiratory diseases — particularly hard. What if somebody in my family gets sick? If the family member doesn’t need hospitalization and can be cared for at home, you should help him or her with basic needs and monitor the symptoms, while also keeping as much distance as possible, according to guidelines issued by the C.D.C. If there’s space, the sick family member should stay in a separate room and use a separate bathroom. If masks are available, both the sick person and the caregiver should wear them when the caregiver enters the room. Make sure not to share any dishes or other household items and to regularly clean surfaces like counters, doorknobs, toilets and tables. Don’t forget to wash your hands frequently. Should I stock up on groceries? Plan two weeks of meals if possible. But people should not hoard food or supplies. Despite the empty shelves, the supply chain remains strong. And remember to wipe the handle of the grocery cart with a disinfecting wipe and wash your hands as soon as you get home. Can I go to the park? Yes, but make sure you keep six feet of distance between you and people who don’t live in your home. Even if you just hang out in a park, rather than go for a jog or a walk, getting some fresh air, and hopefully sunshine, is a good idea. Should I pull my money from the markets? That’s not a good idea. Even if you’re retired, having a balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds so that your money keeps up with inflation, or even grows, makes sense. But retirees may want to think about having enough cash set aside for a year’s worth of living expenses and big payments needed over the next five years. What should I do with my 401(k)? Watching your balance go up and down can be scary. You may be wondering if you should decrease your contributions — don’t! If your employer matches any part of your contributions, make sure you’re at least saving as much as you can to get that “free money.” ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Discover our newsletters. Add insight to your inbox. Discover our newsletters. Add insight to your inbox. Never miss a story on the topics you care about the most. SEE NEWSLETTERS Site Index Site Information Navigation © 2020 The New York Times Company NYTCoContact UsWork with usAdvertiseT Brand StudioYour Ad ChoicesPrivacyTerms of ServiceTerms of SaleSite MapHelpSubscriptions