The lab of Dr. Alex Greninger, in the virology division of Laboratory Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, is studying the latest genomic information about this emerging virus, and its possible implications for the clinical virology laboratory.
"We can ramp this up relatively quickly in sort of weeks to about a month," Greninger says. "We’re ready for these things all the time. In the past few years we've seen this for enterovirus D68 and Zika virus."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local and state public health departments will continue to conduct the diagnostic laboratory testing required to confirm or rule out the infection in suspected cases.
To prevent the spread of any type of respiratory virus, including coronaviruses, people should make sure to:
· Wash their hands thoroughly
· Cover their cough or sneeze
· Keep their hands away from their mouth, nose and eyes
· Avoid close contact with people who are ill
· Stay home when they’re sick
· Pay attention to travelers' precautions
· Wear a surgical mask possibly
If people are experiencing symptoms and are concerned that they might have been exposed, they should reach out to their care providers over the phone.
