DENVER — With the coronavirus spreading in China, travelers halfway around the globe aren’t taking any chances. People at Denver International Airport (DIA) Thursday wore face masks to try and stay healthy.
But is that necessary?
"The goal is to prevent it from going beyond the borders but obviously that can be challenging because people can travel," said Dr. Michelle Barron, an Infectious Disease Specialist at UCHealth. "The challenge is that you have individuals who may have already left the country before they realized that they were incubating this."
We asked Barron to help us separate facts from fears when it comes to how Coronavirus is spread and how you can stay safe traveling.
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Barron said the coronavirus is spread mostly through people coughing on each other or spreading the germs to objects that people often touch. Especially when you're traveling, she advises washing your hands as often as possible.
"We touch our tray tables, we're messing with our luggage, we're messing with our phone," said Barron. "There are all sorts of other viruses that you’re probably going to come into contact with more than you are the novel coronavirus."
Masks can help you from spreading germs, but you need to make sure you’re using them correctly. Barron said you must put the mask above your nose and not touch your face or mouth underneath it, even if it itches.
"Your lovely hands, if they go under the mask and you itch your nose or you’re eating and you didn’t wash your hands, guess what, the mask is only good if it’s in place," said Barron.
So far only, a handful of coronavirus cases have been reported in the United States.
No one has tested positive in Colorado.
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