Protecting the Safety & Health of Workers
Using OSHA/CDC Guidance to protect workers as we bring workplaces online.
All employees, including those already working (except healthcare workers, first responders, and others already trained in infection control, personal protection/universal precautions), must complete, and employers must document, this training on mandatory health and safety requirements, or another training program that meets or exceeds this VOSHA-provided training by May 4, 2020.
What is Novel Coronavirus?
- Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause illness in people. Coronaviruses circulate among animals, including camels, cattle, and cats.
- SARS-CoV-2, the seventh known human coronavirus and the virus that causes COVID-19, is thought to have jumped species from animals to begin infecting humans.
What is Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)?
- COVID-19 is a respiratory disease spread from person to person. The virus that causes the coronavirus is the novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.
How is COVID-19 different from other known coronaviruses?
- Several coronaviruses cause common colds, but are not significant threats for most healthy people.
- Other coronaviruses have caused past outbreaks, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)—each caused by a different coronavirus.
- SARS-CoV-2 is a distinct coronavirus.
How does the coronavirus spread?
- The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
- The virus spreads by droplets made when people with the coronavirus cough, sneeze, or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people nearby or be inhaled into their lungs.
- People who are infected often—but not always—have symptoms of illness. People without symptoms are able to spread the virus.
- It may be possible that a person can get the coronavirus by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
For a downloadable file of this page, return to the previous page and look under the heading "Safety Information - Downloadable Files".
