Welcome to our first #UPMCCOVID19Chat! We’re here with Dr. John Williams, chief of @Peds_ID at @ChildrensPgh, answering your questions about #COVID19. To participate in today’s chat, post your questions using #UPMCCOVID19Chat. Let's get started!

This chat is for general education and information purposes only, not medical advice. The information provided should not be used for diagnosis or treatment. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, you should consult your health care provider. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

This chat is public. To protect your privacy, please do not include personal information with your question, such as your Social Security number, date of birth, or health information. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q1: Should we be sanitizing our groceries when we return home from the store? How long can the virus live on items? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A1: 1/2 The most important thing with grocery shopping is using good hand hygiene in the store. If we are careful picking things up in the store we probably don't need to wipe them when we get home. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A1: 2/2 While the virus can live up to 24 hours on porous surfaces, it drops off a lot after 6-8 hours. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q2: Hearing mixed things about the virus on mail or packages. How should you proceed in safely opening? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A2: 1/2 The only likely way it could be contaminated is if the mail delivery person, themselves were sick and shedding virus. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A2: 2/2 If you are concerned, using hand hygiene after opening mail would suffice. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q3: Regarding gloves and not contaminating your purse, phone, wallet, etc…should people get into the habit of wiping down/disinfecting their personal items when they return home? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A3: 1/2 If you choose to wear gloves in public places, you should try to avoid touching your personal items. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A3: 2/2 If you have touched your personal items with gloves in public, then taking off your gloves and wiping your items when you leave the store is a good idea. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q4: What advice can you give to people getting outside to exercise? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A4: 1/2 Getting outside for fresh air and exercise is great, but you should still try to maintain the 6ft rule. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A4: 2/2 If it is hard to maintain the 6ft rule, then you should wear a mask. Contact or close sports like basketball are not recommended. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q5: Any recommendations for parents who share custody of children? Is it safe to have children go back and forth between houses? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A5: Both households should be careful to observe hand hygiene and social distancing. In either household, high-risk people should be extra careful. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q6: How important is it to keep children home at this time? Do they need a mask to go out? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A6: 1/2 Just like adults, it is good for kids to get fresh air and exercise, but they should still observe the 6ft rule. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A6: 2/2 For young children who can't maintain hand hygiene or the 6ft rule, they should not go to crowded playgrounds, play dates, or parties. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q7: I have a newborn grandchild. Given the concerns regarding the potential for asymptomatic individuals to transmit COVID19, how can one approach the issue of relatives visiting young infants after they have gone home from the newborn nursery? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A7: 1/2 Studies so far show that newborns are very rarely infected. However, older infants could be infected and asymptomatic. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A7: 2/2 Grandparents and other older adults or high-risk people should probably wear a mask and maintain the 6ft rule when visiting young infants. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q8: I have had suspected Covid and bronchitis for 1.5 weeks now. How active can/should I be? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A8: 1/2 This might be a question for your doctor. However, anybody with an acute respiratory illness should go slow as they feel better. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A8: 2/2 Patients with suspected COVID are recommended to self-quarantine for 14 days to avoid spreading to others. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q9: Once you have COVID, are you immune for a period of time moving forward? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A9: We know that people who have had COVID make strong immune responses. Based on other coronaviruses, we think that they will be protected for a year or two. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q10: Are homemade masks just as effective as N95 masks? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A10: 1/2 Homemade cloth masks made properly, are fairly effective at preventing the wearer from transmitting to others or becoming infected. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A10: 2/2 N95 masks are specialized medical masks that are only needed during certain interventional procedures. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q11: Does vitamin C provide any health benefits in fighting COVID-19? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A11: Right now, there is no evidence for benefit from vitamin C, but there are some clinical trials in progress. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q12: There has been talk that, because SARS-CoV-2 uses the ACE-2 receptor to enter human cells, drugs such as ACE inhibitors and ARBs which up-regulate ACE-2 might exacerbate COVID-19 infections. Is there any evidence of this? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A12: 1/2 Great question because these are common high blood pressure drugs. ACE-2 also protects against lung disease from severe infections and untreated hypertension can be dangerous. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A12: 2/2 In addition, there is no evidence of more severe COVID in patients taking these drugs. Therefore, patients are not recommended to stop these medications. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Q13: What is your assumption that a Post-COVID Pandemic world might look like? No handshaking? Masks always in public? How does practicing medicine change? #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A13: 1/2 I think we will eventually go back to normal handshaking and hugs, but we will have more awareness of hand hygiene and cough/sneeze etiquette. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

A13: 2/2 I think the biggest change in medicine is that telemedicine just took a giant leap forward and is here to stay. #UPMCCOVID19Chat

Thank you for participating in our first #UPMCCOVID19Chat! If we didn't get to your question, please note that we have collected all questions and will follow up at a later time.