What Nurses Should Know About COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is a highly infectious illness caused by novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The World Health Organization recently designated SARS-CoV-2 associated COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. The fear or spread of COVID-19 has touched every continent. The importance of understanding the drivers of COVID-19 on community health is amplified by the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to rapidly change genetic structure, our restricted knowledge about the disease, and limited or non-existent vaccines and treatment options. An understanding of basic COVID-19 epidemiology is a prerequisite for curtailing transmission, preventing morbidity and mortality, developing efficacious vaccines, implementing effective infection control protocols, and applying treatment algorithms.