Vaccine researcher Peter Hotez, based in Houston, is one of the world’s leading experts on contagious disease. For the last two weeks, we’ve been checking in with him, asking what Houstonians need to know about the coronavirus and the fight against it.

Here, lightly edited, is this week’s update.

The situation has changed enormously this week. What are your thoughts?

We know that when sustained community transmission goes on a long time, it’s not good.

We missed the first wave because we didn’t have diagnostic testing. That could lead to a situation like the one Gov. Cuomo described in New York, where the hospitals are about to be overwhelmed.

The question in Houston is, how do we manage our hospitals’ surge capacity?

And if a surge does happen, how do we protect our first responders and healthcare workers, the people who are most vulnerable?

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No. 1: Do they have everything they need to protect themselves?

No. 2: Can the Texas Medical Center handle the surge?

No. 3: What is the surge expected to be? We don’t know that.

No. 4: What happens if healthcare workers get sick? Does the National Guard step in? Will those promising antibody treatments work?

The science on coronavirus is being done fast. What have we learned in the last week?

We still don’t fully understand the mode of transmission. We’re confident that there’s droplet transmission — that people cough or sneeze out microdroplets containing the virus, which people pick up on their hands and get into their mucus membranes; or that people cough or sneeze directly into your face.

But we’re still trying to understand whether the virus could be airborne, like the measles. And the possibility of fecal-oral transmission is important as well.

The other thing is that we’re beginning to see evidence that new antiviral drugs can accelerate a person’s recovery.

One of the drugs that’s shown promise in a number of tests is undergoing clinical trials. If it works, we already know that it’s cheap and safe. The FDA has already approved it for another use. That one could be a game changer.

There’s also antibody therapy, which if it works, could be available fast.

What are we learning about young people and this virus?

We’re still trying to understand the role of kids and young adults in these outbreaks. In China, very few were diagnosed with the virus. But in Italy there are stories about young adults getting sick in large numbers. Those are anecdotal so far.

There’s a study out in Pediatrics that shows that some kids are getting sick. Most kids do well with the virus. But now we’re seeing trouble for some infants and young children as well.

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What should regular Houstonians be doing now, as we practice social distancing?

The big question is, what are you doing to take care of your mental health? Take a walk outside. It’ll be helpful.

You should also know the symptoms, and know who to call if you feel ill.

And you should know that the Texas Medical Center is here for you.

Hotez, an M.D. and Ph.D., is a professor and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, and co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development.

lisa.gray@chron.com