DR NORMAN SWAN: While the virus that causes COVID-19 has been around since November, there's still a lot of uncertainty about the facts.

For example, is the virus running rampant in the community?

PROFESSOR TANIA SORRELL, MARIE BASHIR INSTITUTE FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND BIOSECURITY: The answer is no. The virus is not running rampant in the community.

In fact, to date, as of today, we have only one instance of spread in the community and that's between two individuals.

NORMAN SWAN: Many people are wondering why COVID-19 has affected Italy so badly.

Well, no-one knows how it was imported there but the virus spread in northern Italy under the radar and may have affected health facilities which spread it even further without knowing.

Then it spun out of control.

Last week there were reports that there was a new virulent strain of COVID-19 and that's probably not true. In fact, the virus seems to be mutating fairly slowly.

There can be no symptoms or mild to severe fever, coughing, sore throat, fatigue, and shortness of breath.

The Federal Government's current advice remains the same. If you have symptoms you should call ahead to tell your doctor about your symptoms, travel history or possible contacts.

Testing is being performed on people with risk factors such as recent travel to China, Iran, Italy, or South Korea and people who have had contact with an infected person.

If in doubt, you can also call this national helpline on 1800 020 080.

TANIA SORRELL: So the current process for testing in Australia is to actually look at certain genes that make up the whole genetic compliment of the virus and we do that first of all usually by screening one of these genes, one that is a very sensitive test and then we do a back-up test to actually confirm that it's the specific virus that causes COVID-19.

NORMAN SWAN: If you have a chronic problem, like heart or lung disease or diabetes, now is the time to make sure you're doing everything you and your GP can to make you as fit as well as possible - give yourself the best chance you can.

And should people with chronic disease stock up on their meds? The answer is, we don't want a toilet paper run on medications, that would be a disaster but it's probably prudent to get a repeat script filled so you have a month in reserve.

If you are a smoker, the lining of your lungs is more vulnerable and you're producing more of the receptors which the COVID-19 virus latches on to. So quit now - there are plenty of resources around to help you.

Another question is around self-isolation. Who should self-isolate and what does it entail?

TANIA SORRELL: If you have returned from a high risk country, if you've been in close contact with someone who has returned from a high risk country, or if you've been in contact with someone who has proven infection and disease due to COVID-19.

NORMAN SWAN: Some people are saying there's no reason to panic because it's no different from the seasonal flu and while I agree there's no need to panic, this isn't the flu.

COVID-19 has a higher transmission rate. Flu affects children far more than COVID-19, at least that's how it seems at the moment, and the case fatality rate is much higher for COVID-19.

Last week WHO (World Health Organization) updated its case fatality rate to between 3 and 4 per cent. That's 30 to 40 times the case fatality rate of seasonal flu.

Most experts think that is too high, because a lot of people with COVID-19 haven't been tested and the smart money is still on a case fatality rate of about 1 per cent.

The important message is for everyone to get immunised for influenza when the new vaccine is out and eligible people should have a pneumococcal vaccine against bacterial pneumonia.

And finally, we mentioned this last week but it's worth being reminded that hand washing with soap is probably the best protection, because it removes the fat around the virus but hand sanitiser is fine, too.

Masks still need to be kept for health workers and people with symptoms.