The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics (CIDD) at Penn State University is comprised of more than 50 faculty experts in infectious disease. We want to help you get scientifically informed, up to date answers to your questions about the pandemic.

Please send your questions about COVID-19 to the email address above.

New questions, including a number of topics not covered by our video series, are answered weekly at our COVID-19 Q&A page. To keep up with the latest answers to public questions, please bookmark this page.



Each Monday, one of these questions is answered via video as well. Links to these videos are provided below. You can subscribe to our YouTube playlist here.

Previous AskCIDD Videos:



Is air pollution related to COVID-19?



Is wearing a face shield the same as wearing a mask?



How can universities function in the fall?

Does Remdesivir work for COVID-19?

What are quarantine "pods" or "bubbles?"

What is the Data 4 Action project?



Do I need to wear a mask outside, alone?



Can pooling samples speed up testing?

Why did SARS and MERS disappear quicker?

Why do symptoms vary so much between people?

What do we know about pregnancy and COVID-19?

What is the "clean hand, dirty hand" technique?

Are my pets at risk?

How can I vote safely during COVID-19?

When do the infected become infectious?

Should I be wearing gloves?

How safe is restaurant takeout food?

Is it safe to go swimming?

What should I do if restrictions lift?

Does virus transmission have anything to do with 5G?

When and why should I wear a cloth mask?

Should I wipe down my groceries?

Can supplements boost my immunity?

Should I keep my child's vaccine appointments?

Can I spread the virus on my shoes?

What's the safest way to pay for things?

What about errors in antibody testing?

How do coronavirus tests work?

How does alcohol kill this virus?

What are case fatality rates?

Can coronavirus be transmitted by mosquitoes?

When can a sick family member rejoin the household?

Is SARS-CoV-2 present in fecal matter?



Will this virus mutate?



How do plasma transfers for COVID-19 work?

What are COVID-19's long-term health effects?

How can I exercise outside responsibly?

How did zoo cats get infected?



What does it mean for a virus to peak?

How is COVID-19 different from the flu?

How does hand-washing affect the virus?



What do we know about drug treatments?

Can I find out if I already had COVID-19?

Is it safe to go for a walk outside?

Is it safe to do my own shopping?

Can I get coronavirus from someone breathing on me?

What should I do if someone in my home is infected?

How long will this shutdown last?

Can I get coronavirus from a package?



Series Introduction