Below are answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-19.
Information for UWM students, faculty and staff
Where can I find information for UWM students, faculty and staff regarding the Fall semester and returning to campus?
You can find the most up-to-date information on UWM’s Fall 2020 Reopening web site.
Where can I get tested for COVID-19 on campus?
UWM students can get tested for COVID-19 at the Norris Health Center.
Information for Wisconsin and Milwaukee residents
Do I need to worry about a false negative test result for COVID-19?
Below is a post on false negative test results from Dear Pandemic.
I don’t currently have any symptoms, but I want to visit older family members soon, so I went and got a PCR test for COVID-19 (i.e., the kind that detects *current* infection). My test came back negative, so I am in the clear, right?, Dear Pandemic, June 22, 2020
What can I expect if I am contacted by a contact tracer?
Below are helpful resources on contact tracing.
CDC Contact Tracing Information
Public Health Minute: Contract Tracing, by Sarah Reed, May 1, 2020
Wisconsin health officials explain contact tracing and how it tackles COVID-19, WTMJ-TV Milwaukee, April 14, 2020
How does contact tracing work again? With states reopening, how is that component of the test-trace-isolate strategy going so far?, Dear Pandemic, June 25, 2020
Where can I find information about COVID-19 in the City of Milwaukee?
You can find Milwaukee-area specific COVID-19 information through the City of Milwaukee Health Department and Milwaukee County.
Where can I find information about COVID-19 in Wisconsin?
You can find Wisconsin-specific COVID-19 information on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services web site.
Where can I find information about the mask ordinance in the City of Milwaukee?
Information about the City of Milwaukee’s mask ordinance can be found here.
Where can I get a free face mask if I need one?
You can find information on how to obtain a free face mask on the City of Milwaukee Health Department web site.
The science and research of COVID-19
How is the case fatality rate for COVID-19 estimated?
Here are resources explaining how the fatality rate for COVID-19 is estimated.
Public Health Minute: Case Fatality Rate, presented by Kyla Quigley, July 6, 2020
Detecting COVID-19 Deaths In Wisconsin: Why A New Disease And Fast-Changing Pandemic Make Determining Fatalities A Moving Target, by Will Cushman, WisContext, June 12, 2020
Is it safe to wear a face shield only?
Below is a post about face shields from Dear Pandemic.
Can I wear a face shield by itself?, Dear Pandemic, July 21, 2020
Is the risk of death from COVID-19 any worse than from the flu?
Below is a post from Dear Pandemic about the risk of death from COVID-19 versus the flu.
What is the real risk of death from COVID-19? Is it actually worse than the flu?, Dear Pandemic, July 10, 2020
What are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for cloth face masks?
You can find the CDC’s guidelines and recommendations for cloth face masks here.
What does the positivity rate for COVID-19 tell us?
Here are some articles and resources about the positivity rate for COVID-19.
What Wisconsin’s shifting COVID-19 numbers show as testing broadens, By Will Cushman, WisContext, May 5, 2020
What COVID-19 metrics are best suited to guide our actions as a society moving forward?, Dear Pandemic, June 13, 2020
Why is everyone suddenly talking about the positivity rate? Is this positive psychology or something else?, Dear Pandemic, April 11, 2020
What is herd immunity and are we close to achieving it for COVID-19?
Here are some recent articles and resources about COVID-19 and herd immunity.
What We Know About Herd Immunity and Coronavirus by Madeline Burakoff for Spectrum News 1, July 1st, 2020
What actually is herd immunity anyway?, Dear Pandemic, May 5, 2020
Q: Maybe this increase in cases is good…. aren’t we getting closer to herd immunity? A: No and no!, Dear Pandemic, June 28, 2020
What is the basic reproductive rate for COVID-19?
You can learn more about the basic reproductive rate at the link below.
Public Health Minute: Base Reproductive Rate, by Margaret Tovar, July 6, 2020
What precautions around ventilation should be taken to prevent transmission of COVID-19?
Below is a post from Dear Pandemic on this topic.
What’s the importance of ventilation in preventing SARS-CoV-2? How can I best manage the ventilation in my own office/school/home?, Dear Pandemic, July 31, 2020
When I wear a cloth mask, does it protect me or others?
Below is a post from Dear Pandemic on this topic.
I’ve heard that I should wear a mask to protect others. Will it also protect me?, Dear Pandemic, July 29, 2020
Which factors are considered in epidemic modeling?
Below is information on epidemic modeling.
How scientists predict how many people will get COVID-19, by Lexi Krupp, Medscape, April 1st, 2020
Why do all the models tell us something different about what to expect from the pandemic?, Dear Pandemic, April 3, 2020
Simulating and epidemic, by Grant Sanderson, March 27, 2020