What you need to know about the coronavirus apex in New York

The apex marks the highest point in an outbreak — the highest number of cases. After an apex, the number of confirmed cases starts to decrease.

When is the apex of the COVID-19 pandemic expected to hit New York?

It’s still unclear, but both Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and federal officials said New Yorkers should be prepared for it in the coming days. On Saturday, Cuomo said the peak could come within four to eight days. On Sunday, he said the state is “very near” the apex, or "the apex could be a plateau and we could be on that plateau right now." He has pointed out the number of cases on Long Island specifically is growing. — Lisa L. Colangelo

That’s also unclear. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Sunday said New York could experience — or even currently be experiencing — a plateau where high numbers remain for an unknown period of time before starting to decline. — Lisa L. Colangelo

“Social distancing is really trying to stay at least 6 feet away from someone else. The best way to practice that is to try to not go into crowds, not go into crowded spaces, really trying to allow open air between someone so you’re not in contact with them should some be sneezing or coughing,” Davis said.

If you do sneeze or cough, “make sure you’re covering your face so that you don’t spread to others.” — ZACHARY R. DOWDY

Americans should wear face coverings when in public, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Friday — a reversal from the prior government position that doing so is ineffective.

The latest advice, to wear a rudimentary covering like a bandanna or scarf, came after weeks of dismissing the effectiveness of masks, which are common and even mandated in certain other countries to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which is spread by droplets exchanged between people.

In announcing his own reversal of New York City's guidance, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday the change was due to new research, including one study from Singapore, showing that coronavirus-infected people without symptoms might still be contagious.

(He said he didn't want to use the word "mask," in order to avoid furthering a shortage of masks needed for medical personnel treating the outbreak.)

Since the outbreak began, some officials, including U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams, had counseled against wearing face masks in public. ("They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if health care providers can't get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!" he tweeted Feb. 29.)

Adams doubled down on that position through much of March before beginning to backtrack.

The federal government's public shift began around March 31, as Anthony Fauci, one of the government's top infectious disease doctors on the task force, said that the government was giving "very serious consideration" to the recommendation of face coverings.

Some other countries experiencing the outbreak encourage and even mandate the wearing of masks. South Korea, Singapore and Japan have distributed face masks for the public to wear. And in parts of China, such as Wuhan — where the outbreak is thought to have begun — anyone not wearing a mask in public could face arrest.

In the past, the CDC had recommended use of a mask under certain circumstances if there's a community outbreak of an infectious disease such as the flu, a person is at heightened risk such as being immunocompromised, and is in a crowded setting.

A 2017 study published about Japan in the journal Preventive Medicine Reports found that masks helped reduce transmission of influenza in schoolchildren.

Fauci said March 31 that a complication preventing guidance to wear masks is the shortage among health care workers who need the masks.

Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in Vanderbilt University’s Division of Infectious Diseases, told Time magazine in early March: “If there’s a general recommendation that people wear face masks, we won’t have enough supply for health care workers."

He added: “The priority should be face masks to use in the health care environment, rather than in our community.”

How about wearing gloves?

Dr. Fred Davis, associate chair of emergency medicine at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, said gloves were “almost like an extension of your hand if you’re not changing them after every interaction."

"So, while you think they’re great for maybe some things you might get your hands soiled with … make sure you take them off after that, and washing your hands would be the best course," he said. "In public, if you walk around without gloves, you’re probably OK as long as you’re washing your hands before eating or touching your face.” — MATTHEW CHAYES and ZACHARY R. DOWDY

People who are sick or feeling symptoms should stay inside. Experts have advised healthy people to limit their time outside and to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet. On Saturday, Dr. Deborah Birx, the coronavirus response coordinator for the White House, said people should stay away from grocery stores and pharmacies this week. Other doctors have said if you need to go to purchase necessities, wear gloves and a mask and keep the shopping trip as brief as possible. — Lisa L. Colangelo

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has ordered all nonessential retailers and businesses to close and advised state residents to stay home as much as possible to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
New York’s “PAUSE” order is in place until April 15. State officials said Sunday they would look to adjust the order if the number of cases across the state begins to decline. The order could also be extended beyond April 15 if the situation does not improve, officials said. — ROBERT BRODSKY

No. Scientists are working on treatment, including a vaccine, but according to the World Health Organization, there is no evidence that current medicine can prevent or cure the disease. The WHO says there are currently clinical trials to try to find treatment.

There are some viruses for which there are never vaccines or cures. Four decades after the appearance of HIV, there is still no vaccine or cure, but there is a daily medicine that, taken regularly, prevents infection in almost all cases. — MATTHEW CHAYES

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has announced New York has acquired 750,000 doses of chloroquine and 70,000 doses of hydroxychloroquine, two anti-malarial drugs, for trials in the treatment of COVID-19 that began March 24. Also acquired for trial were 10,000 doses of Zithromax, an antibiotic used to treat a number of different bacterial infections, including respiratory infections, ear infections and sexually transmitted diseases. Though the CDC has stressed there are no U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs currently for treatment of COVID-19, trials of these three drugs in New York, as well as continued trials by the National Institutes of Health for drugs like remdesivir and a World Health Organization study for drugs such as lopinavir-ritonavir, are hopeful of finding some means to either slow the onset of COVID-19 — or, hasten recovery from it — until a vaccine can be developed to combat the novel coronavirus. Previous drug trials began in March in Seattle. — JOHN VALENTI

Some COVID-19 symptoms — including fever, body aches, severe cough and fatigue — can often be confused with the flu, according to medical experts.

But coronavirus patients also typically experience shortness of breath, which is less common with the flu. The virus, experts say, generally affects the respiratory tract, while the flu attacks the entire body.

Meanwhile, symptoms such as itchy eyes, sneezing and a runny nose are more synonymous with the common cold or seasonal allergies than COVID-19, medical professionals say. — ROBERT BRODSKY