While coronavirus does cause generalized muscle soreness throughout the body, a lot of us had tender spots before the disease appeared, and we’re feeling even more aches and pains now due to stress and anxiety. Even if you can’t get out to see your massage therapist, you can still find relief by working your trigger points on your own. Use gentle pressure for just a few seconds at a time. Don’t overdo it. You can always go back later and work it a little bit more, but too much pressure for too long can re-inflame the area. For lasting relief, follow up with exercises that restore your muscles to their proper length so they function properly. Watch the full video of trigger point releases and exercises for muscle rebalancing here

The only way to tell COVID-19 apart from the flu in the early stages is with a diagnostic test. COVID-19 and the flu have similar symptoms, including fever, body aches, a dry cough and shortness of breath. Spring allergy season is upon us and it too can trigger many of the same symptoms. However, seasonal allergy symptoms usually start with a runny nose and itchy eyes, whereas the coronavirus (and the flu) tend to be more of a full-body experience with muscle aches, headache and fever.

Not yet, but testing in humans has already begun. Researchers are moving fast, but even if a safe, effective vaccine is found soon, it is unlikely to become available before next year.

Unless you’re already infected or caring for someone who is, no. It does not help to wear a mask ‘just in case’ and hoarding supplies that are needed by healthcare workers and others on the front lines does more harm than good.

Within reason, yes. Because we don’t yet know how long this will last, and with more people working from home, kids home from school and restaurants closed, you’ll be eating in a lot more. So it’s a smart idea to have two weeks’ worth of food and other supplies on hand. That said, resist the urge to hoard. Supply chains remain strong, and stores are receiving sufficient amounts of goods to cover our needs. But even if you don’t have every ingredient in your usual fare, you can use this as an opportunity to experiment. You may even discover a new flavor or recipe you like even better. And please remember to be generous with neighbors. We’re all in this together.