Knowns and unknowns about the new coronavirus

There are a lot of things we don't know about the new coronavirus. Alain Herzog - Didier Trono, a professor at EPFL's Laboratory of Virology and Genetics, answers some common questions about SARS CoV-2 and the disease it causes, COVID-19. We know that the new coronavirus can cause lung infections that can be fatal for elderly people and those already suffering from heart disease, respiratory problems or weakened immune systems. We also know that one of the best things we can do to protect ourselves is to wash our hands. But there are some things we don't know - which makes it hard to predict how the pandemic will play out. We spoke with Didier Trono, a professor at EPFL's Laboratory of Virology and Genetics, to get expert answers to some of our questions about SARS-CoV-2 (the new coronavirus) and COVID-19, the disease it causes. How does SARS-CoV-2 work? The virus enters the body through the respiratory system.