This can often be set up to be done automatically at daily, weekly, or monthly intervals within the program itself. If you're not particularly computer-savvy, usually your department or a related department has a resident computer guru and can help you out. Set the program to scan floppies upon insertion and scan files upon downloding. Most virus detection software also automatically scans a file every time it's opened. Don't go nuts if you see something new about a virus through e-mail or when the detection software finds one.
Hoaxes are rumors spread around like wildfire through e-mail.
Most 'bugs' that happen with your computer aren't viruses.