Unless you’ve been in close contact with someone who has the coronavirus — which right now, typically means a traveler from Wuhan, China who actually has the virus — you’re likely to be safe. In the US, for example, only two cases of the virus have been confirmed so far, although this is likely to change. While we don’t yet understand the particulars of how this virus spreads, coronaviruses usually spread through droplets containing large particles that typically can only be suspended in the air for three to six feet before dissipating. By contrast, measles or varicella (chickenpox) spread through smaller droplets over much greater distances. Some coronaviruses also have been found in the stool of certain individuals. So it’s likely coughs or sneezes from an infected person may spread the virus. Also, it is possible to get it through another route of transmission, fecal-oral contact, might also spread this particular virus.