Will cold temperatures kill the virus? Your COVID-19 questions and answers

Every day it seems there are new questions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Whether it's how to keep fit and healthy, how to apply for government benefits, or even whether it's OK to go outside, CBC British Columbia has been working hard to provide answers. Every week we'll publish a selection of crucial — or even common — questions and answers. If there's anything you want to ask, please consider joining our coronavirus Facebook group, or drop us a line at impact@cbc.ca.

Here's a selection of questions for the week of March 29, 2020.

Can a virus survive in the fridge? Freezer?

Many people have been asking whether coronavirus can live on food, groceries or supplies that are stored in the fridge or freezer — or in some cases even the car overnight. While the B.C. CDC says COVID-19 can survive on foods and surfaces for a few hours to a few days, there are no reported instances of the virus being transmitted by food or food packaging. It is also unknown whether the virus can survive in fridges and freezers.

In light of this, the B.C. CDC suggests washing your hands after putting away food that has just been purchased, and before prepping meals. For fruits and vegetables, the CDC and U.S. Department of Agriculture suggest rinsing the food under cold, running water prior to eating. The USDA says you shouldn't wash meat, poultry, eggs, or bagged produce marked "pre-washed."

If you are still inclined to clean the surfaces of food containers, plain soap and water should suffice.

There is little advice when it comes to the idea of storing goods in your car overnight. However, the CDC says perishable items should be refrigerated or frozen properly.

How do I apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)? Can I also apply for Employment Insurance?

With unemployment on the rise, many are wondering about the government's new financial benefit and how to apply for it.

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit is intended to support people who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, offering recipients $500 a week for up to 16 weeks. The funds are deposited monthly in $2,000 increments for a maximum of four months. However, it's important to note that the CERB works in conjunction with EI — and you may qualify for one but not the other.

For instance, the Government of Canada is encouraging anyone who has lost work to apply for the CERB — regardless of whether they qualify for EI. This is intended to speed up the process and reduce the demands on EI, while also delivering assistance to Canadians more quickly. You cannot qualify for EI and the CERB at the same time, but those eligible for EI may still apply for EI once they've exhausted their CERB benefits.

Important to note, though, that CERB applications open next week, on April 6. Those who are eligible can apply via their My CRA account, or over the phone. To avoid inundating the system, the government is asking people to stagger their application by birth month.

Specifically, people born in January, February and March should apply on Mondays starting April 6; those born in April, May and June should apply on Tuesdays starting April 7; people born in July, August or September should apply on Wednesdays starting April 8; and those born in October, November and December should apply on Thursdays starting April 9. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are being treated as a catchall.

Finally, anyone who has already applied for EI does not need to re-apply or submit any extra applications. Any application submitted on or after March 15 will be processed automatically for the CERB — meaning applicants will still have access to CERB funds and be able to apply for EI should they need more help once those benefits are maxed out.

Why isn't B.C. sharing the location of COVID-19 patients?

Other provinces are providing more precise locations, but B.C.'s chief provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, says privacy is key. Henry has also said she doesn't want anyone, in any part of the province, to feel complacent about the novel coronavirus.

"We're now at the place where it's irrelevant what community you're in. The risk of this virus is everywhere in British Columbia, everywhere in Canada," she has said.

That means everyone in every B.C. community should practise physical distancing and good hygiene, and take measures to protect seniors and people with underlying conditions.

"Knowing where somebody was two weeks ago, when we detected them, is not what is going to protect you now," Henry said.

How do Vancouver's physical distancing fines work?

Along with good hygiene, physically distancing is considered a key tactic in the fight against COVID-19. At the provincial level, Henry has ordered British Columbians to stay at least two metres away from others and avoid crowds of 50 or more people in an effort to keep the virus from spreading.

Building on this, Vancouver city council last week approved a motion giving the city power to issue fines to businesses and people caught breaking physical distancing rules. However, it's worth noting the power is relatively small in scope.

Presently, the fines only apply to people or businesses ignoring orders issued by the city under its local state of emergency, which was declared on March 19. So far, only one order has been issued: the ban on restaurants and bars offering dine-in service. That means businesses must move to a take-out model only, to avoid crowds of customers sitting down in the same enclosed space for a meal or a drink.

Businesses that fail to comply with this order can be hit with a $50,000 fine, whereas people choosing to sit down at a restaurant for dinner risk a $1,000 fine.

To be clear, Vancouver has not issued an order solely about physical distancing. Anyone caught disregarding Henry's order will not be subject to a fine, though city staff say the decision could be revisited if people are failing to comply.

Where does B.C. stand compared to countries like Italy or Iran?

From a more global perspective, several have wondered how B.C. is stacking up against COVID-19 hotspots in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Health authorities around the world report COVID-19 cases in different ways, and because some countries test less or more often per capita than others, it's hard to be definitive on whether any place is "behind" or "ahead" of the curve compared to others, unless it's an extreme outlier.

However, one measurement that has proved popular shows the spread in confirmed cases within a population after it has reached the 100-case mark, using a logarithmic scale to show its rise after that point.

Do you have questions about the COVID-19 pandemic? Please consider joining our coronavirus Facebook group, or email us at impact@cbc.ca.