According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common mode of transmission for COVID-19 is through close contact from person to person. While it is possible that someone can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or possibly their eyes, this isn’t thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group, discusses virus transmission and steps to take to keep yourself safe.