With the novel coronavirus 2019 (2019-nCoV) pandemic spreading quickly in the United States and the world, it is urgent that the rehabilitation community quickly understands the epidemiology of the virus and what we can and must do to face this microbial adversary at the early stages of this likely long global pandemic. The 2019-nCoV is a novel virus so most of the world's population does not have prior immunity to it. It is more infectious and fatal than seasonal influenza, and definitive treatment and a vaccine are months away. Our arsenal against it is currently mainly social distancing and infection control measures.