Are you able to give me a refresher course in tips on how to keep away from COVID? : Goats and Soda : NPR

Face masks can dampen the unfold of contagious illnesses.

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Okay, so it looks like everybody I do know has come down with COVID this summer time – even the individuals often known as NOVIDs (by no means had COVID earlier than). I’m been fortunate thus far. What do I have to know to guard myself throughout the present surge?

You in all probability know all of the methods to remain protected. However perhaps you’re affected by COVID amnesia — maybe the trauma of the early years of the pandemic has worn out your reminiscence of primary precautions like mask-wearing and hand-washing.

In the meantime, others have turn into COVID-indifferent, says Dr. William Schaffner, a professor within the division of infectious illnesses on the Vanderbilt College Faculty of Drugs.

They’re residing in a bubble, pondering yeah, nicely, no matter, que sera sera — nevertheless it gained’t occur to me.

Then got here the robust summer time surge of 2024 within the U.S. and plenty of different locations. “New waves of an infection have been registered within the Americas, Europe and the western Pacific,” the U.N. reported this month.

And, provides Schaffner, whereas getting the virus is a mere annoyance for a lot of, for others, particularly older adults and other people with underlying well being circumstances, the results could be dire. COVID can nonetheless make them fairly sick, land them within the hospital and end in lengthy COVID. And the virus can show deadly. This summer time within the U.S., there have been 400 to 600 deaths per week linked to COVID-19.

Maybe that’s the reason, for the primary time within the historical past of our Coronavirus FAQ collection, docs have been emailing us and asking us to remind individuals of the methods to keep off the virus that launched a pandemic now in its fourth yr. So consider this version of as your COVID refresher course.

Vaccines. Sure, an up to date vaccine that addresses the presently circulating variants is on the best way. Approval got here on Thursday. Right here’s our story.

Masks. A well-made masks — an N-95 or KN-95 — will nonetheless defend you even when others round you aren’t masked. And it’ll defend others in the event you may be contagious — say you’ve discovered you had been with somebody who since examined constructive however don’t know your standing, says Schaffner.

Throughout a COVID surge, you’re much less more likely to contract the virus in the event you masks up in crowded areas like airports, airplanes and busy shops the place exhaled pathogens could also be within the air.

When making a masks determination, remember that outside air is efficient at dispersing these pathogens.

Dr. Schaffner says he presently places on a masks at any time when he’s round different individuals as a result of he has a susceptible member of the family and needs to scale back the danger of bringing COVID residence.

Should you’re out of masks follow, Schaffner offers a delicate however agency reminder that your masks has to suit over your nostril and canopy your chin and cheeks to guard your mouth correctly. Should you take masks breaks for a deep breath or a sip of water, Schaffner recommends making it a brief break — outside if attainable or in an area the place you’re not round others.

And oh yeah, you’re in all probability going to should pay for the masks. The times of presidency masks, check, and COVID-19 vaccine and drugs giveaways are typically over.

Hold your distance. Placing some area between your self and others continues to be an excellent technique — though earlier this summer time it was reported that the six-foot rule from the early days of the pandemic was not primarily based on information. A 6-foot distance shouldn’t be a magic quantity that may forestall an infection since we now know that exhaled pathogens can journey lots of of toes. However as transmission knowledgeable Linsey Marr explains, “As you get farther away from the contaminated particular person, aerosols turn into extra diluted, so the possibility of inhaling [particles] often goes down with distance.”

As an analogy, Marr suggests you consider cigarette smoke. Smaller COVID particles “behave like cigarette smoke. Should you’re near somebody who exhaled an enormous puff of smoke, you’re uncovered to greater than in the event you’re farther away. The farther away you get, the higher.”

What if my housemate catches it? Am I subsequent? One other query to ponder within the wake of rising case counts: If my associate or housemate will get COVID do I robotically get it? Not essentially, as infectious illness specialist Dr. Abraar Karan wrote in a narrative for NPR this yr. Should you’re lucky, your roomie might need a brief window of contagiousness and may not be a superspreader — some individuals simply don’t exhale a number of pathogens. Open home windows and an indoor air filter will help cut back your threat. As do masks, in fact.

Testing, testing. And right here’s one other COVID reminder: be ready to check in the event you’re experiencing COVID-like signs.

However simply as masks giveaways are only a reminiscence, assessments are now not free from the federal authorities or at your native library and now price about $7.50 every on-line and in shops. If in case you have any in your COVID provide stash, test this FDA web site to see if the expiration date has been prolonged. You may also test expiration dates on objects to procure in bulk throughout the pandemic, reminiscent of acetaminophen to scale back COVID fevers and hand sanitizer, which although it lasts for 3 to 5 years, may be near or previous the expiration date in the event you purchased it when the world began shutting down in 2020. Expired hand sanitizer isn’t harmful, per the FDA, it simply could also be much less efficient at combating germs.

The timing of a check is important. Since most of us have not less than some immunity to the virus from prior bouts and vaccines which may initially suppress your load of virus, testing early on may not produce an correct consequence. So it will probably take a number of days for a check to register the virus.

And do check, says Dr. Harish Moorjani, an infectious illness specialist at Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hole, N.Y.

Signs you assume may be COVID-19 might be fall allergic reactions or flu or RSV. For correct therapy, advises Moorjani, it’s good to know what you do – or don’t have.

Should you do get COVID. Individuals who check constructive for the coronavirus are now not suggested by the CDC to remain residence from work and college for 5 days.

The brand new tips are:

1. Keep residence and away from others in case you have respiratory virus signs reminiscent of fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nostril and headache.

2. You’ll be able to return to your regular actions when, for not less than 24 hours, your signs are diminishing total, and you haven’t had a fever and will not be utilizing fever-reducing remedy.

3. Take added precautions for the following 5 days after a choice to cease isolating: for instance, frequent hand washing, sporting a masks and bodily distance from others in the event you can.

So the general takeaway is: You’ll be able to finish your isolation sooner however a) you possibly can nonetheless presumably be just a little contagious and b) remember that some individuals will probably be much less cautious about isolation, which will increase the danger of COVID publicity for most people (see: masks, above).

A be aware about vaccine timing. We must always be aware that in the event you’ve caught COVID inside the previous few days or perhaps weeks you “might” wait three months from a constructive check or the beginning of signs, per the CDC, to guarantee that your physique mounts a sturdy response to the vaccine. Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar on the Johns Hopkins Middle for Well being Safety, says that wait must be not less than three months. That’s as a result of in case you have antibodies to the virus in your system due to a current an infection, the immune response to a vaccine could be weak. says

New prices of COVID. Exams aren’t the one COVID-related merchandise you could have to pay for. People who find themselves uninsured or have excessive deductibles might should pay for vaccines and drugs on the finish of August when CDC ends its “bridge entry” program which helped present free protection for some COVID-related bills for such people.

COVID vaccines are free for individuals with medical insurance together with Medicare and Medicaid, however Dr. Robert Hopkins,, chief medical officer of the Nationwide Basis for Infectious Illnesses, reminds those who to keep away from copays or the total price — about $120 for the up to date COVID vaccine, it’s a must to be vaccinated at an in-network supplier.

A big pharmacy chain shouldn’t be an issue however in case you have considerations, notably about an impartial pharmacy you possibly can test with them to see if they’re in your insurer’s community.

No insurance coverage or having a tough time discovering an in-network supplier? Name 211 for state well being division data and 311 for native well being division data to search out out about group well being clinics and well being division drives that provide the vaccine at no cost.

And in case your physician prescribes Paxlovid to scale back severity of signs, which Dr. Schaffner hopes is the case if you’re older or have underlying well being circumstances that improve your threat for extreme illness in the event you get COVID-19, your well being insurer might cost a copay. Beforehand the federal authorities offered the drug at no cost no matter insurance coverage standing.

Should you want help to afford Paxlovid, you may wish to contact Pfizer’s help program or name Pfizer at 877-219-7225.

Yet another factor: The summer time surge will finish in fact however bear in mind all this recommendation as a result of … a winter surge is probably going!

If in case you have a query you need us to contemplate for a future submit, electronic mail us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the topic line: “Coronavirus Questions.” See an archive of our FAQs right here.

Fran Kritz is a well being coverage reporter primarily based in Washington, D.C., and an everyday contributor to NPR. She additionally studies for the Washington Publish and Verywell Well being. Discover her on X: @fkritz