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

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

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

In the meantime, others have turn out to be COVID-indifferent, says Dr. William Schaffner, a professor within the division of infectious ailments on the Vanderbilt College College of Drugs.

They’re dwelling in a bubble, considering yeah, nicely, no matter, que sera sera — nevertheless it received’t occur to me.

Then got here the sturdy summer time surge of 2024 within the U.S. and lots 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 folks with underlying well being circumstances, the implications could be dire. COVID can nonetheless make them fairly sick, land them within the hospital and lead to lengthy COVID. And the virus can show deadly. This summer time within the U.S., there have been 400 to 600 deaths every week linked to COVID-19.

Maybe that’s the reason, for the primary time within the historical past of our Coronavirus FAQ sequence, docs have been emailing us and asking us to remind folks of the methods to thrust back the virus that launched a pandemic now in its fourth 12 months. 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 could be contagious — say you’ve discovered you had been with somebody who since examined optimistic however don’t know your standing, says Schaffner.

Throughout a COVID surge, you’re much less prone 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 folks as a result of he has a susceptible member of the family and desires to cut back the danger of bringing COVID house.

For those who’re out of masks observe, 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. For those who take masks breaks for a deep breath or a sip of water, Schaffner recommends making it a brief break — open air if potential or in an area the place you’re not round others.

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

Maintain your distance. Placing some house between your self and others continues to be a superb technique — regardless that earlier this summer time it was reported that the six-foot rule from the early days of the pandemic was not based mostly on knowledge. A 6-foot distance is just not a magic quantity that can forestall an infection since we now know that exhaled pathogens can journey tons of of ft. However as transmission professional Linsey Marr explains, “As you get farther away from the contaminated particular person, aerosols turn out to be extra diluted, so the possibility of inhaling [particles] often goes down with distance.”

As an analogy, Marr suggests you concentrate on cigarette smoke. Smaller COVID particles “behave like cigarette smoke. For those who’re near somebody who exhaled a giant 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 routinely get it? Not essentially, as infectious illness specialist Dr. Abraar Karan wrote in a narrative for NPR this 12 months. For those who’re lucky, your roomie might need a brief window of contagiousness and may not be a superspreader — some folks simply don’t exhale lots of pathogens. Open home windows and an indoor air filter may also help cut back your danger. 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. In case you have any in your COVID provide stash, verify this FDA web site to see if the expiration date has been prolonged. You may additionally verify expiration dates on objects you got in bulk throughout the pandemic, corresponding to acetaminophen to cut back COVID fevers and hand sanitizer, which although it lasts for 3 to 5 years, could 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 preventing germs.

The timing of a check is important. Since most of us have no less than some immunity to the virus from prior bouts and vaccines which might initially suppress your load of virus, testing early on may not produce an correct outcome. So it might probably take a couple 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 could be COVID-19 could possibly be fall allergy symptoms or flu or RSV. For correct remedy, advises Moorjani, it’s good to know what you do – or don’t have.

For those who do get COVID. People who check optimistic for the coronavirus are now not suggested by the CDC to remain house from work and faculty for 5 days.

The brand new tips are:

1. Keep house and away from others when you have respiratory virus signs corresponding to fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nostril and headache.

2. You may return to your regular actions when, for no less than 24 hours, your signs are diminishing total, and you haven’t had a fever and aren’t utilizing fever-reducing medicine.

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

So the general takeaway is: You may finish your isolation sooner however a) you might nonetheless presumably be a little bit contagious and b) remember that some folks can be much less cautious about isolation, which will increase the danger of COVID publicity for most of the people (see: masks, above).

A observe about vaccine timing. We must always observe that in the event you’ve caught COVID inside the previous few days or even weeks you “could” wait three months from a optimistic check or the beginning of signs, per the CDC, to be sure that your physique mounts a strong response to the vaccine. Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar on the Johns Hopkins Middle for Well being Safety, says that wait must be no less than three months. That’s as a result of when 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. Checks aren’t the one COVID-related merchandise you will have to pay for. People who find themselves uninsured or have excessive deductibles could must pay for vaccines and medicine 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 folks with medical insurance together with Medicare and Medicaid, however Dr. Robert Hopkins,, chief medical officer of the Nationwide Basis for Infectious Ailments, reminds those that 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 when you have issues, notably about an unbiased pharmacy you’ll be able to verify 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 info and 311 for native well being division info to seek out out about neighborhood well being clinics and well being division drives that supply the vaccine free of charge.

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

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

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!

In case you have a query you want us to contemplate for a future publish, e-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 based mostly in Washington, D.C., and a daily contributor to NPR. She additionally stories for the Washington Submit and Verywell Well being. Discover her on X: @fkritz