What should you know about COVID this fall?
Summer is winding down, cooler temperatures will soon be in the forecast and a new season is on the horizon. If you thought of fall or football, you’re spot on, but don’t forget about COVID-19.
COVID infections increased during the summer months due to the FLiRT variant, which was named based on the letters of two key mutations. According to Dr. Christopher Penn, an infectious disease physician at LMH Health, symptoms and the duration of illness are similar to earlier strains of the virus.
Order your free COVID tests at the end of September
COVID-19 testing can help you know if you have the virus so you can decide what steps to take next, like getting treatment to reduce your risk of severe illness and taking steps to lower your chance of spreading the virus.
All US households will be eligible to order four (4) free COVID-19 tests at the end of September. These tests will detect current COVID variants and can be used through the end of the year. Visit COVIDTests.gov for more information and order.
“Common symptoms include fatigue, fever, body aches, chills, congestion, cough, runny nose, sore throat, headache, loss of taste and/or smell. Some people may also experience gastrointestinal distress,” he said.
If you do begin to experience symptoms of a respiratory virus, take steps to prevent spreading your illness. It’s also important to get tested to see if your symptoms are a result of a COVID infection.
“The at-home tests detect the new variants that are circulating, but some studies show that the Omicron family of variants can lead to delayed positive antigen tests. Retesting two days after an initial negative result is especially important now,” Dr. Penn explained.
If you do have COVID, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines indicate that you can go back to normal activities when your symptoms are getting better overall and you haven’t had a fever (and aren’t using fever-reducing medication) for at least 24 hours. Make sure to take extra precautions over the next five days when you’ll be around other people indoors, including wearing a mask.
Dr. Penn also recommends getting this year’s updated COVID vaccine to help protect you from severe disease, hospitalization and death if you become infected. Most people ages six months and older are eligible to receive the vaccine. It’s important to stay up-to-date, as vaccine protection decreases over time.
“People at the highest risk of a severe COVID infection — including people over 65 or with weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions, such as heart disease or obesity — should probably get the vaccine sooner than later. If you’ve had COVID-19 within the past three months, that timing may be different,” he said. “Talk with your primary care provider to discuss your risks and the best time for you to receive the vaccine.”
