Weekly Update August 15, 2022 – Omicron is considered a milder coronavirus, but scientists aren’t so sure
Here’s the CDC’s new advice for protecting yourself against COVID-19
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Concerns over accuracy of COVID rapid test results when first sick
Some medical experts are now cautioning that one test may not be enough to definitively determine whether someone is infected. Health officials stress that at-home tests are a vital and accurate way of tracking COVID-19 infections but an initial negative test doesn’t mean people are out of the woods.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggested last week that those checking to determine whether they are infected should use multiple tests over a period of days.
Here’s the CDC’s new advice for protecting yourself against COVID-19
People who are immunocompromised may not mount a strong immune response to COVID-19 vaccines. If you’re in this category, you can bolster your defenses with Evusheld. The medication, administered in a series of two injections, provides recipients with monoclonal antibodies. These laboratory-made antibodies serve as stand-ins for the ones your body didn’t make on its own.
Cut back on contact tracing; the CDC advises public health workers to concentrate their efforts on making sure people who were exposed to the virus know how to get tested.
Forget about quarantines; if you’ve been exposed to an infected person, you should get tested at least five days later (or sooner, if you develop COVID-19 symptoms). You should also wear a mask when you’re around others for 10 days.
Omicron is considered a milder coronavirus, but scientists aren’t so sure
Conventional wisdom says Omicron is less likely to cause serious illness, but that might be due to better immunity and treatments, not the virus itself.