It’s that time of year again, the season of road trips, pool parties, afternoon thunderstorms—and skyrocketing COVID infections. The virus has spread far and wide this summer; President Joe Biden tested positive in July and, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 40 athletes at the Paris Olympics have been infected with COVID or other respiratory illnesses.
“COVID-19 is still very much with us,” Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO interim director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, said during a news conference Tuesday. “Data from our sentinel-based surveillance system across 84 countries reports that the percent of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 has been rising over several weeks.”
In the U.S., infections, emergency room visits, and deaths are all on the rise. Test positivity was projected to exceed 16% the week ended July 27, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That’s higher than any other summer surge since the pandemic began in 2020.
Hospitalizations were starting to dip the week ended July 27 after having increased since May. Viral activity in wastewater is currently “high,” the second-most severe rating. A new Omicron subvariant is in town, too, with KP.3.1.1 accounting for 28% of infections nationwide in the two-week period ended Aug. 3. Not to mention, the updated COVID vaccine isn’t yet available.
How, then, can you keep yourself and your loved ones healthy as you continue your summer adventures or prepare to head back to work or school? It boils down to the basics, says Dr. Donald Dumford, an infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic Akron General.
“Take good care of yourself, get good nutrition and good sleep, and stay hydrated,” Dumford tells Fortune via email. “For those who are traveling, consider wearing a well-fitting mask while in the airport and while flying. This is my particular strategy, just figuring that it is a time when I am exposed to a large group of people—with the chance that some may be choosing to fly while ill because they already had a trip planned that they spent a lot of money on.”
What are the symptoms of COVID?
COVID symptoms may appear as soon as two days or as late as two weeks after you’ve been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Your symptoms may range from mild to severe, or you may not have symptoms at all. According to the CDC, you should watch out for:
- Congestion or runny nose
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Fever or chills
- Headache
- Muscle or body aches
- New loss of taste or smell
- Nausea or vomiting
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Sore throat
If these symptoms look familiar, it’s because they’re similar to those of the flu, the common cold, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Dumford advises getting tested when you feel ill, as that’s the only way to differentiate between respiratory illnesses.
The CDC says these COVID-19 symptoms warrant emergency medical care:
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Lips, skin, and nail beds that appear pale, blue, or gray
- New confusion
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- Trouble breathing
I have COVID. Do I need to isolate?
People who test positive for COVID no longer have to isolate themselves for five days, the CDC said in March. Now, the isolation period depends on how you’re feeling. If, for at least 24 hours, your symptoms have been improving and you haven’t had a fever without the use of fever-reducing medication, you may resume normal activities. The agency’s new recommendations are in line with those for other respiratory viruses, Dumford says.
“After that, plan to wear a well-fitting mask for the next five days. The rationale behind this is that you are most contagious early in infection when symptoms are most severe, so stay at home to isolate at those times,” Dumford says. “In the period after that, there is still potential for spread, so mitigate that risk with a well-fitting mask to catch any virus you are breathing out.”
What COVID treatments are available?
Most people have mild symptoms that can be treated with over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, the CDC says. However, people at high risk of severe infection may be prescribed antiviral medications such as Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir with ritonavir) or Lagevrio (molnupiravir), which must be started within five to seven days of symptom onset.
People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may be eligible for preventive monoclonal antibody treatment. The CDC urges people to refrain from attempting to treat COVID with products that haven’t been approved or authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for that purpose; doing so may be dangerous or deadly. Discuss your treatment options with your health care provider.
When will the new COVID vaccines be available?
Each autumn you get a flu shot, the vaccine is formulated differently than it was the previous year. That’s because influenza viruses change over time and vaccines must change with them. Now that COVID-19 has been circling the globe—and mutating—for more than four years, the CDC recommends you get the updated 2024–25 COVID vaccine in the coming months.
In a June news release, the CDC said new vaccines manufactured by Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax would be available “later this year,” and that it’s safe to get seasonal flu and COVID vaccines at the same time. Last year, the 2023–24 COVID vaccines became available in mid-September.
“Our top recommendation for protecting yourself and your loved ones from respiratory illness is to get vaccinated,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said in the release. “Make a plan now for you and your family to get both updated flu and COVID vaccines this fall, ahead of the respiratory virus season.”
The CDC recommends an updated COVID vaccine for everyone ages 6 months and older—whether or not they’ve previously been vaccinated. People 65 and older and those who have certain medical conditions such as autoimmune disorders may be eligible for more than one COVID vaccine dose this fall. Ask your doctor whether an adapted dosing schedule is right for you.
If you’ve recently had COVID-19, the CDC advises postponing your vaccination until three months after infection.
For more on COVID-19:
- New COVID vaccines are here. What to know about 2024–25 shots as summer surge continues
- COVID can cause mental illness—but being vaccinated helps, new study shows
- Got late-summer travel plans? Here’s where COVID cases are spiking in the U.S.
- FLiRT COVID variants: What to know about symptoms and spread
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