Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

About Long COVID

Long COVID is defined as a chronic condition that occurs after SARS-CoV-2 infection and is present for at least 3 months. Long COVID includes a wide range of symptoms or conditions that may improve, worsen, or be ongoing.

Long COVID occurs more often in people who had severe COVID-19 illness, but anyone who gets COVID-19 can experience it, including children.

Most people with Long COVID experience symptoms days after first learning they had COVID-19, but some people who later develop Long COVID do not know when they were infected. People can be reinfected with SARS-CoV-2 multiple times. Each time a person is infected with SARS-CoV-2, they have a risk of developing Long COVID. Long COVID symptoms and conditions can emerge, persist, resolve, and reemerge over weeks and months. These symptoms and conditions can range from mild to severe, may require comprehensive care, and can even result in a disability.

While rates of new cases of Long COVID have decreased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it remains a serious public health concern as millions of U.S. adults and children have been affected by Long COVID.

While anyone who gets COVID-19 can develop Long COVID, studies have shown that some groups of people are more likely to develop Long COVID than others, including (not a comprehensive list):

Health inequities from disability, economic, geographic, and other social factors disproportionately affect some groups of people. These inequities can increase the risk of negative health outcomes and impact from Long COVID.

CDC emphasizes core strategies to lower health risks from COVID-19, including severe outcomes such as hospitalization and death. Preventing severe outcomes from COVID-19 illness helps prevent Long COVID. Steps you can take to protect yourself and others include:

Long COVID is not one illness. There is no laboratory test that can determine if your symptoms or conditions are due to Long COVID. A positive SARS-CoV-2 test is not required for a Long COVID diagnosis. Your healthcare provider considers a diagnosis of Long COVID based on:

Clinical evaluations and results of routine blood tests, chest X-rays, and electrocardiograms may be normal in someone with Long COVID. People experiencing Long COVID should seek care from a healthcare provider to create a personal medical management plan and improve their symptoms and quality of life. Talk to your healthcare provider if you think you or your child has Long COVID.

Some people experiencing Long COVID symptoms have symptoms similar to those reported by people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and other poorly understood chronic illnesses that may occur after other infections. These unexplained symptoms or conditions may be misunderstood by healthcare providers, which can result in a delay in diagnosis and people receiving the appropriate care or treatment.

Studies are in progress to learn more about Long COVID and identify further measures to help prevent Long COVID. CDC and partners use multiple approaches to support and conduct research that estimates:

Each approach helps CDC and its partners better understand Long COVID and how healthcare providers can treat or support patients living with these long-term effects. CDC posts data on Long COVID and provides analyses. The most recent CDC data and analyses on Long COVID can be found on the U.S. Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey. CDC will continue to share information with healthcare providers to help them evaluate and manage these conditions.

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Long COVID Basics - CDC

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COVID-19 vaccination may grant protection against symptomatic asthma in children, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.

Prophylactic benefits were seen in children receiving COVID-19 vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2 infections. The vaccine may also have protective qualities from other human coronaviruses through cross-reactive antibody responses, Matthew M. Davis, MD, MAPP, executive vice president, enterprise physician-in-chief and chief scientific officer at Nemours Childrens Health, Wilmington, Delaware, and Lakshmi K. Halasyamani, MD, chief clinical officer at Endeavor Health, Evanston, Illinois, wrote.

Asthma is one of the most common chronic health conditions for children in the United States, Davis told Healio. Any opportunity to prevent asthma symptoms and keep children more healthy is appealing. My coauthor and I were aware that asthma symptoms decreased during 2020, and we wondered what factors were associated with persistently lower levels of asthma symptoms in 2021.

This cross-sectional study used state-level data from the National Survey of Childrens Health from 2018 to 2019 and 2020 to 2021, regarding parent-reported current asthma symptom prevalence in their children.

Data were also taken from the CDC from 2020 to 2021 regarding age-adjusted COVID-19 mortality rates, the proportion of population aged 5 years and older who completed the COVID-19 primary vaccination series and, through August 2021, the face mask requirements in enclosed spaces in 20 different states as well as the District of Columbia.

Davis and Halasyamani analyzed state-level change scores and time trends for the years 2020 to 2021 vs. 2018 to 2019 in parent-reported asthma symptom prevalence.

The mean prevalence of parent-reported childhood asthma symptoms on a state level decreased from 7.77% (95% CI, 7.34%-8.21%) in 2018 to 2019 to 6.93% (95% CI, 6.53%-7.32%) in 2020 to 2021. The absolute mean change was 0.85 (standard deviation [SD], 1.26) percentage points.

In terms of COVID-19 mortality rates, the mean age-adjusted rate in 2020 was 80.3 (SD, 30.2) per 100,000 population, which then increased to 99.3 (SD, 33.9) in 2021. The COVID-19 primary series vaccination rate mean through December 2021 was 72.3% (SD, 10.3%).

COVID-19 vaccination rates were inversely correlated with the COVID-19 mortality rates in 2021 (r = 0.75; P < .001). However, in 2020, that correlation was not observed (r = 0.2), but a positive correlation was seen with face mask mandates (r = 0.49; P < .001).

Parent-reported child asthma symptom prevalence decreased by 0.36 percentage points (P = .04) with each increase of 10 percentage points in COVID-19 vaccination coverage. There was no association between face mask requirements and child asthma symptom prevalence.

The top five states with the highest asthma symptom prevalence decrease between 2018 to 2019 through 2020 to 2021 were the District of Columbia (3.5), New Jersey (3.2), Maine (3.1), Nebraska (2.9) and Rhode Island (2.5). The states seeing the highest increase in prevalence were New Mexico (2.7), Utah (1.6), Wisconsin (1.4), Georgia (1.1) and Arkansas, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Texas all at 0.6.

Davis and Halasyamani emphasized that the states in the highest quarter of COVID-19 vaccination rates showed an almost three times decrease in asthma symptoms compared with states in the lowest quarter of vaccination rates.

Specifically, asthma symptoms decreased by 1.7 percentage points for the highest quarter of states and by 0.6 percentage points for the lowest quarter between 2018 to 2019 and 2020 to 2021.

Children living in states with higher COVID-19 vaccination rates experienced lower rates of asthma symptoms than children living in states with lower COVID-19 vaccination levels, Davis said. In contrast, rates of asthma symptoms did not differ at the state level related to COVID-19 mortality rates or whether states continued to require the use of face masks in public spaces in 2021.

Davis further noted that the association of asthma symptoms with COVID-19 vaccination rates, but not with COVID-19 mortality rates, suggests that children with asthma may be benefiting from community-level vaccination coverage in two ways.

First, higher community-level vaccination rates may be connected to a higher likelihood that children with asthma are vaccinated against COVID-19 themselves, he said. Second, higher vaccination coverage at the population level may indicate that children with asthma benefited from herd immunity even if they werent vaccinated themselves ie, others protection against infection helped reduce the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus overall.

Davis and Halasyamani wrote that these findings suggest potential benefits for children with asthma from efforts to continue vaccinating children and adults against COVID-19.

It would be helpful during future pandemics of respiratory illnesses to enroll children with a history of asthma in large studies, so that analyses like this one could be conducted much more readily and with understanding at the level of an individual child with a history of asthma, Davis said.

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Child COVID-19 vaccinations may grant protective effect against symptomatic asthma - Healio

(NewsUSA) - The viruses that cause COVID-19 and flu continuously change or mutate to escape our natural immune responses and the protection provided by vaccines. As a result, for both flu and COVID-19, vaccination is not a one and done proposition.

Fortunately, as these viruses change, flu and COVID-19 vaccines are updated to protect the public against the variants that are currently circulating.Experts at Champions for Vaccine Education, Equity, and Progress (CVEEP)a coalition dedicated to educating the public about vaccines and promoting equity and accessemphasize that the best way to reduce the risk of severe illness from both flu and COVID-19 is to stay up to date with recommended vaccinations.

Some viruses, such as those that cause measles and polio, change infrequently. This means that the vaccines for these viruses can provide immunity that is longer-lasting.By contrast, frequent changes in the viruses that cause COVID-19 and flu mean the protection provided by these vaccines will wane as new variants emerge.

Flu and COVID-19 are serious diseases. Between October 1, 2023, and June 1, 2024, there were approximately 44,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19, and at least 24,000 deaths associated with flu. These numbers highlight the ongoing importance of staying current with vaccinations to protect yourself and your family from these viruses.

Updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines will be available this fall that are formulated to protect against the variants that are most likely to be circulating during the upcoming respiratory illness season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines and routine annual influenza vaccines for individuals aged 6 months and older.

COVID-19 remains a serious threat to public health and still poses significant risks.Staying current on your flu and COVID-19 vaccines is the best way to maintain protection from these illnesses. Help reduce the risk of interruptions and challenges that come from upticks in flu and COVID-19 infections by getting vaccinated this fall.

Visit cveep.org/stayupdatedfor more information or consult with your healthcare provider.

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Protect Yourself from Changing Flu and COVID-19 Viruses - Leavenworth Echo

About 7 percent of U.S. adults nearly 18 million people had suffered from long covid as of early last year, according to a recent report in JAMA Data Brief.

The paper, published in June, drew on 2023 data gathered in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), an analysis sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The household survey of the U.S. civilian non-institutionalized population used a nationally representative sample of about 17,000 adults age 18 and older. Of those, 8,275 adults reported having had covid-19, with some 1,200 indicating that they suffered from long covid symptoms.

The MEPS survey also asked participants about their covid-19 vaccination and booster shot history. Just 6 percent of the vaccinated and boosted respondents reported long covid symptoms vs. 8 percent of those who werent vaccinated. The findings suggest booster shots may enhance protection against long covid, possibly because booster shots reduce the risk of severe covid-19, the researchers wrote.

Long covid is defined as a condition with symptoms lasting three months or longer after an initial covid-19 infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Long covid occurs more frequently in those who had severe covid-19, the CDC says.

The study also found significant differences in reported long covid symptoms between men and women, with women more likely to report symptoms in every age group 9 percent of women vs. 5 percent of men. Respondents with underlying health conditions such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma were also more likely to report having long covid, as were White and Hispanic survey respondents.

Long covid can include a wide range of symptoms including fatigue, brain fog, post-exertional malaise, coughing, fever and difficulty breathing. The CDC also notes that there isnt a laboratory test that can definitively diagnose if symptoms are caused by long covid.

This article is part of The Posts Big Number series, which takes a brief look at the statistical aspect of health issues. Additional information and relevant research are available through the hyperlinks.

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About 7 percent of U.S. adults have had long covid, report says - The Washington Post

L.L. Bean has just added a third shift at its factory in Brunswick, Maine, in an attempt to keep up with demand for its iconic boot.

Orders have quadrupled in the past few years as the boots have become more popular among a younger, more urban crowd.

The company says it saw the trend coming and tried to prepare, but orders outpaced projections. They expect to sell 450,000 pairs of boots in 2014.

People hoping to have the boots in time for Christmas are likely going to be disappointed. The bootsare back ordered through February and even March.

"I've been told it's a good problem to have but I"m disappointed that customers not getting what they want as quickly as they want," said Senior Manufacturing Manager Royce Haines.

Customers like, Mary Clifford, tried to order boots on line, but they were back ordered until January.

"I was very surprised this is what they are known for and at Christmas time you can't get them when you need them," said Clifford.

People who do have boots are trying to capitalize on the shortage and are selling them on Ebay at a much higher cost.

L.L. Bean says it has hired dozens of new boot makers, but it takes up to six months to train someone to make a boot.

The company has also spent a million dollars on new equipment to try and keep pace with demand.

Some customers are having luck at the retail stores. They have a separate inventory, and while sizes are limited, those stores have boots on the shelves.

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COVID cases rise to 14% in San Diego County, prompting vaccination and testing calls - NBC San Diego

The disease spreads from person to person through infected air droplets that are projected during sneezing or coughing.It can also be transmitted when humans have contact with hands or surfaces that contain the virus and touch their eyes, nose, or mouth with the contaminated hands.

COVID-19 was first reported in China, but it has now spread throughout the world.

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COVID-19 Vaccination - africacdc.org

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COVID-19 vaccination not factor in getting life insurance | Fact check - USA TODAY

MINNEAPOLIS The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the dismissal of a religious bias suit brought by a Christian 3M employee who refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Affirming the district courts ruling, the court concluded that there was no causal connection between the employees Christianity and 3Ms conduct.

Thomas Clobes worked at a 3M manufacturing plant in Hutchinson. 3M mandated that salaried employees get vaccinated for COVID-19 by Dec. 8, 2021, or face termination. Clobes, a practicing Christian, stated that he had a religious objection to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

However, Clobes stated that the reason he objected was between God the Almighty Father and [him]self. Clobes also generally objected to the COVID-19 vaccine, due to a family tragedy where his infant grandchild died two days after receiving vaccines given to children in her age.

In November 2021, Clobes submitted a religious accommodation request to 3M. In lieu of vaccination, he asked instead to socially distance, wear a mask when unable to be six feet from others, clean his work area, and stay home if ill.

The request was not immediately granted. 3M asked Clobes follow-up questions, including why the COVID-19 vaccine was different from other vaccines that Clobes had received and how his religious beliefs specifically prevented him from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

As he was not vaccinated, Clobes was required to wear a mask. The mask was a precaution that Clobes himself offered in his accommodation request. He also noted how, for a few months, there were company-wide emails and loudspeaker announcements about the vaccination requirement. Clobes was warned that he could be terminated if he did not company with company policy.

A month after the religious accommodation request was submitted, 3M emailed Clobes, explaining that the Federal Contractor Mandate was enjoined and that the vaccine requirement was lifted. Regardless, Clobes filed suit against 3M, claiming religious discrimination and hostile work environment under Title VII and the MHRA.

In his complaint, Clobes stated that he had continual fear of termination for declining to get the vaccine. He also reported that he felt that his Christian beliefs were on trial and he had to justify not taking the vaccine. He characterizes these experiences as emotionally traumatizing, Judge Bobby Shepherd noted.

Clobes asserted that his workplace was decidedly hostile and anxiety-inducing and that the coerciveness of 3Ms actions causes distress and harms the psychological well-being of an employee.

Lets imagine a scenario where someone goes to work for a company, they work there a long time, they get pregnant, the company says, We dont want people who are mothers, so youre going to have to get an abortion to stay working here, said Robert Barnes, of Barnes Law LLP, who represented Clobes. And they tell you that every single day for days, weeks, and months. Ultimately, they dont punish you and fire you for not getting the abortion, but you have to live through that mental torture for months.

There nothing in this complaint that comes even close to alleging a severe and pervasive workplace thats replete with ridicule and intimidation, said Patrick Martin, office managing shareholder of Ogletree & Deakins, who represented 3M. There is nothing that would show that somebody might objectively see this as severe and pervasive.

Shepherd agreed that Clobes was only able to articulate his subjective feelings. This conduct is not objectively intimidating, offensive, or hostile, Shepherd wrote. Clobes fails to meaningfully develop an argument as to why 3Ms conduct was objectively intimidating, offensive, or hostile.

Nor did the court agree with Clobes that 3Ms vaccination policy was related to his Christianity.

Simply put, nothing in Clobess complaint attempts to connect 3Ms motivation in enacting its vaccination policy to Clobess Christianity, Shepherd stated. Far from suggesting conduct motivated by discriminatory animus, these allegations strongly suggest that 3M implemented a neutral policy unconnected to Clobess Christianity. In other words, no facts alleged in Clobess complaint suggest that his Christianity was a but for cause of 3Ms conduct.

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8th Circuit rejects Christian workers appeal over 3M COVID vaccine rule - Maryland Daily Record

Recent research published in JAMA Network Open suggests that states with higher COVID-19 vaccination rates among individuals aged 5 and up may experience benefits beyond controlling the virus itself. The study explores a potential correlation between vaccination rates and improved outcomes for pediatric asthma patients.

For every 10% increase in COVID-19 vaccination coverage, there was a corresponding decrease of .36 percentage points in parent-reported childhood asthma symptoms. States with the highest vaccination rates saw the most significant improvements, with asthma symptom decreases of 1.7 percentage points. This effect was nearly 3 times greater than in states with the lowest vaccination rates, where symptom reductions were only .6 percentage points.1

Matthew M Davis, MD, MAPP, executive vice-president, enterprise physician-in-chief, and chief scientific officer of Nemours Children's Health, along with his coauthor Lakshmi Halasyamani, MD, chief clinical officer of Endeavor Health, highlight two potential mechanisms linking higher vaccination rates to improved asthma outcomes,

First, higher population-level vaccination coverage might indicate that children with asthma are more likely to be vaccinated against COVID-19, themselves, compared with children with asthma in other states with lower COVID-19 vaccination coverage. Second, higher population-level vaccination coverage might mean that adults and other children essentially provide a protective community around children with asthma, by making it less likely that viruses will spread from person to person in the community. This protection would be especially important for children with asthma who were not vaccinated against COVID-19.

The study suggests that community-level immunity from higher vaccination rates may have contributed to reducing children's risk of contracting COVID-19 and potentially easing asthma symptoms. Furthermore, it indicates that COVID-19 vaccinations might mitigate other respiratory illnesses associated with coronaviruses, suggesting broader protective benefits.

Herd immunity against COVID-19 may help reduce the chances of person-to-person transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which may help prevent children with asthma from contracting COVID-19 illness and having a higher likelihood of developing a flare of asthma symptoms," Davis and Halasyamani explain further. "In addition,COVID-19 vaccination may protect against other coronavirus infections through cross-reactive antibodies, so the benefits for children through vaccination of themselves and/or others may not be limited to protection against SARS-CoV-2.

The limitation of this study is that it relied on parent-reported data rather than clinical measures like hospitalizations or emergency department visits to assess asthma outcomes. Additionally, it did not specifically measure vaccination rates among children with asthma, which could provide more targeted insights.

Childhood vaccination against influenza,pneumococcus, and COVID-19 is already recommended universally in the United States for children, based on their ages, because of the morbidity and mortality associated with respiratory illnesses caused by these organisms at the population level among children and adults. The findings in our study may help encourage vaccination against COVID-19, especially for children with asthma or their close contacts, according to Davis and Halasyamani.

During the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting held on June 27, 2024, voting members recommended the authorized 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines for those 6 months of age and older and reaffirmed the influenza vaccination guidelines.2

Davis finalizes his thoughts by sharing, "With the pandemic in our rearview mirror, I know with my patients, there is less importance of vaccinating against COVID-19. What this study reminds us, is that we may still get benefit from the COVID-19 vaccine. We keep developing the latest version of the vaccine to protect against the latest circulating strains of the virus, along with other common cold viruses, and that is the benefit developers have been seeking for years, only now because of the pandemic we developed a vaccine that accomplishes that goal."

References

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Exploring the Dual Benefits of COVID-19 Vaccination in Mitigating Asthma Symptoms in Children - Contagionlive.com

Levels of COVID-19 in the Bay Areas wastewater are continuing to rise and now, those numbers are as high as they were during the last winter surge of infections.

Data from Stanford Universitys WastewaterSCAN project, which monitors the presence of COVID-19 and other viruses in human sewage across the U.S., indicates that COVID-19 levels are still on the rise across 48% of the sites monitored around the Bay Area.

WastewaterSCANs Amanda Bidwell told KQED by email that COVID-19 has been detected in 100% of Bay Area sewage samples theyve collected over the last three weeks. (If you have COVID-19, the virus will show up in your feces soon after youre infected.)

Keep reading for what to know about this rise in Bay Area COVID-19 levels, or jump straight to:

The Bay Areas own COVID-19 wastewater levels are higher than where they were this time last year and on average as high as we saw during the winter peak earlier this year, said WastewaterSCANs Bidwell.

In the last weeks, the Stanford team has observed a particularly pronounced rise in San Franciscos wastewater. Back on June 4, Bidwell told KQED that we are seeing some [of the] highest concentrations weve ever measured at the Oceanside SF and Southeast SF wastewater sites.

The San Francisco Department of Public Health told KQED in a June 11 email that its difficult to determine an exact cause of why COVID-19 detections have increased locally, noting that it can be the result of various factors, including waning immunity, the increase in travel and gatherings associated with the summer season, and the emergence of new subvariants.

The agency also pointed to the seasonal behavior of the virus in previous years, notably the increase in COVID-19 activity around late spring to late summer, followed by another increase during the winter.

Nationally, COVID-19 wastewater levels have kept rising across the country, and levels of the virus are currently classified as High on WastewaterSCANs dashboard of all its sites around the United States, due to what Bidwell called an upward trend.

You can check the COVID-19 levels in your own countys wastewater according to WastewaterSCANs monitoring:

San Francisco | Alameda | San Mateo | Santa Clara | Contra Costa | Solano | Marin | Sonoma |Napa

In 2023, late June is when we started to see a summer increase, said WastewaterSCANs Bidwell but this 2024 swell started several weeks earlier than that.

Its undoubtedly become harder in 2024 to materially track COVID-19 levels in a certain area. As of May 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) no longer requires hospitals nationwide to report the number of patients admitted with COVID-19. This had been one of the remaining indicators of rising COVID-19 levels in an area, along with PCR tests. Now, health officials must rely on a combination of wastewater data and hospital deaths of patients with COVID-19.

According to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the states seven-day test positivity rate the average percentage of people each week who get a positive diagnostic test result from a lab after taking a PCR test has kept rising since April 27 (from 1.9% to 10.6%, with the last available data from July 1).

However, since this data doesnt include at-home antigen testing, it doesnt represent the full picture of COVID-19 positivity around the state.

Of course, its hard to use wastewater to tell you how many people that represents, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), of the recent observed rise in sewage. But nevertheless, the trend is important.

As for why the Bay Area could now be seeing a summer rise in COVID-19 wastewater levels over a month earlier than it did in 2023, Chin-Hong said a big factor is our collective waning immunity against the virus.

One year ago, last year, many more people had gotten additional vaccines, he said. They had additional immunity that was more recent.

But in 2024, we only have about 22% or so of Americans vaccinated nationally, Chin-Hong said. In California, only 14.9% of people statewide are up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines. So if someone hasnt been infected with COVID-19 recently and they havent gotten the latest vaccine, theyre left extra-vulnerable to rising COVID-19 levels in their community.

You might hear about new COVID-19 variants informally called FLiRT: KP.1.1, KP.2 and KP.3.

These latest omicron descendants, nicknamed for the letters used for their mutations, have risen in prominence recently around the country, overtakingthe previous leading variant, JN.1 the one that was ruling the roost for a lot of the winter and spring, Chin-Hong said. Now, KP.3 has become the most dominant strain nationwide.

In the Bay Area, WastewaterSCANs Bidwell said that KP.2 is still the dominant variant in the three Bay Area wastewater sites where the Stanford team sequenced this data on specific variants.

The new variants matter because each new one brought increased transmissibility during the pandemic. This means that although much of the general population will not get particularly sick with these new COVID-19 variants when they become dominant, there will still be higher-risk groups that will get seriously ill, Chin-Hong said.

Maybe thats the fact of life, but my point is: It shouldnt be the fact of life because we have so many tools to reduce COVID-19 spread and treat infectious people, Chin-Hong said.

The CDC has also stated that based on current data, there are no indicators that KP.2 would cause more severe illness than other strains.

As for the reformulated seasonal COVID-19 vaccine, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended on June 5 that the new, updated COVID-19 vaccine that will be offered in the fall should in fact be based on the JN.1 variant.

During a rise in COVID-19 levels locally, this might include bringing a well-fitting N95 mask along to indoor spaces that you know could be crowded, like the grocery store or BART during rush hour. Or, if youre hosting people indoors in your home, ensure the space has good ventilation by taking measures like opening windows. If the weather allows, you might also consider favoring outdoor hangouts and meetups with friends and family at this current time.

And if youre at higher risk for serious illness or hospitalization from COVID-19, its an especially good idea to take extra precautions against the virus during a rise in COVID-19 locally. These groups can include older people, immunocompromised and disabled folks.

It also includes people who arent up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines, so if you havent already gotten the latest vaccine, you can still find a free COVID-19 shot near you. Remember, people 65 and older are also eligible for an extra COVID-19 vaccine dose.

One more reason you might consider being extra cautious about COVID-19 right now is if youve got upcoming travel plans. Even if your symptoms are mild, a COVID-19 infection can require isolation from other people for well over a week. And you can double that timeline if you get a rebound (i.e., second) infection, which is surprisingly common even in people who dont take the antiviral treatment Paxlovid.

Know the 2024 symptoms of COVID-19

Chin-Hong confirms that there dont appear to be any surprising wild card symptoms expected for a COVID-19 infection in 2024, either for JN.1 or the FLiRT variants. Rather, they seem to largely be the same COVID-19 symptoms youre used to hearing about from previous variants.

According to the CDC, possible symptoms of COVID-19 include, but arent limited to, fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat and congestion or runny nose.

They can also include gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, which Chin-Hong told the New York Times can often confuse people experiencing them, who initially assume they have a condition like norovirus rather than COVID-19.

Find a reliable test (and keep testing)

Incubation periods for COVID-19 the time between exposure and testing positive have shortened during the pandemic. It went from a five-day average in 2020 to as soon as a few days in 2024. So, if youre having symptoms even two days after an exposure, it makes sense to test.

But if your first test is negative, you should absolutely test again in the next 48 hours if symptoms persist and again after that if youre still negative. Its been suggested that COVID-19 symptoms can start much earlier in 2024. This is due to the average immune system being more primed to detect and react to a COVID-19 infection as we navigate the fifth year of this pandemic.

So dont assume a negative result means you dont actually have COVID-19: If youre feeling sick, play it safe, stay home as much as you can and wear a well-fitted mask if you cant. Also, be sure to take another antigen test soon. You could also seek out a more sensitive PCR test.

Remember, if youve been stockpiling COVID-19 tests in the last year, make sure the one youre using hasnt expired. And if it has, you can still check the list of manufacturers whove had their test expiration dates extended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

If you have health insurance, you can still request reimbursement from your health insurer for up to eight at-home tests per month. You can also read more about how to find free COVID-19 tests near you.

In March, the CDC officially revised their national COVID-19 isolation guidance, saying that COVID-positive people could now return to work or regular activities once symptoms are improving overall and theyve been fever-free for at least 24 hours without use of a fever-reducing medication.

The CDCs new guidelines now mostly resembleCalifornias own updated COVID-19 isolation recommendations, which the state revised back in January. Read more about current isolation guidance for COVID-19.

If youve been infected, consider asking your health provider for the COVID-19 medication Paxlovid, an antiviral treatment in pill form that is still available free by prescription in California. Read more on requesting a prescription for Paxlovid, with or without health insurance.

At KQED News, we know that it can sometimes be hard to track down the answers to navigate life in the Bay Area in 2024. Weve published clear, practical explainers and guides about COVID, but also how to cope with intense winter weather and how to exercise your right to protest safely.

So tell us: What do you need to know more about when it comes to COVID or anything else? Tell us, and you could see your question answered online or on social media. What you submit will make our reporting stronger, and help us decide what to cover here on our site, and on KQED Public Radio, too.

Earlier versions of this story were originally published on June 12, June 5 and May 23.

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COVID Levels in Bay Area Wastewater Are Now as High as the Winter Peak - KQED