These precautions are more important than ever.
7 Small Things You Can Do to Help Protect Yourself From Coronavirus Variants
With several new COVID-19 variants now circulating, experts say it's worth being extra cautious. And it's time to double down and really commit to taking the precautions we know can protect ourselves and others from the coronavirus.
It's normal for a virus to mutate and, in many cases, the mutations won't necessarily affect the way it infects us or how severe its symptoms may be. But there are a few mutations in the new COVID-19 variants that have experts concerned. Those mutations may make these variants more infectious, meaning they make it easier for the virus to actually infect people.
But the virus itself is still the same. It still spreads in the same way, which means that the public health tools we had before will still be useful—it's more important than ever that we actually stick to using them. Below are some of the small but crucial ways you can protect yourself and others from coronavirus, including the new variants.
1. Wear a well-fitting mask properly.
Face masks continue to be an important way to protect yourself from COVID-19 and to prevent spreading the virus. A mask provides a physical barrier that can help keep you from inhaling other people's respiratory droplets and to prevent you from spreading your own.
The most effective masks for this purpose are N95 and KN95 respirators, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still recommends that those be saved for health care professionals. The next most effective masks are three-layer surgical masks, followed by two- and three-layer cloth masks.
Another option is to wear two masks at the same time, which some health care professionals actually already do because it helps protect and extend the life of their N95s. For now, know that properly wearing a mask that fits you well (meaning it fits snugly to the face but is still comfortable) is crucial, and that a cloth mask with more layers will provide more protection.
2. Get vaccinated when possible.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now given two COVID-19 vaccines emergency authorization: one developed by Pfizer and BioNTech and the other developed by Moderna. Both of them rely on mRNA technology to elicit an immune system response in the body that helps protect you from COVID-19. And we now have data to show that both vaccines seem to still be effective against the new U.K. coronavirus variant.
Although the vaccine rollout in the U.S. has been slow going so far, we are now seeing 1 million vaccinations per day. And Rochelle Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., the new director of the CDC, said recently that vaccinations will likely be far more widely available by the end of March.
3. Prioritize good ventilation.
In some cases, COVID-19 can also spread via airborne transmission, which means that smaller particles containing the virus may linger in the air or travel farther than six feet. Airborne transmission is most likely to happen when people are interacting indoors, without masks, for at least 15 minutes.
But having proper ventilation reduces the chances for both droplet and airborne transmission to occur. The airflow essentially carries droplets that may contain the coronavirus away rather than allowing people to inhale them or for them to fall in someone's eyes, nose, or mouth. You can improve your airflow situation by opening windows (and, if it's safe, doors), being outside, or using fans or air filtration systems indoors, the CDC says.
4. Wash your hands frequently.
The respiratory droplets and aerosolized particles that spread COVID-19 can also land on the ground, products at the grocery store, doorknobs, or elevator buttons, for instance. If someone touches one of those items and then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth, they could become infected.
AdvertisementExperts say this mode of transmission—fomite transmission—is not the main way that COVID-19 spreads, but it's still important to prevent it as much as possible. That means you should sanitize shared spaces regularly and wash your hands frequently. It's especially important to wash your hands at certain times, such as before eating, before touching your face, and after going to the bathroom. If you're in a situation where you can't wash your hands, you can use alcohol-based hand sanitizer instead (as long as it's at least 60% alcohol).
5. Avoid crowds and unnecessary outings.
One of the most important ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to reduce the amount of time you spend with people who aren't already in your household. That includes non-essential gatherings with small numbers of people as well as hanging out in larger crowds.
Crowds pose unique risks because having more people in one area makes it more likely that someone has COVID-19 and, if it spreads, more people are at risk for developing the infection. The virus is also more likely to spread between people who are in close proximity (especially indoors and/or without masks).
If you do decide to spend time with people you don't live with, it's important to reduce the risks associated with that activity as much as possible, which could mean wearing masks, keeping the number of attendees as low as possible, and holding the gathering outside.
6. Stay socially distanced.
Experts now agree that the coronavirus spreads most often through droplet transmission. This occurs when someone who has COVID-19 coughs, sneezes, talks, or yells, which causes them to expel respiratory droplets that can contain the virus. Someone else can then inhale the droplets, or they can land in that person's eyes, nose, or mouth, and go on to infect them.
Staying socially distanced—meaning staying at least six feet away from people you don't live with—reduces the chances that someone else's respiratory droplets will reach you.
7. Get tested when appropriate.
Providing adequate testing for COVID-19 has been an issue in the U.S. since the early days of the pandemic. But more testing—not less—will significantly help us contain and reduce the toll of COVID-19.
The CDC recommends that you get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19, have had close contact with someone who has COVID-19, and if you've taken part in risky activities (like traveling, attending large gatherings, or being indoors where social distancing wasn't possible for extended periods of time).
But it's important to remember that even if you test negative for COVID-19, this does not mean it's okay to skip the other items on this list (including wearing a mask and social distancing).
This story originally appeared on: Glamour - Author:Sarah Jacoby
