Cases of COVID-19 may be trending down in the U.S., but there are still tens of thousands of positive test results daily as people try to return to some of their pre-pandemic routines.
In fact, 38,257 new cases were reported Wednesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What should you do if you are one of the people who tests positive?
Strict COVID-19 protocols – such as the ones implemented when the pandemic began two years ago – may not be in place, but there are still ways to mitigate spread. Guidelines updated by the CDC last month call for people to keep track of their symptoms when sick and calling 911 if they experience severe symptoms such as trouble breathing.
Next, people who are sick should take a COVID-19 test. In a recent interview with NPR, Dr. Celine Gounder, a senior fellow and editor-at-large for public health at Kaiser Health News and a former adviser to the Biden administration, said that rapid at home antigen tests should pick up the omicron variant.
Recent CDC data shows that the omicron BA.2 variant is the most common cause of COVID-19 infection in the U.S.
Gounder also said that rapid at-home tests are most likely good for much longer than their expiration date indicates.
While waiting for test results, people should avoid contact with others, including people who live in their household. If you do test positive for COVID-19, the CDC recommends staying home unless you need to receive medical care. Those who don’t leave to seek medical care should still keep in contact with their doctor over the phone.
“Do not visit public areas and do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask,” and also avoid public transportation, ride-sharing and taxis, the CDC warns.
People who are young, healthy and don’t have significant symptoms should self-care at home, as treatments for COVID are in short supply, said Gounder. Older adults who have risk factors may want to visit a doctor for treatment.
According to the CDC, COVID-19 treatment must be started early to be effective.
Although Gounder said contact tracing efforts have “largely been dismantled at this stage,” she recommends that anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 contact people they may have exposed to the virus. An infected person may spread COVID-19 starting 48 hours before symptoms start, said the CDC.
“I think it’s just polite and good form to inform them so that they know they may want to get tested themselves,” Gounder explained.
At home, people with COVID-19 are directed to rest and stay hydrated, and take over-the-counter medicines such as acetaminophen. They should also continue isolating from other people and animals (or keep a distance of at least 6-feet), wear a mask when needed and use a separate bathroom from others if possible.
Used tissues should be disposed of in a trash can. People who are sick should frequently wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds per wash, especially after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing, using the bathroom and before eating or preparing food.
“If soap and water are not available, clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol,” said the CDC.
Surfaces should also be regularly sanitized when at home.
“If you are sick and cannot clean, a caregiver or other person should only clean and disinfect the area around you (such as your bedroom and bathroom) on an as needed basis,” said the CDC. “Your caregiver/other person should wait as long as possible (at least several hours) and wear a mask before entering, cleaning, and disinfecting shared spaces that you use.”
Gounder said COVID-19 patients often test positive for longer than five days and some test positive up to 14 days. She said anyone who is still testing positive should try to stay home.
“If you absolutely cannot stay at home, that’s a situation where you really should be masking when you’re around other people so that you’re not infecting others,” Gounder added.
Cases in the U.S. may be down, but a COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai, China, currently has 26 million people on lockdown in the city. Initial cases of the SARS CoV-2 virus were identified a little over two years ago in China.
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