Knowing When to Get Tested: Navigating Covid-19

Knowing when to get tested, which test sites are appropriate, which vaccine to take, and how to behave after vaccination is essential to get through the pandemic. Dr. Fine has shared some insight on tips to navigate Covid-19. Continue reading below for a guide to maneuvering Covid-19 protocols.

When to Get Tested
If you are not directly exposed to someone who has tested positive and you don’t have any symptoms, you do not have to restrain or quarantine yourself. If you are directly exposed to someone who did test positive then you need to get tested. We strongly recommend if you have symptoms that you would normally think could be just a cold, and plan on being around other people, get tested. Any respiratory infection that happens now, presume it’s Covid. Some things that might warrant a test are:

Testing Sites
Test sites are available to the public for free but some searching is required to find the truly free locations. The United States government is compensating the providers of the medical services required to administer Covid-19 tests; however, urgent care, doctor’s offices, hospitals, or stand-alone clinics may charge for a consultation. If you get a bill dispute it, the reason being the test is already paid for.

Vaccine Options
The current vaccines are Novavax, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson. All five prevent you from getting severely ill or dying at nearly 100% efficacy. There are some small vaccine reactions you can get like a sore arm, and tiredness for a day or two but the benefits far outweigh the risks of getting the Covid vaccine. Only 50 out of the first 5 million shots in the U.S resulted in anaphylactic reactions. Of the 25 million injected people in the U.S, no one has died from the vaccine.

It’s necessary to take things into your own hands and call pharmacies, doctor\’s offices, and hospitals daily to get on a list to receive the vaccine. The supply and distribution amount changes daily so if you’re offered one vaccine before another, take the first available. It seems all forms of the vaccine are extremely effective.

Post-Vaccination Behavior
Not everybody will be vaccinated when you are vaccinated. When you and your household members are vaccinated that does not mean you can go out or have people over because vaccines may be less protective against newer strains. If you really want to be careful you still want to mask up, stay 6 feet away, and not start spreading your circle out even though it\’s tempting. It’s recommended you get together outside and get used to the fact that maybe this entire summer will be outdoor spread out events without crowds, and still minimal restaurant visits. Traveling by plane or other mass transit is not recommended, even if you get the vaccine as there’s still a higher risk of transmission.

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