covid

Here's What to Do If You Test Positive for COVID This Fall or Winter

Another more dangerous COVID variant could emerge in the winter months, stated Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and White House chief medical advisor

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

COVID-19 infection rates could rise in the coming weeks, causing a possible surge, as the colder weather drives more people indoors and increases the risk of transmission.

While not present in the U.S., signs of a fall surge have appeared in the U.K., where cases have jumped at least 25% in the most recent week, including a significant rise in infections among those 70 years old and above, Sky News reported. While not a guarantee of what's to come for Americans, what happens in the U.K. with COVID is reflected in the U.S. in a matter of weeks, Andrea Garcia, vice president of science, medicine and public health with the American Medical Association, said in an article.

Earlier this week, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and White House chief medical advisor, noted that there's "always the risk" of an uptick, but encouraged people not to let their guard down just yet, he said during a conversation at USC Annenberg's Center for Health Journalism.

“It looks like we’re going in the right direction,” he said, adding, “However, I think it would be a bit cavalier to all of a sudden say, ‘We’re completely through with [the pandemic].’”

Another more dangerous COVID variant could emerge in the winter months, the doctor added, making existent immunity less effective. However, whether that will happen has yet to be seen.

As the temperatures drop and chance for contracting COVID climbs, here's what to do if you become infected:

Under current guidelines, anyone who tests positive should isolate from others, regardless of vaccination status, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you feel ill and suspect you have COVID, but have yet to receive your test results, isolation is recommended as well.

After testing positive, you should stay home and isolated from others for at least five days, with the first day of symptoms being day 0. The five-day window is when those who have the virus are believed to be the most infectious, so wearing a high-quality mask is recommended when you need to be around others, according to health officials.

If you have yet to contract COVID-19 and believe you're positive, getting tested is the first step, said Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. If you do test positive as suspected, make sure to follow the CDC's isolation and masking recommendations.

With the arrival of the long-awaited COVID-19 booster shots geared to target BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants, many may be curious about how effective are the new vaccines.

Those with symptoms may want to contact their health care provider, Arwady said, adding that some treatments like Paxlovid must be administered within the first five days of infection in order to be effective. Especially if it's your first time getting COVID-19, informing your doctor is crucial, according to Arwady.

If after five days you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, and your symptoms are improving, or you never had symptoms, you may end isolation. You should wear a high-quality mask through day 10, however.

"Once you have a positive COVID diagnosis you must stay home for a minimum of five days - isolating, not spreading COVID," Arwady said. "Those are the times are the most likely to be spreading it. Then, if you are feeling better day six through 10, you can be out and about as long as you're wearing a mask - and that means a mask in all settings."

What if you're still not feeling well? Arwady said those who aren't feeling well should stay home as long as they are unwell during that 10-day period.

"After 10 days you aren't very likely to be potentially spreading COVID at that point," she said.

For those who do test positive, the CDC recommends isolation for the first five days after symptom onset, which is when you're likely to be the most infectious. After that, a well-fitting mask should be worn through day 10.

For those who don't currently have COVID, experts are urging the new bivalent COVID booster shots.

The booster shot, authorized by Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the CDC in early September, is designed to fight both the omicron variant and original COVID strains. Unlike previous booster shots, anyone over the  age of 12 years old who has received a primary vaccine series is eligible for the new shot.

Contact Us