COVID Isn’t Over: Continue to Stay Safe

COVID Isn’t Over: Continue to Stay Safe

Meta Description: State regulations are becoming more flexible as the economy is re-opening. Here we tell you how to navigate safely as the COVID pandemic continues. 

While Coronavirus stay-at-home orders are becoming more flexible, health authorities, including the CDC and the WHO, continue to highly encourage practicing preventive measures to stop the spread of the virus. 

As humans, we can only isolate ourselves for so long; we strive and require social interaction. 

Here we have gathered some tips to help you and your loved ones to remain safe when resuming pre-pandemic activities.

Protect Yourself

Whether you have been required to go back to work, need to run errands, want to have a social gathering, or even plan to exercise outside of the home, we recommend to continue to follow the CDC protection guidelines:

• Wear a face mask in public settings
• Practice Social Distancing
• Avoid places where it is hard to practice social distancing (at least 6 feet apart from other people)
• Wash your hands regularly or use hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol
• When outside, avoid touching your face or your face mask, especially if you haven’t previously washed your hands
• Monitor your health regularly. Stay home if you present any symptoms of illness.

What Counts as COVID-19Exposure? 

Whether or not you are wearing a mask, the following circumstances count as COVID exposure, meaning there’s a risk of infection if:

• You had close contact (fewer than 6 feet away for 15 minutes or more) with a person who has COVID-19 during the two days before they started to show symptoms and until it was safe for them to stop home isolation
• You had close contact with someone who tested COVID-19 positive during the two days before getting tested and until they met the criteria to stop quarantining

Understanding Infection Risks

Because COVID can be transmitted regardless of whether or not a person is showing symptoms, it is important to acknowledge which circumstances put you at a higher risk of infection and how to avoid them.

Circumstances That Increase Risk of Transmission 

When going outside, consider avoiding circumstances that increase the risk of the spread of COVID, such as:

• The number of people you will interact with. This includes all the people you will have to be surrounded by (including commuting or other passive interactions).
• Places where people aren’t wearing masks or practicing social distancing. Unfortunately, not every person agrees to wear a mask, and you cannot control that, so that increases transmission risks. Aim to be in places where you can social distance and where people are required to wear masks.
• Indoor Spaces. It is less risky to engage in activities carried in outdoor spaces.
• The amount of time spent around others. The longer you are exposed, the more likely you are to get or spread the virus.

People Who Should Take Extra Precautions

According to the CDC guidelines, people who are at risk of developing severe illness from COVID should take extra precautions. This includes:

• Older Adults. The older you are, the greater the risk. Overall, people 85 years or older are at higher risk. However, people over 50 years old are also at risk.
• People with underlying medical conditions. People with conditions that have compromised their immune systems are at higher risk. Some examples include cancer, pregnancy, chronic respiratory conditions, liver disease, diabetes, obesity, heart conditions, neurological conditions, and others.

If you fall in the previous categories or live with someone who does, we recommend to stay at home as much as possible.

For further information about COVID-19, please reach BASS Urgent Care at (925) 329–3718. We will happily assist you with any doubts or concerns you may have. We are here for you!