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COVID Variants: Protecting Yourself and Others · Talking FACS

• 0:01
  Welcome to talking facts.
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  What you need to know about family food,
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  finance and fitness.
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  This nationally recognized award winning podcast is hosted by the University of Kentucky Family and consumer sciences extension program.
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  Our educators share research knowledge with individuals,
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  families and communities to improve quality of life.
• 0:24
  Hello and welcome to talking facts.
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  What you need to know about family food and finance and fitness.
• 0:29
  I am Mindy McCulley,
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  your host extension specialist for instructional support at the University of Kentucky today,
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  my guest is dr Natalie jones extension specialist for family health.
• 0:40
  Welcome Natalie,
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  Thanks for having me.
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  We're gonna talk about covid.
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  Yes,
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  it has been the coronavirus pandemic.
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  I feel like has been a numbers game from the beginning and it's been something that's evolved over the last 2.5 years and we know unfortunately that the numbers for people infected has largely stayed the same,
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  which is a problem.
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  So we need to figure out how to protect ourselves and our communities I guess.
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  I don't even know which number of variants that were on,
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  but we have been through lots of different iterations of COVID since March of 2020.
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  So what are the variants that we're dealing with now?
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  Yeah,
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  so currently right now,
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  just for recording process is also we are in july of 2022.
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  So things will change probably.
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  But right now we're dealing with the omicron sub variants and that's B A four and be a five and they have proven to be very infectious.
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  Even with outdoor transmissions also being reported and so based on available data to us right now in july it's clear that be a five is actually outpacing be a four and it's poised to become one of the most dominant variants right now in the U.
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  S.
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  And so because of this we're we've actually seen a summer surge in covid.
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  So I'm sure many people have seen friends and family coming down with covid and so with this continued increase in cases were now also seeing that corresponding increase in hospitalizations.
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  And so as new coronavirus wave right continues to spread through the U.
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  S.
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  We really want to kind of go through ways that we can protect ourselves.
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  And so the C.
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  D.
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  C.
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  Right now is actually recommending again universal masking indoors in public places so hope is not lost.
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  There are a few things that we can do.
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  The first one is vaccines and boosters work.
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  They're still protecting people from severe illness and hospital hospitalization and death so they prevent us with that severe illness masks help.
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  So wearing a mask especially indoors in large crowds.
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  That's good.
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  And then the one thing to to keep in mind is that proper ventilation matters.
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  So if possible being outdoors is better than gathering indoors.
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  That still holds true.
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  And then the last one that I want to note as well is that testing matters testing is necessary and while it's imperfect.
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  I'm sure some of us have heard stories about that an antigen test is helpful tool and understanding infectiousness and if and when isolation should end.
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  And just to remember that you can test positive for a P.
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  Ce test weeks after infection.
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  So doing that antigen test will be helpful that take home test that that type of swab closure.
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  I am currently suffering with Covid.
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  Yes.
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  But I do feel that the fact that I have been fascinated and boosted has helped to make my symptoms not quite as severe as as they could be.
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  Yes.
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  And that being said to all eyes right now,
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  especially in the research and public health world are on the possibility of some boosters being available in the fall.
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  So for our listeners,
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  be sure to follow closely and we'll make sure to share details as they become available.
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  But we do know exactly what you're saying is that being vaccinated,
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  being boosted helps us from having that severe case of covid.
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  So not enjoyable.
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  But it is helpful.
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  That's that I have it now.
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  I have managed to avoid it for what,
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  27 months.
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  You know,
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  I feel like that.
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  Maybe I know more about what I'm looking for.
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  But I still thought I just had allergies at the beginning until I took the test.
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  So that at home test was really important.
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  And that's one thing too that I think we've all,
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  like you said,
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  it's been a long road with Covid.
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  And so I think for those people who say,
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  oh I'm just so over Covid.
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  Believe me,
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  there's a part of me that feels that deeply in my core as well.
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  But I just wanna rephrase that and,
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  and think of just saying instead of I'm over Covid saying I want to avoid Covid and that's a much better attitude to have for yourself and for everyone around you.
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  And so again,
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  as we continue to see more infections,
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  that risk of variants emerging grows as well as the risk for long covid,
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  which we've seen people have.
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  And so again,
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  just trying to protect ourselves.
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  Again with vaccines,
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  getting vaccinated,
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  getting boosted,
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  wearing masks when we're in large crowds and doors,
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  proper ventilation and just getting tested to make sure that we know kind of where we're at.
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  So let's you know what happens when you decide that,
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  okay,
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  I've been exposed and I need to get tested and now that I have tested positive,
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  what do I do if you've been exposed to someone with Covid,
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  if you're an adult who's been boosted or you've been fully vaccinated,
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  you don't need to necessarily quarantine after potential exposure,
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  but you should get tested five days after your exposure and to be extra cautious.
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  I would wear a mask around people until you know that you have a negative or a positive case and if you're unvaccinated again,
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  same thing I would quarantine for five days after exposure and then get tested and just making sure that we're keeping people safe so that we aren't spreading it without knowing that we've tested positive,
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  you've tested positive.
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  One of the things is if you are around other people when you get that bad news,
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  The first thing that you should do is put on a mask.
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  And the second thing that you should do if possible is to isolate yourself as quickly as possible,
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  even if you don't have symptoms and even if you are vaccinated because you can still spread.
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  So once you've taken a deep breath and have had a moment to process because it is overwhelming.
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  Think about where you've been,
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  think about who you have been around and who you might have shared your germs with and then let them know,
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  let your employer know if you've been going into the office as well or into your workplace because many workplaces have protocols for contact tracing and for getting in contact with employees who have tested positive.
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  So again,
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  alerting people who you've been around going back at least two days before you got tested or when you started having symptoms and then again,
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  just for reference,
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  the CDC defines a close contact as anyone who was less than six ft away from you for 15 minutes or more.
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  So just keeping that in mind and then don't forget to tell your doctor if you have one,
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  particularly if you have any type of underlying medical condition like high blood pressure or diabetes,
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  that just puts you at a higher risk and then if your child has tested positive,
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  making sure that we're calling the pediatrician,
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  calling the child's school if they're in session as well as anyone that your child has played with or at parties or other activities that they've been around in the past couple of days and I probably should say don't assume anything because I had no idea who I was around that had it.
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  And so probably I could have caught it a couple of days earlier if I would have not assumed that I had.
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  Yeah.
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  Yeah.
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  So what to look for?
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  Right.
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  So like common symptoms of Covid include fever,
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  cough,
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  headaches,
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  fatigue,
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  muscle and body aches.
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  And then we also know that people with Covid may also lose their sense Smell or taste.
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  And that symptoms usually appear between 2 to 14 days after being exposed from the virus,
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  which makes it difficult to know.
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  And people who don't seem sick can still infect others.
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  And the CDC actually estimates that 50% of infections are spread by people with no symptoms because they don't know.
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  So that's why taking tests is really important because again,
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  some people could have mild symptoms.
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  Some people never develop any symptoms.
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  And so it's just important to test and to be cautious because catching the virus is more dangerous for some groups and for some people,
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  like older adults or people with medical conditions.
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  And so again,
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  we just want to make sure that we're doing everything we can to keep ourselves and others safe.
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  So you talked earlier about new boosters that might be coming out in the fall.
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  But for those people who have had covid,
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  do they need to go ahead and get a booster?
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  Yes.
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  Yes.
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  So even if you've had Covid already,
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  you should get a booster for federal health.
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  Right now,
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  they're offering the Covid 19 booster for adults.
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  So you should have does one those two and your booster because it's important even if you've had covid to get vaccinated because when you're infected with the coronavirus,
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  your immune system mounts a series of responses that bulks up your body's defense against future infections.
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  But one of the best ways that we know now is that on top of that of getting vaccinated,
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  it re really helps increase those antibodies and can really help with your immune system and the size of antibody response that will be able to defend against the virus.
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  And so again,
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  vaccines are tailored,
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  they are instructions for your immune system to use in the absence of any distractions such as an active infection.
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  And Again,
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  just really help with that strong antibody response reminds the body a booster shot,
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  right,
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  is gonna remind the body to pump up its defenses even faster than the first and the second shot within a matter of days.
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  So it's really important to make sure that we are staying vaccinated when that rolls out for for us.
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  But right now,
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  most adults under the age of 50 should be able to get those two doses of the vaccine as well as that first booster who is eligible.
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  Let's just move right on into that eligible for that second booster shot.
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  Yeah,
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  so some of us are still waiting to be eligible for that second booster shot.
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  But right now adults who are 50 and older and then people who are 12 and older with a weakened immune system are eligible to receive that second booster shot.
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  So this includes people who have organ or stem cell transplants.
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  If you're undergoing chemotherapy for cancer,
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  have advanced or untreated HIV or are on some type of immuno suppressing Drug,
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  then they are eligible to get that second booster.
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  All of the new boosters can be administered four months after your last shot.
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  So if you are just healthy,
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  older adult who's 50 and above.
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  If you have had your two first doses,
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  your first booster and let's say you got your first booster in February,
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  then you are eligible now because it's been four months since your last shot to get that second boost.
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  And again,
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  one of the benefits and the reason why we want our older adults to get that second booster,
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  that additional shot is that the immune system tends to weaken as it ages and doesn't produce the same quantity or quality of antibodies as it did when it was younger and then on top of that,
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  older adults often have other medical conditions that take up the body's attention and putting them again at that higher risk of a severe disease like Covid.
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  So if you've had Covid,
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  is there a time period that you need to wait before you get that booster or go out then you can go and get the booster.
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  Exactly.
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  Okay.
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  And I know because I recently had some other medical test that they asked if I had been boosted recently and then they asked me to wait six weeks after those those tests if I needed to be re boosted,
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  which I didn't at that point.
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  You know,
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  that's something that you also need to let people know if you're doing other testing or doing other screenings that maybe you need to let them know when you're Yes.
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  And that's a great point is just to always have that open communication if you have a regular physician or if you have a healthcare provider that you're seeing,
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  being totally transparent about your health status.
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  And that includes vaccines as well.
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  So making sure that we are communicating and asking questions to see when if we can't get vaccinated as well.
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  So let's talk about kiddos now,
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  we know that for a while now kids 5 to 12 have been eligible for.
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  Yes.
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  And the booster what about those little bitty ones.
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  Yes.
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  So super exciting.
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  Covid vaccines are now available for kids under five,
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  which I know for a lot of my friends who have young kiddos,
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  this has been like a sigh of relief and that they have been very excited to now be able to get their kids under five vaccinated.
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  And so the first question here is that I get a lot is why should I vaccinate my child against Covid?
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  I'm gonna tell you,
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  Covid is still a risk for young Children.
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  We can predict which Children will have severe illness from covid infections.
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  More than half of Children who have been hospitalized,
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  don't have any underlying medical conditions and we can now prevent that.
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  Right?
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  So vaccinating Children can help them stay healthy,
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  can keep them in school and again,
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  can help avoid further disruption in our routines which we have seen throughout Covid,
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  especially with these young kids.
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  So,
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  knowing that they can help with that as well as Covid vaccines are so safe.
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  So,
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  just a little bit of background for this is that the Covid 19 vaccines for Children under five went through clinical trials that included over 9000 babies.
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  So infants and then more than 10 million Children that have been vaccinated against covid under the age of five.
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  And now we have all of that data for Children as well that are five through 11 who have been vaccinated.
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  So again,
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  just like adults,
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  the vaccine might cause some mild to moderate temporary reaction,
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  which are not dangerous.
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  And that again,
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  there could be some reactions in terms of,
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  you know,
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  injection site or fever.
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  Um,
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  some muscle pain in the arm.
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  But these reactions are good and that means that your child's immune system is working to protect them.
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  So we want to make sure that we're getting them vaccinated.
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  Being honest with them about the shot.
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  But then also knowing that even if your child has already had covid,
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  we want to get them vaccinated for covid.
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  Same with adults.
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  So even if you've already had covid,
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  we want to make sure that we're still getting vaccinated and that prior infection does not protect as well against getting infected.
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  Again,
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  especially with newer variants like omicron um,
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  getting vaccinated provides that boost and protection without the risk that comes with actually getting infected.
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  So,
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  if you're interested in getting your child vaccinated again,
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  parents and caregivers can visit vaccine dot gov or call their pediatrician to find out the nearest available covid 19 vaccine option for their child.
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  Because this is a really exciting moment that now everyone has an opportunity to get vaccinated if they choose well.
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  And that that just it's gonna make us all healthier.
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  That's how people would get back to and anytime that we can prevent our Children from suffering.
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  I say go for it.
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  So please if you have a child then recognize that you have the ability to get them vaccinated.
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  Yes.
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  Anything else that we need to add before we wrap up.
• 16:03
  Yeah,
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  I just think again,
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  it's important to make sure that we're doing everything we can right now,
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  especially as we are seeing this search because we researchers expect that this surge that we're seeing could last through the fall.
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  Um and that means that we have the opportunity to change that.
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  If we kind of re evaluate and make sure that we are focused on our individual and community risk by getting vaccinated,
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  getting boosted,
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  knowing that those will work to help protect us wearing a mask,
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  especially when we're indoors,
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  making sure that if possible,
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  being outside with people that proper ventilation and then making sure that we're getting tested regularly,
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  especially if we've been around crowds and been in groups as well.
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  So testing is necessary to keep us safe.
• 16:47
  Natalie,
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  thank you so much for having this important discussion today.
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  Yes,
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  thank you so much for having me.
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  And if you are just tuning in,
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