Tag: facemasks

Where is COVID-19 Spreading Now?

Since SARS-CoV-2 is spreading wherever a lot of people are getting together, you must adapt to life with COVID-19 now, so that you will still be around when COVID-19 is finally gone.

As cases start to surge again and countries are reentering lockdown, you might be asking yourself just who is spreading COVID-19 around now?

Is it political rallies, protestors, or kids going to school?

Where is COVID-19 Spreading Now?

In addition to very large gatherings, like political rallies, some folks might be surprised to learn that COVID-19 is now spreading:

  • after religious events and holidays
  • in daycare centers and schools
  • among recreational, high school, and college sports teams
  • at very large gatherings (>50 people), including funerals and weddings, some of which turn into superspreading events
  • at large gatherings (>10 people) of family and friends

Not surprisingly, SARS-CoV-2 is spreading wherever a lot of people are getting together.

Hopefully, understanding that can help us all avoid getting sick with COVID-19!

“Regardless of the origin of superspreading, we emphasize the particular fragility of a disease in which a major part of infections are caused by the minority. If this is the case, the disease is vulnerable to mitigation by reducing the number of different people that an individual meets within an infectious period. The significance is clear; Everybody can still be socially active, but generally only with relatively few – on the order of ten persons. Importantly, our study further demonstrates that repeated contact with interconnected groups (such as at a work-place or in friend groups) is comparatively less damaging than repeated contacts to independent people.”

Superspreaders provide essential clues for mitigation of COVID-19

Remember, the pandemic isn’t over yet.

If anything, we are heading into another big wave in most parts of the world.

And although COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, they won’t be hear quick enough to stop it.

A positive COVID-19 rapid test.
A positive COVID-19 rapid test.

Only you can stop it by social distancing from others as much as possible (stay at least 6 feet away), wearing a mask (yes, masks still work despite the new study some folks are talking about), and washing your hands regularly.

Most importantly, understand that:

  • someone can be contagious for up to two days before they develop symptoms of COVID-19 or they test positive and will continue to be contagious for at least 10 more days, their isolation period
  • if exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should avoid others and go into self-quarantine for at least 14 days after your last contact, as that is the incubation period (the time from exposure to when you might develop symptoms)
  • in addition to those who are sick before they develop symptoms (pre-symptomatic), some are contagious even though they never develop symptoms (asymptomatic transmission)
  • you can’t test out of your quarantine after being exposed
  • there are no good treatments and there is definitely no cure for COVID-19

And know that COVID-19 can be life-threatening, especially for folks who are in high risk groups, including those who are elderly and anyone with chronic health problems.

What does all of this mean?

That you have to adapt to life with COVID-19 now, so that you will still be around when COVID-19 is finally gone.

More on the Spread of COVID-19

How Long Are You Contagious When You Have COVID-19?

There are strict rules that dictate how long you are contagious and when you are most contagious when you have COVID-19.

Why is it so important to know how long you are contagious when you have COVID-19?

There are strict rules that dictate how long you are contagious when you have COVID-19.
There are strict rules that dictate how long you are contagious and when you are most contagious when you have COVID-19.

Of course, it is so that you don’t expose anyone else and get them sick too!

How Long Are You Contagious When You Have COVID-19?

Fortunately, knowing how long you are contagious when you have COVID-19 isn’t as confusing as it might seem.

Those people with severe symptoms or a severely weakened immune system might be contagious for a much longer period of time though, up to 20 days.
Those people with severe symptoms or a severely weakened immune system might be contagious for a much longer period of time though, up to 20 days.

In general, you are contagious until 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared, as long as you are free of fever and your other symptoms are improving.

But what if you never had any symptoms of COVID-19?

“If you continue to have no symptoms, you can be with others after 10 days have passed since you had a positive viral test for COVID-19.”

When You Can be Around Others

If you had a positive COVID-19 test, but no symptoms, then you will continue to be contagious until 10 days after the test.

“Given what we currently know about COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation for the public. People with COVID-19 should isolate for 5 days and if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), follow that by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter. The change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after.”

CDC Updates and Shortens Recommended Isolation and Quarantine Period for General Population

You are most contagious at the beginning of your infection though.

That’s why we have new guidelines to help shorten quarantine and isolation periods.

Other things you should understand about COVID-19 include that:

  • although you are generally contagious for 10 days after your symptoms start or you had a positive test, you can be contagious even earlier, up to two days before you develop symptoms (presymptomatic transmission)
  • you are most contagious in the first days when your COVID-19 symptoms start when viral load peaks
  • it is possible that you could continue to test positive for up to three months, even though you are out of the range of time when you are considered contagious (viral load is too low to cause disease), which is why most experts don’t recommend retesting after someone is diagnosed with COVID-19, especially as a method to figure out when to end home isolation
  • you should start making COVID-19 antibodies within 5-10 days of getting sick, which is thought to make you less contagious
  • while you are likely contagious for at least 10 days (how long you should stay in full isolation) when you are sick with COVID-19, if on the other hand, you are exposed to someone with COVID-19, you need to quarantine for 14 days – that’s the full incubation period for COVID-19 – how long it might take to develop symptoms after being exposed

Don’t want to deal with any of this?

Wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands, and get vaccinated and boosted, etc., and work to avoid getting COVID-19!

More on COVID-19

Fact Check – Did a Doctor Prove That Face Masks Don’t Work?

A recently uploaded video on YouTube by an anesthesiologist doesn’t prove that face masks don’t work to protect people against COVID-19.

Why do some people still think that face masks don’t work to protect them and others against COVID-19 infections?

Ted Noel did not prove that face masks don't work in his YouTube video.
Ted Noel did not prove that face masks don’t work in his YouTube video.

The usual suspects…

Did a Doctor Prove That Face Masks Don’t Work?

Of course, most people understand that face masks work well to protect us from the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 infections.

“Face masks are a simple way to help decrease coronavirus transmission and save lives.”

Which type of face mask is most effective against COVID-19?

Sure, not all types of face coverings are created equal, but if you are wearing a face mask when you can’t social distance, then you will help to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

And no, despite his claims and video on YouTube, Dr. Ted Noel, a retired anesthesiologist, did not prove that face masks don’t work!

As an anesthesiologist with 36 years of experience, you would think he would understand how a surgical mask is supposed to fit...
As an anesthesiologist with 36 years of experience, you would think he would understand how a surgical mask is supposed to fit…

What did he prove?

If you are vaping and exhale through a poorly fit face mask, then, not surprisingly, the “vape smoke” is going to find a way around your mask!

Will it go through your face mask ?

Again, not surprisingly, it depends on the type of face mask.

This is probably a single layer cloth mask and not one made with a recommended two or three layers.
This is probably a single layer cloth mask and not one made with a recommended two or three layers.

In Ted Noel’s little experiment, you can see that his cloth mask didn’t perform very well.

Interestingly, someone else had already done this face mask experiment and got widely different results!

Doctors Who Proved That Face Masks Do Work

And these results that face masks work have been shown in much more sophisticated experiments using high tech equipment, including high speed cameras and laser light scattering.

How much protection your face mask offers depends on the type of mask, but you can clearly see that face masks work!
How much protection your face mask offers depends on the type of mask, but you can clearly see that face masks work!

These experiments confirm that face coverings can block aerosols and droplets when we cough, sneeze, and breath. And since viruses like COVID-19 are carried on these droplets, they prove that masks work.

Well most face masks…

To make sure your face mask works effectively, you should:

  • use a face covering made of at least two layers of a washable, breathable fabric
  • avoid face masks with valves
  • use a properly fitting face mask instead of a neck gaiter or bandanna
  • avoid face coverings made with fleece
  • wash your cloth face mask

And don’t listen to or share misinformation from folks pushing propaganda about COVID-19.

“Among 139 clients exposed to two symptomatic hair stylists with confirmed COVID-19 while both the stylists and the clients wore face masks, no symptomatic secondary cases were reported; among 67 clients tested for SARS-CoV-2, all test results were negative. Adherence to the community’s and company’s face-covering policy likely mitigated spread of SARS-CoV-2.”

Absence of Apparent Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from Two Stylists After Exposure at a Hair Salon with a Universal Face Covering Policy — Springfield, Missouri, May 2020

Face masks work!

More on Fact Checking Face Masks Work

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