COVID-19 UPDATES: Taking Care of Our Community
For the latest information on the virus, visit the CDC website
For updates on the situation in Oregon, please visit the Oregon Health Authority website
Getting Tested
If you have COVID-19 symptoms, get tested for the virus, either at a laboratory or with an at-home test.
- CDC's current List of Symptoms
While waiting for your results from a lab test, you should act as if you have COVID-19. Stay away from others, track your symptoms, and rest. If you must be near others, such as those in your household, wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth.
If you test positive for COVID-19, you should inform your healthcare provider as well as anyone with whom you were recently in close contact. You also should stay at home for at least 5 days from the onset of symptoms, regardless of your vaccination status. View the latest quarantine and isolation guidelines from the CDC.
Given the surge of COVID cases across the region due to the rapid spread of the omicron variant, testing sites may have limited availability. If you cannot find a place to get tested and do not have access to an at-home antigen test, you should assume your symptoms are likely to be from COVID-19. Isolate as described above in accordance with CDC guidance and talk to your healthcare provider.
Treatment:
FDA has authorized or approved several antiviral medications used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in people who are more likely to get very sick. Antiviral medications target specific parts of the virus to stop it from multiplying in the body once someone is infected, helping to prevent severe illness and death.
People who are more likely to get very sick include:
- Older adults (especially those ages 65 years or older, with risk increasing with advancing age),
- People who are unvaccinated or are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations,
- People with certain medical conditions, such as chronic lung disease, heart disease, or a weakened immune system.
Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations makes you much less likely to get very ill, be hospitalized, or even die from COVID-19. Treatment can further reduce the risk for COVID-19 hospitalization and death among vaccinated people, especially those at higher risk for severe illness. Check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you are taking other medications to make sure the COVID-19 treatments can be safely taken at the same time.
Antibody Testing:
Antibody (or serology) tests are used to test for the presence of antibodies from previous infection or vaccination and can aid in fulfilling the case definition for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and adults (MIS-A).1 Antibody testing does not diagnose current infection. Antibody testing is primarily used for public health surveillance and epidemiologic purposes. Antibody tests detect specific antibodies that target different parts (nucleocapsid or spike protein) of the virus. Detection of anti-nucleocapsid antibody indicates SARS-CoV-2 infection, while anti-spike protein antibody may be induced by COVID-19 vaccination or by SARS-CoV-2 infection. This should be considered when choosing whether to test for antibodies originating from past infection versus those from vaccination.
If you are interested in having an antibody test done at our office, please call to schedule an appointment.
