I’m sure you’ve all heard about the latest variant of COVID: Omicron. This version of the virus is currently infecting many, many people in our community. While the number of cases is scary, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and others.
What can you do about Omicron?
- Get vaccinated if you aren’t already. Vaccination protects you from hospitalization and death due to COVID, even from Omicron. While people who are vaccinated may still become ill, they are much less likely to end up in the hospital due to their illness. To find a place to get the vaccine near you, visit vaccines.gov.
- Continue to practice social distancing—keeping 6 feet between yourself and others when waiting in line at the store, for example.
- Continue to wash your hands frequently, using soap and water and washing for at least 20 seconds before rinsing off the soap. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Wear a mask. If possible, make it a surgical mask rather than a cloth mask. Surgical masks are better at preventing passing on the virus to others. If you need to continue wearing a cloth mask, use one with at least two layers of material. KN95 and N95 masks are sometimes available in stores as well. These are the best at preventing passing on the virus to others. You can wear a surgical mask or KN95/N95 mask for about three days.
