As COVID-19 cases continue to decline and communities across the country lift pandemic restrictions, many Americans are ditching masks.There are still places where they’re almost guaranteed to be seen—on planes, in the subway, and in many medical facilities, for example—but overall, the once ubiquitous face shields are becoming rarer.
That’s okay, at least for most U.S. counties, says new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which was greenlit on a map on the CDC website in February, taking into account hospitalizations, hospital capacity and COVID-19 example.But seniors may want to think twice before going out without an N95.
”All adults, especially the elderly and medically vulnerable, absolutely must remain vigilant,” said Nicole Iovine, an infectious disease physician and chief hospital epidemiologist at UF Health in Gainesville, Florida.Adults 50 and older account for more than 90% of all COVID-19 deaths in the United States and about 70% of hospitalizations.Despite recent improvements in both metrics, Iovine warned that “the epidemic is continuing and there’s no reason why it won’t surge again.”
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Cases are rising again in Europe, most likely due to the spread of the omicron’s sibling variant, BA.2, and experts say these trends may herald a similar pattern at home.In the United States, the BA.2 subvariant is more contagious than omicron, but not considered more severe, and now accounts for nearly a quarter of new COVID-19 cases.A few weeks ago, it was to blame for about 7 percent of infections.What’s more, wastewater monitoring recorded higher levels of the virus, which may indicate that infections are on the rise.
Older Americans shouldn’t isolate themselves, but they “can’t completely let their guard down and go back to what we consider normal behavior,” added Rama Thyagarajan, MD, assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas at Austin.Dell Medical School.She explained that this may apply to younger people who are less likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19, “but not the elderly” because they are more susceptible to COVID-19 and severe illness.
All experts interviewed by AARP agreed that it is safer to wear masks in grocery stores, theaters, hair salons and other public indoor spaces.Several studies, including one published by the CDC in February, suggested that masks could help control the spread of the disease.The researchers found that people who wore N95s in public were 83 percent less likely to test positive for COVID-19 than those who didn’t wear masks.
Sometimes it may be okay to not have one, but it depends on each person’s situation and risk tolerance.
While the CDC’s new community-level tool can be helpful for some things — for example, it can warn you if your local hospital is overwhelmed — it doesn’t give you a clear picture of how much virus is spreading in your area, which is important in Washington said Seth Cohen, MD, medical director of infection prevention at the University Medical Center.The CDC has another map of transmission rates (your local health department should have data, too), which Cohen recommends checking as you weigh the risks.He said if a “significant amount” of the virus is spreading, it makes sense to be conservative and cover up.If the levels are really low, some people “might be okay” to take off their masks.
That said, consider other things first, such as any underlying health conditions that put you at greater risk for complications from COVID-19 (about 85% of older adults have at least one chronic disease), and the health of others around you situation.family.
Another key factor: your vaccination status.Experts strongly recommend that all adults, especially older adults, get booster shots to improve the chances that the body will be able to fight off the virus’ destruction after an infection.Federal data from January showed that unvaccinated adults 65 and older had 15 times the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations than those who received booster doses.In December, unvaccinated people were 21 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than vaccinated people.However, an analysis by the AARP found that one-third of nursing home residents and nearly two-thirds of nursing home staff did not receive booster doses.
Will the place you go be crowded?If so, will there be a lot of people who don’t wear masks?These are other points to think about.Thyagarajan added that you should also consider whether you have quick access to testing and treatment if you do have COVID-19, stressing that masks are only part of preventing the worst.
”It’s important to think about what it means to your life and your family if you have COVID,” Cohen said.”If you’re a fully vaccinated and boosted person, and you’re relatively healthy and not immunocompromised, your risk tolerance may be higher than someone receiving chemotherapy.”
In most cases, masks are not required outdoors, experts say.As a result, Iovine points out that walking, hiking, or small outdoor gatherings with vaccinated friends with plenty of space are all very safe activities without a mask, although some people with multiple chronic medical conditions may still choose to wear one.
If you’re going to a crowded concert or sporting event where people are singing or screaming and standing together, that’s another story – wear a mask.”But for most outdoor activities, I would say the risk is extremely low,” Cohen said.
Another tip: make sure the mask you’re wearing fits well and is of high quality, such as N95 or KN95.”The era of cloth masks is over — it’s not about the level of risk,” Cohen said, explaining that cloth masks don’t match the omicron variant.
N95s and other so-called respirator masks, which filter out virus-sized particles, provide protection even when other people around you aren’t covering their mouths and noses, Iovine said.Surgical masks are another option that offers more protection than cloth masks, although they are considered less effective than respirators.
No quality masks at home?You should be able to get one for free at your local pharmacy or community health center.The CDC’s website can help you find a location closest to you – just be sure to call ahead to double-check availability.
And take it with you: You may find that one day you don’t need a mask, but the next.”It’s important to remember that this is very dynamic. This is really something that changes every week,” Cohen said of trends and corresponding advice. A safety disposable face mask is needed , freely linked to www.medical-best.com
Post time: Apr-15-2022