Think back to five years ago. COVID-19 was not part of our vocabulary, and a global pandemic seemed like a remote threat. How swiftly everything changed.
Half a decade later, what once was a fearsome illness has largely become an accepted part of life. People have transformed their attitudes and habits around COVID-19. That shift has left in its wake some confusion and misconceptions.
“The normalization of COVID-19 is occurring,” says Dr. Montgomery “Monk” Elmer, Associate Chief Medical Officer of Primary Care for ThedaCare. “It’s morphed into the family of other respiratory diseases.”
At the same time, COVID-19 still poses a risk to many people. These include adults 65 and older, people with chronic diseases, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant people, young children, and babies. Taking precautions and staying up to date on vaccines remain important. Through these measures, we can help protect ourselves and others from serious illness.
COVID-19 Fall 2024 FAQs
As we enter our fifth autumn with COVID-19, we checked in with Dr. Elmer for answers to pressing questions.
1. What’s going on with COVID-19 right now?
As with any virus that evolves, it becomes less lethal but more contagious. We saw a surge in cases over the summer. A variant called KP.3.1.1 is the most common right now, followed closely by K.P.3. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a 14.9% positivity rate in tests for the week of Sept. 7, 2024. It’s difficult to accurately track the number of cases, given that many people have either stopped testing or don’t report home test results.
2. That leads to another good question. Do I still need to test?
It’s a good idea to test if you can. Testing is available through many pharmacies as well as home tests. Knowing whether you have COVID-19 can help guide you in decision-making around isolating and quarantining.
3. … Isolation and quarantine. I’ve lost track. What am I supposed to be doing now?
Last spring, the CDC updated its guidelines and grouped COVID-19 together with other respiratory illnesses such as flu and RSV. The updated Respiratory Virus Guidance recommends staying home and away from others until meeting two criteria: improvement of symptoms and remaining fever-free for at least 24 hours without relying on fever-reducing medications.
Beyond that, most decision-making comes down to personal choice. I still wear a mask when I fly. Those at higher risk for serious illness may choose to mask up when out in public, especially during cold and flu season. If you seek medical care during cold and flu season and have respiratory illness symptoms, you may be required to wear a mask in the doctor’s office.
If you do get sick, chicken soup and the sofa are the best course of action for most people. That is, take care of yourself and get plenty of rest. For those at higher risk, Paxlovid and intravenous treatments are available.
4. Should I get the updated vaccine? If so, when?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone ages 6 months and older receive an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine. Doing so can help protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 this fall and winter. It’s especially important to get your 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine if you are age 65 or older, are at high risk for severe COVID-19, or have never received a COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC states.
For those recently infected with COVID-19, many experts recommend waiting at least three months before receiving a COVID-19 vaccine dose. If that’s not the case for you, you can schedule your vaccine at any time.
5. But seriously, do I really need another booster? COVID-19 doesn’t seem like a big deal anymore.
There’s still good reason to get the booster. Getting the 2024–25 COVID-19 vaccine is important because protection from the COVID-19 vaccine decreases with time. Updated vaccines give you the best protection from the currently circulating strains.
Beyond that, a recent Yale Medicine study found that vaccines have played an important role in helping reduce the occurrence of long COVID. The study’s author points out that while a bout with COVID-19 might be but a nuisance, long COVID is another matter entirely. It can lead to serious and long-term health issues.
Even if the shot isn’t a perfect match for COVID-19 variants circulating, it still has efficacy. While you may still get COVID-19 even if you’re up to date on vaccines, you’re less likely to become seriously ill. In fact, COVID-19 vaccines cut the risk of severe disease in half, according to the CDC. Over 95% of hospitalized adults were not up-to-date with their COVID-vaccine in fall 2023.
Give yourself the best odds of staying well this fall and winter. Remain vigilant about COVID-19, and stay up to date on vaccines.
