Staying Covid Safe

  1. What do I need to know about the Omicron variant?
  2. If I get a COVID-19 booster, does it have to be the same brand as my initial shot(s)?
  3. Where can I get a free COVID-19 test?
  4. Where can I get a second booster shot?
  5. What can I do to protect my ‘ohana from the Omicron variant?
  6. If I think I have COVID, what do I do?
  7. 1… 2… 3… 4? How many COVID shots do I need?
  8. Is COVID-19 real or a hoax?
  9. How long does the virus remain active in the environment?
  10. I hear so much about COVID-19 every day. How do I know what to believe and who to trust?
  11. Why do masks help? What sources are informing the claims of protection you are advertising as beneficial due to wearing masks?
  12. What are the options for keeping my family safe from COVID-19?
  13. How does COVID-19 affect adults if they are infected?
  14. How does COVID-19 affect older or elderly adults?
  15. Is there any way to protect myself from long COVID?
  16. I want to continue wearing masks. What kind of mask will protect me best?
  17. How does COVID-19 affect a young and healthy person if they are infected?
  18. Is the pandemic over?
  19. What are COVID-19 symptoms in keiki or teens?
  20. Should I be worried about “stealth omicron”?
  21. If I’m up to date with my COVID vaccinations, what are the risks if I gather with others who have been vaccinated? What about with those who aren’t?
  22. If I’m vaccinated, why do I still have to wear a mask and physically distance?
  23. I’m fully vaccinated, but came in close contact with someone who is COVID positive. Do I need to quarantine?
  24. Should I get a fourth COVID-19 shot?
  25. I haven’t gotten my full round of COVID vaccinations. Do I need to wear a mask?
  26. What about traditional Native Hawaiian healing remedies (lā‘au lapa‘au) for preventing or treating COVID-19?
  27. What is herd immunity? Is it actually possible?
  28. Does the new guidance affect our public schools?
  29. If herd immunity can be achieved naturally, what’s the point of being vaccinated?
  30. Could the rules change again?
  31. Does the flu shot help prevent COVID-19?
  32. Do I still need to worry about COVID?
  33. What’s the difference between “fully vaccinated” and “up to date”?
  34. How can I keep myself and my family safe from COVID now?
  35. What about ivermectin for treating COVID-19?
  36. If the emergency is over, why should I bother getting vaccinated or boosted?
  37. Are the people I see in all the PSAs real or actors?
  38. What if I don’t know the vaccination status of those around me?
  39. If COVID is still around and masks actually work, why are the guidelines changing?
  40. Isn’t it a little hypocritical to wear a mask sometimes, but not all the time?
  41. Should I still be wearing a mask even if it’s not required?

Still have more questions?          Ready to get vaccinated?

Myth

I already had COVID-19, so I have natural immunity now. I don’t need the vaccine.

Fact

Getting COVID may offer some natural protection, known as natural immunity. Current evidence suggests that reinfection with the virus that causes COVID is uncommon in the 90 days after initial infection. However, experts don’t know for sure how long this protection lasts, and the risk of severe illness and death from COVID far outweighs any benefits of natural immunity. Receiving the vaccine after having COVID is like a booster effect, and therefore it’s much more effective.

A study published in August 2021 indicates that if you had COVID before and are not vaccinated, your risk of getting reinfected is more than two times higher than for those who were infected and got vaccinated afterwards. Getting vaccinated provides greater protection to others since the vaccine helps reduce the spread of COVID.

Boston University: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/
myths-vs-facts-covid-19-vaccine/