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 the new BA4 and BA5 booster?
  4. Is the latest booster manufactured by Pfizer?
  5. What can I do to protect my ‘ohana from the Omicron variant?
  6. What is long COVID?
  7. Is COVID-19 real or a hoax?
  8. I know a senior who is home bound and would like to get a booster. During the pandemic, someone came to her house to administer the vaccination. Is the in-home service still available?
  9. I hear so much about COVID-19 every day. How do I know what to believe and who to trust?
  10. What can I do to protect myself from long COVID?
  11. What are the options for keeping my family safe from COVID-19?
  12. I’ve had 2 COVID boosters. Should I get the new booster that has the BA.5 variant included?
  13. How does COVID-19 affect adults if they are infected?
  14. Are there medications I can take to keep from getting really sick if I get COVID?
  15. How does COVID-19 affect older or elderly adults?
  16. Where can I get a Pfizer shot as my 2nd booster?
  17. How does COVID-19 affect a young and healthy person if they are infected?
  18. How do I go about getting the second booster and signing up my daughter for the vaccine?
  19. What do I do if I test positive for COVID?
  20. My PCP said I can get a 2nd booster, but the pharmacist said I was not eligible. Can you clarify eligibility?
  21. Where can I get a Moderna shot as my 2nd booster?
  22. 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?
  23. If I’m vaccinated, why do I still have to wear a mask and physically distance?
  24. I’m fully vaccinated AND boosted. Why am I still getting COVID?
  25. What are COVID-19 symptoms in keiki or teens?
  26. Vaccinated, still coughing can you go back to work after 10 days in isolation?
  27. I haven’t gotten my full round of COVID vaccinations. Do I need to wear a mask?
  28. Where can I get a free COVID-19 test?
  29. What about traditional Native Hawaiian healing remedies (lā‘au lapa‘au) for preventing or treating COVID-19?
  30. What is herd immunity? Is it actually possible?
  31. If herd immunity can be achieved naturally, what’s the point of being vaccinated?
  32. Where can I get a booster?
  33. Does the flu shot help prevent COVID-19?
  34. Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe and effective for babies?
  35. What’s the difference between “fully vaccinated” and “up to date”?
  36. Are you still contagious if you’re still testing positive 14 days after your initial positive test?
  37. What about ivermectin for treating COVID-19?
  38. How many boosters should people over 65 to 70 have taken?
  39. Are the people I see in all the PSAs real or actors?
  40. Where can I get a second booster shot?
  41. What side effects should parents expect after vaccinating their babies and toddlers?
  42. If I think I have COVID, what do I do?
  43. Where can my baby get a COVID vaccine?
  44. I tested positive, then self-isolated for 10 days, and then tested positive again. Do I need to actually test negative before I can return to work?
  45. If you test positive with a home test and self-quarantine for 5 days, should you take another home test on the 5th day?
  46. After you finish quarantining for 5 days, will washing your clothes in the washer/dryer in hot water remove the COVID virus?
  47. How long is the incubation?
  48. Japan tourist tested positive. When can they travel back to Japan?
  49. Can my baby get all their vaccinations at the same time?
  50. Should I vaccinate my child if he’s already had COVID?
  51. 1… 2… 3… 4? How many COVID shots do I need?
  52. How long does the virus remain active in the environment?
  53. Why do masks help? What sources are informing the claims of protection you are advertising as beneficial due to wearing masks?
  54. Is there any way to protect myself from long COVID?
  55. I want to continue wearing masks. What kind of mask will protect me best?
  56. Is the pandemic over?
  57. Should I be worried about “stealth omicron”?
  58. I’m fully vaccinated, but came in close contact with someone who is COVID positive. Do I need to quarantine?
  59. Should I get a fourth COVID-19 shot?
  60. Does the new guidance affect our public schools?
  61. Could the rules change again?
  62. Do I still need to worry about COVID?
  63. How can I keep myself and my family safe from COVID now?
  64. If the emergency is over, why should I bother getting vaccinated or boosted?
  65. What if I don’t know the vaccination status of those around me?
  66. If COVID is still around and masks actually work, why are the guidelines changing?
  67. Isn’t it a little hypocritical to wear a mask sometimes, but not all the time?
  68. 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/