General Information
What is COVID?
COVID is a respiratory illness caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2.
How is COVID spread?
COVID can spread when someone talks, coughs, or sneezes, sending tiny droplets into the air. If these droplets get into someone else's mouth or nose, they can get sick too. You can also catch COVID by touching surfaces that have the virus on them and then touching your face.
When is COVID season?
COVID's timing and severity throughout the year can vary from month to month.
Who gets COVID?
Every year, individuals in our community become sick with COVID. Repeat infections may occur throughout life, and people of any age can be infected.
When and for how long is a person able to spread COVID?
People are usually contagious for 5 to 10 days and may become contagious a day or two before they start showing signs of illness. However, some older adults, and people with weakened immune systems, can continue to spread the virus even after they stop showing symptoms, for as long as 4 weeks.
How soon after you are exposed to COVID do symptoms appear?
People infected with COVID usually show symptoms within 2 to 14 days after getting infected.
What are the symptoms of COVID?
People infected with COVID usually have mild symptoms and can manage their symptoms on their own.
Symptoms of COVID infection usually include the following:
- Fever or chills
- New loss of taste or smell
- Coughing
- Sore Throat
- Fatigue
- Shortness of Breath
- Muscle or Body Aches
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Congestion or Runny Nose
- Nausea and/or Vomiting
Some people are at higher risk for serious complications from COVID and should talk to a healthcare provider right away if experiencing any COVID symptoms. Taking antiviral medicine to treat COVID may shorten the length of your illness and help prevent more-serious problems.
In rare cases, individuals may develop serious complications with severe symptoms that require immediate medical attention.
Emergency symptoms may include:
- Trouble Breathing
- New Confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- Pale, gray or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds
What can be done to prevent the spread of the COVID?
- Practice good hand, coughing, and sneezing hygiene.
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after coughing, sneezing, or touching surfaces in public areas. When soap and water are not available, hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol may be used.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. Dispose of tissues properly and wash your hands immediately afterward.
- Stay home when sick.
- Return to normal activities when your symptoms are better overall, and you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medicine.
- It is recommended you wear a mask for 5 days without a fever when returning to normal activities.
- If you would like to take additional precautions to protect community members at high risk of getting very sick, consider staying away from people at high risk of getting very sick*** until:
- 10 days have passed since your symptoms started,
- 10 days have passed since you tested positive (if you never developed symptoms), or
- You test negative for COVID-19 with an antigen test (such as an at-home test
- Stay up to date with COVID immunization. Discover what is recommended for you below.
If you need to be around someone at high risk of getting very sick during this time, the most protective step you can take is wearing a well-fitting mask when around them. You can also take steps to improve airflow and filtration, physically distance, clean regularly, and practice good hand hygiene.
Immunization Options
After about two weeks, COVID immunizations cause antibodies to develop in the body that help destroy COVID viruses you are exposed to.
Everyone Aged 6 Months – 4 Years
Children aged 6 months–4 years may need multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be up to date, including at least 1 dose of updated COVID-19 vaccine.
Children Who Are Not Vaccinated
Brand names are Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Children aged 6 months–4 years should get two or three doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine depending on which vaccine they receive.
Children Who Got Previous COVID-19 Vaccine(s)
Brand names are Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Children aged 6 months–4 years who got COVID-19 vaccines before September 12, 2023, should get one or two doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine depending on which vaccine and the number of doses they’ve previously received.
Everyone Aged 5 Years and Older
Everyone aged 5 years and older ‡ should get 1 dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19. None of the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines is preferred over another.
Children Aged 5 Years – 11 Years Who Are Not Vaccinated or Have Gotten Previous COVID-19 Vaccine(s)
Brand names are Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Children aged 5 years – 11 years who are unvaccinated or have previously gotten a COVID-19 vaccine before September 12, 2023, should get 1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
People Aged 12 Years and Older Who Are Not Vaccinated
Brand names are Pfizer-BioNTech, and Moderna, and Novavax.
People aged 12 years and older who are unvaccinated should get either:
- 1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or updated Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, OR
- 2 doses of updated Novavax COVID-19 vaccine.
People Aged 12 Years and Older Who Got Previous COVID-19 Vaccine(s)
Brand names are Pfizer-BioNTech, and Moderna, and Novavax
People aged 12 years and older who got Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines before September 12, 2023, or Novavax COVID-19 vaccine before October 3, 2023, should get 1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax COVID-19 vaccine.
People Aged 65 Years and Older
You are up to date when you have received 2 updated 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccine doses.
People aged 65 and older who have not previously received any COVID-19 vaccine doses and choose to get Novavax should get 2 doses of updated Novavax vaccine, followed by 1 additional dose of any updated 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccine to be up to date.
Where Can I Get a COVID Immunization?
View the COVID Immunization Clinic Calendar to find Whitman County clinics that offer COVID immunizations. You can also talk with your primary care provider to see if you can get immunized at your next doctor's office visit.
Whitman County Community Clinic
Fall 2024, WCPH will for the third year in a row be partnering with SID's Pharmacy to offer no-cost, onsite COVID Immunization Clinics to every K-12 school in Whitman County.
Check back August 2024 to see a list of participating schools.
If you are a school and wish to sign up for us to come out, email us at CommunityClinic@whitmancounty.gov
Treatment
Most People With COVID Have Mild Illness and Do Not Need Medical Care or Antiviral Drugs.
Take steps to relieve mild symptoms at home:
- Manage symptoms.
- Fever and Aches: Use over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Follow the dosage instructions on the label and consult with a healthcare provider if you have concerns.
- Sore Throat and Cough: Soothe a sore throat with warm saltwater gargles, drinking honey and lemon in warm water, or cough drops can also provide relief.
- Ease congestion: steam inhalation, saline nasal spray, and a humidifier may help.
- Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated.
However, COVID Can Cause Severe Illness in Some People.
Older adults and individuals with certain underlying health conditions are at increased risk of severe COVID.
These individuals may seek early treatment with antivirals from their doctor.
- Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. COVID antivirals are prescription medicines and are not available over the counter.
- Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They might also prevent serious complications when treatment is started early.
Don’t Treat COVID With Antibiotics
When you have COVID, antibiotics will not help you feel better. Antibiotics don’t treat COVID, and their side effects could cause more harm than benefits.
More information is available at Healthy Habits: Antibiotic Do's and Don'ts | Antibiotic Prescribing and Use | CDC.
Make a Free Telehealth Appointment for COVID Treatment
Telehealth is a free and easy way to see if COVID-19 oral antivirals such as Paxlovid, are right for you. Oral antivirals, which are COVID-19 treatment pills taken by mouth, are available by prescription only. They must be taken within the first five days of experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or testing positive for COVID-19.
If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and want to schedule a virtual telehealth appointment with a health care provider to determine treatment eligibility, begin your free consultation below and complete a brief intake form.
Completing the intake form to request a consultation should take you approximately 5 minutes. If the information provided indicates you may be eligible for treatment, you will be given a link for a video consultation with a health care provider. After joining the video call, a health care provider will join you within 5–30 minutes to complete the evaluation.
After receiving a telehealth consultation, if treatment is appropriate for you, you will receive a prescription for either free home delivery or pharmacy pickup.
Telehealth providers are available every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific standard time (PST). Language assistance is also available.Telehealth providers are available every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific standard time (PST). Language assistance is available. If you do not have access to a computer or smart phone, you can call 1-833-273-6330 to complete the questionnaire over the phone with a support agent.
This service is currently provided by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) in collaboration with Color Health.
COVID Fact Sheet
Health Care & LTC Guidance
For COVID-19 Infection Prevention Guidance in Health Care Settings, which includes all Health Care Settings, Home Health, & Long Term Care, visit here.