\u201cCOVID-19 is still very much with us,\u201d Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove<\/a>, WHO interim director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, said during a news conference<\/a> Tuesday. \u201cData from our sentinel-based surveillance system across 84 countries reports that the percent of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 has been rising over several weeks.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In the U.S., infections, emergency room visits, and deaths are all on the rise. Test positivity<\/a> was projected to exceed 16% the week ending July 27, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That\u2019s higher than any other summer surge since the pandemic began in 2020. <\/p>\n Hospitalizations<\/a> were starting to dip the week ending July 27 after having increased since May. Viral activity in wastewater<\/a> is currently \u201chigh,\u201d the second-most severe rating. A new Omicron subvariant<\/a> is in town, too, with KP.3.1.1 accounting for 28% of infections nationwide<\/a> in the two-week period ending Aug. 3. Not to mention, the updated COVID vaccine<\/a> isn\u2019t yet available.<\/p>\n How, then, can you keep yourself and your loved ones healthy as you continue your summer adventures or prepare to head back to work or school? It boils down to the basics, says Dr. Donald Dumford<\/a>, an infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic Akron General<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cTake good care of yourself, get good nutrition<\/a> and good sleep<\/a>, and stay hydrated<\/a>,\u201d Dumford tells Fortune<\/em> via email. \u201cFor those who are traveling, consider wearing a well-fitting mask while in the airport and while flying. This is my particular strategy, just figuring that it is a time when I am exposed to a large group of people\u2014with the chance that some may be choosing to fly while ill because they already had a trip planned that they spent a lot of money on.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n COVID-19 symptoms<\/a> may appear as soon as two days or as late as two weeks after you\u2019ve been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Your symptoms may range from mild to severe, or you may not have symptoms at all. According to the CDC, you should watch out for:<\/p>\n If these symptoms look familiar, it\u2019s because they\u2019re similar to those of the flu<\/a>, the common cold<\/a>, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)<\/a>. Dumford advises getting tested when you feel ill, as that\u2019s the only way to differentiate between respiratory illnesses.<\/p>\n The CDC says these COVID-19 symptoms warrant emergency medical care:<\/p>\n People who test positive for COVID no longer have to isolate themselves for five days<\/a>, the CDC said in March. Now, the isolation period depends on how you\u2019re feeling. If, for at least 24 hours, your symptoms have been improving and you haven\u2019t had a fever without the use of fever-reducing medication, you may resume normal activities<\/a>. The agency\u2019s new recommendations are in line with those for other respiratory viruses, Dumford says.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter that, plan to wear a well-fitting mask for the next five days. The rationale behind this is that you are most contagious early in infection when symptoms are most severe, so stay at home to isolate at those times,\u201d Dumford says. \u201cIn the period after that, there is still potential for spread, so mitigate that risk with a well-fitting mask to catch any virus you are breathing out.\u201d<\/p>\n Most people have mild symptoms that can be treated with over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, the CDC says. However, people at high risk of severe infection may be prescribed antiviral medications<\/a> such as Paxlovid<\/a> (nirmatrelvir with ritonavir) or Lagevrio (molnupiravir), which must be started within five to seven days of symptom onset.<\/p>\n People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may be eligible for preventive monoclonal antibody treatment. The CDC urges people to refrain from attempting to treat COVID<\/a> with products that haven\u2019t been approved or authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for that purpose; doing so may be dangerous or deadly. Discuss your treatment options with your health care provider.<\/p>\n Johner Images\u2014Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Each autumn you get a flu shot, the vaccine is formulated differently than it was the previous year. That\u2019s because influenza viruses<\/a> change over time and vaccines must change with them<\/a>. Now that COVID-19 has been circling the globe\u2014and mutating\u2014for more than four years, the CDC recommends you get the updated 2024\u20132025 COVID vaccine in the coming months.<\/p>\n In a June news release<\/a>, the CDC said new vaccines manufactured by Pfizer<\/a>, Moderna<\/a>, and Novavax would be available \u201clater this year,\u201d and that it\u2019s safe to get seasonal flu and COVID vaccines at the same time<\/a>. Last year, the 2023\u20132024 COVID vaccines<\/a> became available in mid-September.<\/p>\n \u201cOur top recommendation for protecting yourself and your loved ones from respiratory illness is to get vaccinated,\u201d CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said in the release. \u201cMake a plan now for you and your family to get both updated flu and COVID vaccines this fall, ahead of the respiratory virus season.\u201d<\/p>\n The CDC recommends<\/a> an updated COVID vaccine for everyone ages 6 months and older\u2014whether or not they\u2019ve previously been vaccinated. People 65 and older<\/a> and those who have certain medical conditions<\/a> such as autoimmune disorders may be eligible for more than one COVID vaccine dose this fall. Ask your doctor whether an adapted dosing schedule is right for you.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve recently had COVID-19, the CDC advises postponing your vaccination until three months after infection.<\/p>\n For more on COVID-19:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Subscribe to Well Adjusted, our newsletter full of simple strategies to work smarter and live better, from the Fortune Well team. <\/span>Sign up<\/span><\/a> for free today.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\nWhat are the symptoms of COVID?<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
I have COVID. Do I need to isolate?<\/h2>\n
What COVID treatments are available?<\/h2>\n
When will the new COVID vaccines be available?<\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/GettyImages-1306165716-e1722975322744.jpg?w=1440&q=75\"\/)