Youre Going to Tell Me What I Want to Know or Im Going to Beat You to Death in Your Own House

This post is reviewed twice a week and updated as needed. It was first published on March three, 2020. It received the honour of Distinction from the eHealthcare Awards in the All-time COVID-nineteen Pandemic Related Communications category.

Merry Jennifer Markham, Doctor, FACP, FASCO, is Primary of the University of Florida (UF) Division of Hematology & Oncology, a Clinical Professor in the UF College of Medicine, and the Associate Director for Medical Affairs at the UF Wellness Cancer Center. She specializes in the treatment of gynecologic cancers. Dr. Markham is the Cancer.Net Associate Editor for Gynecologic Cancers and the pastchair of ASCO's Cancer Communications Committee. Follow her on Twitter at @DrMarkham .

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is enlightened that people with cancer and cancer survivors, especially those with compromised allowed systems, are likely worried about the potential bear on of COVID-nineteen on their wellness. Patients should talk with their oncologists and health care teams to hash out their options to protect themselves from infection.

What practice I demand to know nigh COVID-19 vaccines?

There are several COVID-19 vaccines that are at present in use in dissimilar parts of the world. In the United states, the iii vaccines in use are made by Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Moderna (Spikevax), and Janssen, manufactured past Johnson & Johnson. Globally, other vaccines are available or are in process of receiving Emergency Use Listing past the Earth Health Arrangement (WHO).

The bachelor COVID-19 vaccines are effective against almost variants of the virus, including the Delta variant. However, variants may nonetheless cause illness in some people who are vaccinated. The Omicron variant, for case, is more infectious than the Delta variant and may cause breakthrough infections in people who are vaccinated. Booster doses are important in helping lower the risk of a breakthrough infection.

There are plenty of vaccine doses bachelor in the U.s.a.. Y'all can find COVID-xix vaccines near you lot by searching vaccines.org, checking with major retail pharmacies, or calling 1-800-232-0233. Vaccine distribution varies from country to country. Check your local or national health section to larn more about how vaccines are being distributed in your area.

Vaccination series for most people. Most people will receive a 2-dose series of the COVID-19 vaccine, followed by a third dose (a booster dose) to ensure total vaccination. The U.S. Food and Drug Assistants (FDA) authorized the utilise of "mix and match" booster doses in October 2021, and this was canonical past the U.S. Centers for Affliction Control and Prevention (CDC). For example, someone who received the initial vaccination serial with the Moderna vaccine could receive a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

• Pfizer-BioNTech. In the United States, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has received full FDA authorisation for the vaccine in people 16 and older and emergency use dominance in people between five and 16 years of age. It is an mRNA vaccine administered in two doses, 3 weeks autonomously, with a booster dose 5 months later on the 2nd dose for people ages 12 and upward.

• Moderna. The Moderna vaccine is authorized for employ in people xviii years of age and older. Information technology is an mRNA vaccine administered in 2 doses, i month autonomously, with a booster dose at least 5 months later the second dose.

• Johnson & Johnson/Janssen. The Janssen vaccine is given in 1 dose and is authorized for individuals 18 and older. A booster dose of this vaccine should be given to adults 18 and older at least 2 months later on the offset dose. The CDC recommends that people who received the Janssen vaccine should consider a booster dose of either Pfizer or Moderna instead, considering they are preferred for their effectiveness.

Vaccination series for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised. People who are existence treated for blood cancers (such as leukemia or lymphoma) or take had a os marrow/stem cell or organ transplant are considered moderately or severely immunocompromised. This category includes many people with cancer. People in this situation may not accept a powerful immune response to a COVID-19 vaccine, and then an additional dose and a booster dose are recommended.

• Additional dose. Individuals in this group should receive an actress dose of the COVID vaccine. This means three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine or 2 doses of the Janssen vaccine. An boosted dose is not the same every bit a booster dose. Instead, it is office of the main series of the vaccinations. The additional dose should be given at least 28 days after the previous dose.

• Booster dose. All people in this group should receive a booster dose of any COVID-19 vaccine. Yet, mRNA vaccines are preferred. For people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, the booster should be given at least 3 months later the additional dose. For those who received the Janssen vaccine, the booster dose should be given at least 2 months after the boosted dose.

Side furnishings. The near common expected side furnishings of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines include pain at the injection site, tiredness, muscle hurting, headache, chills, joint pain, and fever. Side effects should be expected, and these side furnishings go abroad within iii days. Side effects are sometimes worse with the second dose, but once more, these side effects should go abroad within 3 days. If you lot yet have side effects more than 3 days subsequently your vaccine dose, let your doc know.

One rare side effect of 2-shot COVID-19 vaccines is swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpit, which could be mistaken as a sign of chest cancer. Considering of this unusual side effect, delay your mammogram for at least 1 calendar month after receiving the COVID-nineteen vaccine.

The almost common side furnishings of the Janssen vaccine were pain at the injection site, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, and nausea. Well-nigh of these side effects were balmy to moderate in severity and lasted i to 2 days.

Data on unexpected side effects of these vaccines are being nerveless and monitored. When something uncommon happens, this information is reported to the FDA and CDC so that further investigations may be performed. For example, half-dozen people (out of more than 6.8 meg people) who received the Janssen vaccine were reported to have a rare type of blood jell. Because of this, administration of that vaccine was briefly paused so that these cases could be reviewed and the relationship to the vaccine could be adamant. This does non mean that the vaccine is unsafe. Pauses like this are an important and expected safe mechanism in the development of any new medications or vaccines.

Rubber in people with cancer. Experts hold that the COVID-nineteen vaccine is recommended for people with cancer, cancer survivors, and those currently on cancer treatment, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The best bachelor prove suggests the odds of dying or experiencing severe complications from COVID-19 are roughly 2 times higher if yous are someone with cancer than a person without cancer. The merely people who should not be offered the vaccine are those who may take a harmful reaction, such every bit anaphylaxis, to a specific vaccine component. Talk with your doctor or your cancer intendance team about whether a COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for you, based on your own medical history. Read an FAQ well-nigh the COVID-19 vaccine and how it relates to people with cancer. (This link takes y'all to a different ASCO website.)

Even though the original COVID-xix vaccine clinical trials did not specifically include people with cancer, including the pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine and the influenza vaccine. Some vaccines are OK to receive during cancer handling, when the immune organisation is weak, but some vaccines, such as live virus vaccines, should not exist given during cancer treatment. The COVID-nineteen vaccines are non live virus vaccines and may be given during or later cancer treatment.

Later on you are fully vaccinated. In one case yous take been fully vaccinated, and if you lot live in an surface area with very low rates of COVID-19, the CDC recommends that you lot can resume activities that you did earlier the pandemic, without wearing a mask or physically distancing. However, this does not use in areas where the spread of very infectious variants, such as Delta or Omicron, is substantial or loftier. In those areas, wearing a mask indoors in public is recommended. (You tin can view the level of community spread in your county on the CDC website.) In nigh cases, individuals are non fully vaccinated confronting COVID-19 until ii weeks after their final dose of the vaccine. However, in some areas, you may still be required to wear a mask and keep physically distant, such equally in hospitals or clinics, public transportation, and others. Also, some local, state, or federal laws may still crave these precautions. Be sure to meet what precautions will nevertheless exist required in your area by checking with your local government.

No vaccine is 100% effective, and sometimes, vaccinated people can still go COVID-19, which is chosen a "quantum infection." The risk of this is very low, and vaccinated people are unlikely to become very ill. If you take cancer or are receiving cancer treatment or have other medical conditions that put you at high risk for illness from COVID-nineteen, you lot should consider standing to wear a mask when you are indoors in public settings. Cheque with your doctor for specific guidance if you feel you are at higher run a risk for complications from COVID-19.

The virus volition remain in the community until the bulk of residents are vaccinated, and so these precautions are critical to preventing continued spread of the virus, especially with more than contagious variants circulating.

If you lot accept more than questions about the vaccine, you can notice answers at www.getvaccineanswers.org. (Note that this link volition have yous to a separate website.)

What is COVID-nineteen?

COVID-19, or coronavirus disease 2019, is an illness caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus that was first identified in an outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.

Coronaviruses are a big family unit of viruses that can cause mild illnesses, such every bit the mutual common cold, to more severe diseases, such as Severe Astute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle Due east Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Because the novel coronavirus is related to the SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), the virus has been named SARS-CoV-2. The exact source of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-xix, is not sure but probable originated in bats.

The virus can spread from person to person, through small aerosol from the olfactory organ or mouth that are produced when a person coughs or sneezes. Another person may grab COVID-nineteen by breathing in these droplets or by touching a surface that the aerosol have landed on and and so touching their optics, nose, or mouth. The virus spreads through close contact, only it mainly spreads by airborne transmission. In an enclosed space, virus particles can remain in the air for minutes to hours and can infect people at distances of more than 6 feet (2 meters).

Symptoms from COVID-19 can be mild to severe and may appear between 2 and fourteen days afterwards exposure to the virus. The symptoms may include fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, headaches, sore pharynx, and new loss of gustation or smell. Other symptoms may include aches and pains, fatigue, nasal congestion or runny nose, or diarrhea. In some people, the illness may cause severe pneumonia and eye problems, and it may lead to expiry. Other people who are infected may not develop any symptoms.

COVID-19 can occur in both children and adults. Children with COVID-nineteen are also at risk for a multisystem inflammatory syndrome, with symptoms such as rash, fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Initial reports indicated that children and immature adults were not equally affected by COVID-19. However, people of all ages, including infants, can dice from this disease. In addition, deaths seem to occur disproportionately in various populations, including Blackness and Hispanic populations.

An analysis of 928 people with cancer and COVID-19 presented during the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program revealed that having agile, progressing cancer was associated with a 5 times higher risk of dying inside 30 days compared with patients who were in remission from cancer.

Viruses commonly change over time through mutation, and several variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus take been identified. For example, the Delta variant of the virus was identified in Dec 2020 in India, then in the United Kingdom, and quickly became dominant in many countries, including the United States. The Omicron variant spreads more easily than the Delta variant, only it is not known whether it is more deadly. Unvaccinated people are most at gamble of getting these variants and are most at run a risk for severe illness and hospitalization.

What can I do to avoid getting COVID-19?

Three vaccines take received emergency use authorization from the FDA, and ane of those (Pfizer) has received formal FDA approval for ages xvi and up. Information collection from clinical trials to test the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines are still ongoing. These trials will give scientists valuable information that tin aid patients and the general public in the long run. If you lot would similar to participate in a COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial, ClinicalTrials.gov has a full listing of available studies.

The most important mode to protect yourself is to be vaccinated against COVID-19. If you lot are not vaccinated, stay at home every bit much as possible and avoid areas where people gather. Follow guidance on travel restrictions issued by the CDC or the World Health Arrangement (WHO).

On December eight, 2021, the FDA issued an emergency apply authority to Evusheld, a monoclonal antibody handling containing tixagevimab and cilgavimab, for the prevention of COVID-19. Evusheld is for utilize in children 12 and older (who weigh at to the lowest degree twoscore kilograms, about 88 pounds) and adults who are in a high-risk category. This authority simply applies to individuals who are not currently infected by the virus and have not been recently exposed to someone who tested positive. This drug is authorized for people who take:

• a moderate to severely compromised immune organisation, or
• a history of severe adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine and who are unable to receive the consummate vaccination serial

Evusheld is not a replacement for vaccination, which is the all-time protection confronting COVID-19. Evusheld is given as 2 injections and may provide protection for 6 months.

Washing your hands for at to the lowest degree xx seconds is an important way to protect yourself and prevent manual of the virus. If lather and water are not available, employ hand sanitizer that contains at to the lowest degree 60% alcohol.

In addition to washing your hands oft, it's important to:

• Avoid touching your optics, nose, and mouth.

• If you must cough or sneeze, employ a tissue. So throw the tissue abroad. Or, coughing or sneeze into your elbow rather than your hand.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Regularly clean frequently touched objects and surfaces.

• If there has been a known COVID-19 exposure, then cleaning with disinfectant wipes or spray is important.

If you lot are not vaccinated against COVID-19 and are in public, it is important to wear a mask or cloth confront covering that covers the nose and mouth. This can help forestall the spread of COVID-19 in the customs, especially because some people with COVID-19 have no symptoms and don't know they have the virus, or they may not have yet developed symptoms. You should not vesture masks with exhalation valves or vents because the vents let your own respiratory droplets to leave the mask and can put others at risk. Double masking, such as wearing a fabric mask or nylon face covering over a surgical mask, is more effective at limiting transmission of the virus than wearing only 1 mask. The CDC recommends double masking, rather than merely wearing one mask. If you but wear 1 mask, it should be tight fitting effectually the nose and mouth.

Wearing a face up mask does non supervene upon social or physical distancing. If y'all are out in public and not vaccinated, you should do both: practice physical distancing of at to the lowest degree 6 feet (2 meters) from other people and habiliment a mask.

If you are vaccinated merely living or traveling in an area with loftier transmission rates of COVID-19, you should continue to wear a mask when indoors in public settings. If yous are at loftier run a risk for COVID-19 illness or complications due to your cancer treatment or other medical condition, you lot should as well go on to wear a mask in these settings.

There is no scientific bear witness that taking zinc or vitamin C, even at high doses, can help to prevent COVID-xix. Using mouthwash and nasal rinses, or ingesting mouthwash in large amounts, also will not prevent COVID-xix and tin can be unsafe. Drinking or gargling with betadine or other iodine products is dangerous and does not help prevent or treat COVID-19.

Are there special precautions that people with cancer should take?

People with cancer, people who are in active cancer treatment, older patients, and people with other serious chronic medical conditions, such every bit lung illness, diabetes, or middle disease, are at higher risk for the more than severe form of COVID-19 that could pb to death. Studies take shown that people with agile or progressing cancer may be at higher risk than those whose cancer is in remission. The same rules apply for people with cancer as for those without cancer: Exist sure to wash your hands well. Avoid touching your face, and avert shut contact with people who are sick.

People who are at higher run a risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 should think carefully about not-essential travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially if the travel volition involve areas with loftier or increasing rates of COVID-xix. This is especially important for people who have non yet been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are not vaccinated, stay at home to reduce your exposure to the virus, practise concrete distancing, and avert social gatherings, including smaller gatherings with family or friends who don't live with you. Wear a face up covering or mask, and brand your trip out equally brief as possible. If yous have been vaccinated and live in an area with low COVID-19 transmission rates, you lot are able to return to normal activities. In places with high or increasing rates of COVID-19, masking is nevertheless important. Always follow local government guidelines for masking and social distancing.

If you lot are vaccinated, outdoor activities are generally prophylactic without concrete distancing. If you lot are non vaccinated, walking or exercising outdoors is fine every bit long as the expanse is not crowded and you are able to keep a distance of at least six feet (2 meters) from other people.

A good rule of thumb during emergency situations such as the pandemic is to keep plenty essential medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, to last for at to the lowest degree i month. Create and keep updated an emergency contact list that includes family, friends, neighbors, and community or neighborhood resources who may exist able to provide data or aid to you lot if yous need it.

To stay connected to your support arrangement, connect with your family and friends virtually, through video chats or phone calls. Some examples of technology that tin can exist used for video or other live chats are FaceTime, Zoom, Google Hangouts, and social media platforms, such every bit Instagram and Facebook.

If you are scheduled for cancer treatments, have a give-and-take with your oncologist about the benefits and risks of continuing or delaying treatment. If you are not scheduled for cancer treatment simply are scheduled for an appointment with your oncologist, it may be possible for the doc to carry the visit using videoconferencing or telemedicine. Be certain to bank check with your cancer intendance team to see if this is recommended for you lot.

Finally, it is always important to have your health care wishes in writing, in case you are too sick to make decisions for yourself. This fashion, your family unit and your medical team will know what is of import to you and what your wishes are. If you have not nevertheless washed this, at present is a good time. Cancer.Internet has valuable information on this topic. Because some hospitals and clinics are limiting visitors, and some are assuasive no visitors, having your wellness care wishes in writing is more important than ever. Here are some examples of important questions to enquire yourself, to discuss with your loved ones, and to write downwards:

• What level of quality of life would be unacceptable to me?

• What are my most important goals if my health state of affairs worsens?

• If I am unable to speak for myself, who is the person in my life who I would want to speak for me?

• Who should not be involved in making decisions for me?

• If my heart stops, do I want to have CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) done?

Will anything modify with my cancer-related medical visits?

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased risk of exposure to the virus, most hospitals and clinics have changed their visitation policies. Some may allow one visitor per patient, and others may allow no visitors. Masks and physical distancing are however required in health-care settings. Before heading to your medical appointment, check with the clinic or hospital for their current visitor policy.

Your cancer intendance team may conduct some of your appointments by telemedicine. During a telemedicine appointment, you can stay at home and visit with your dr. or other health intendance team fellow member through video conferencing using your phone or estimator. Your md's office will requite you instructions on how to have your visit this mode. If y'all are interested in having a visit by telemedicine rather than in person, ask your doctor's office staff if this is possible.

If community spread of COVID-19 in your expanse is high, your doctor may recommend delaying some treatments for supportive intendance, such as bone-strengthening treatments, for example, denosumab (Xgeva) or zoledronic acid (Zometa), or intravenous fe supplementation. They will only recommend delaying treatments if they feel information technology is in your best interest to do and then.

Early on in the pandemic, cancer screening tests, such as mammograms or colonoscopies, and other tests, such as bone density tests, were often delayed to reduce your risk of exposure to the virus. Even so, information technology is nevertheless important to receive regular cancer screening, even during a pandemic. The Forbid Cancer Foundation'southward Back on the Books website tin can help you lot learn more than nearly COVID-19 and prophylactic cancer screening.

For people who are at high risk of cancer, such as those with a hereditary cancer syndrome similar Lynch Syndrome or a BRCA mutation, your doctor may recommend delaying some cancer risk-reducing procedures. They volition just recommend this if they feel it'south safest for y'all, based on the virus transmission rates where you live and your own personal run a risk. It's always best to discuss timing of these tests and procedures with your doctor.

What should I practise if I think I may have COVID-nineteen?

If you retrieve you may accept COVID-19, y'all should get tested for the virus. Y'all may get tested for COVID-xix at local testing centers and pharmacies in your community without a doctor's order. Or, you may become tested past your doctor or health care center. You should call your doctor's office before going in to be evaluated. A common question I hear from patients is well-nigh which dr. to call. I recommend calling the doctor who you lot have the near contact with. If you take been off cancer treatment for more than a year and are seeing your primary care provider regularly, yous may telephone call your chief care provider. However, if yous are seeing your oncologist more than regularly or are on active cancer treatment, telephone call your oncologist.

Testing for COVID-19 involves inserting a 6-inch-long swab, similar to a Q-tip, deep into the nasal cavity for at least xv seconds. The swab is inserted into a special container and sent to a laboratory for testing. Saliva tests are as well available in some areas. There are several FDA-canonical at-home self-drove kits for this virus, approved nether an emergency-use authorization. These tests frequently include a medical screening questionnaire and up-front end payment. The FDA has also given emergency use dominance to an over-the-counter, at-home examination that can give results in most 20 minutes. This test involves a nasal swab that can detect fragments of the virus if they are present.

If you take a test for COVID outside of your physician's role, be sure to let your medical team know the results of your examination.

It is important to annotation that even if yous are vaccinated, you lot may still develop COVID-19, but the risk is lower and the affliction is more probable to be mild.

If you are receiving cancer treatment that suppresses the immune system and you develop a fever and respiratory symptoms, telephone call your oncologist every bit you ordinarily would if you lot develop a fever while on treatment. Be sure to follow their guidance on when to come up into the role or hospital and when information technology's safer to stay home.

Severe symptoms could be a medical emergency, and you may need to phone call 911. If you or your loved one has symptoms such as trouble breathing, persistent hurting or pressure in your chest, new confusion, or bluish lips, you should seek medical attention immediately.

If you are concerned you take COVID-19, you should stay at domicile and isolate yourself while you are waiting for your test results. Staying home when yous are sick is the best way to prevent transmitting this and other respiratory viruses, such as the influenza, to other people. If you live with someone, you should quarantine yourself in i office of the dwelling house, if possible, to lower the risk of spreading the virus to the rest of the people who live with you. If you're not able to isolate yourself in your dwelling house, you should wear masks in your domicile.

If you test positive for COVID-19, you must isolate yourself from other people for at least 5 days. Bank check with your health-intendance team on when information technology is condom to come out of isolation.

If you are concerned that you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, closely watch for developing symptoms. Check your temperature regularly for fevers. If you lot accept active cancer or are currently in cancer handling, let your medical squad know about your possible exposure.

On June 3, 2020, a study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine that included 821 people with no symptoms of COVID-19 who had a household or work exposure to COVID-19. This study showed that treatment with hydroxychloroquine after an exposure to someone with COVID-19 did non provide any benefit.

Is there a style to find out if I have already had COVID-19?

Antibody tests, also known as serologic tests, have been developed, and these tests may be able to observe out if you accept already had a COVID-xix infection past identifying whether there are antibodies in the blood. Antibodies are specific proteins made by the body in response to an infection.

Antibody tests are not perfect. Some people who get COVID-nineteen may not make antibodies. Or they may make very depression levels of antibodies. Some people may have a "false positive" antibody exam, significant the test finds antibodies, simply the antibodies are related to a different coronavirus and not COVID-19.

Antibody tests should not be used to brand a current diagnosis of COVID-19. It can take between 1 and 3 weeks after the infection for the trunk to make antibodies.

If you have had a COVID-19 infection, whether diagnosed through a examination for the virus or through an antibody test, information technology is possible (but non certain) that you lot may have immunity for about 3 months. Withal, if suspicious symptoms develop within that 3-calendar month period afterward the COVID-nineteen infection, another exam for COVID-19 is recommended, unless at that place is some other obvious cause for those symptoms.

If I have had COVID-19, will I be able to continue cancer treatment?

If you accept tested positive for COVID-19, you should have a discussion with your oncologist near the impact of this on your cancer treatment. Some cancer handling centers may require a negative COVID-19 test before chemotherapy or other cancer treatment starts once more. All the same, some patients with COVID-xix keep to test positive even subsequently recovering from their symptoms. In this situation, your health care squad will consider the risks and benefits of restarting cancer handling despite the positive test. Some treatments, especially those that practice not impair the allowed arrangement, may be able to go along, especially if you have tested positive for the virus but exercise not have symptoms or have just mild symptoms.

When your cancer treatment resumes or continues afterward COVID-xix, it is important to wear a mask when coming to the infusion clinic or cancer treatment eye and to practice proficient hand hygiene by using hand sanitizer or handwashing before and after visits.

Are in that location any treatments available for COVID-19?

There are no cures for COVID-19. Scientists go along to work hard to develop and test treatments for COVID-19. Clinical trials are research studies that involve people. Clinical trials for potential COVID-xix treatments are now open in many locations in the United States and in other countries. If you have been diagnosed with the coronavirus disease and you lot join a clinical trial for patients with COVID-19, you may be able to receive these medications. Also, by joining a clinical trial, your participation volition aid scientists find the near effective and rubber treatment for the illness. The NCI COVID-19 in Cancer Patients Report (NCCAPS) and a study at Stanford, for instance, are designed to collect symptoms from people who may accept COVID-19 to assist researchers learn the form of the disease and help notice a treatment.

For people with cancer and COVID-19 that is non severe, monoclonal antibodies may be helpful in reducing the chances that the disease becomes severe and reducing the need for hospitalization. The combination of casirivimab and imdevimab (fabricated by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) was given FDA emergency use authority in Nov 2020. The combination of bamlanivimab and etesevimab (made by Eli Lilly), some other intravenous monoclonal antibody therapy, was also originally given emergency utilise authorization for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-nineteen.

Nevertheless, the authorizations for both combinations were modified in January 2022 to prohibit their use in the U.s. considering of their ineffectiveness against the omicron variant.

Sotrovimab (made past GlaxoSmithKline) received emergency utilise authorization for employ in mild to moderate COVID-19 in people age 12 and older who are at high take chances for progression to severe COVID-19. This handling has been shown to be helpful confronting the omicron variant.

For people who have simply become symptomatic with COVID-19 and are at loftier risk for progression to astringent COVID-nineteen, treatment with monoclonal antibiotic therapy should be given as soon as possible after the diagnosis.

For outpatient handling of COVID-nineteen, at that place is not enough data to support outpatient treatments such as ambulatory plasma or dexamethasone. Hydroxychloroquine is non recommended for the handling of COVID-xix, either solitary or in combination with any other drugs. Ivermectin should non be used every bit a treatment for COVID-19.

In December 2021, the FDA gave emergency employ say-so to 2 oral medications for the handling of balmy-to-moderate COVID-19 in people who are at high risk for developing severe COVID-19. These treatments must be prescribed by a health-care professional. The goal of both pill treatments is to reduce the run a risk of hospitalization or death from COVID-19.

• Paxlovid (made by Pfizer) is a combination of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir and was the first pill treatment of COVID-19 to receive emergency employ authorization. Paxlovid is for people 12 and older who are at high adventure. Paxlovid should be taken inside 3 days subsequently symptoms from the virus kickoff.
• Molnupiravir (made by Merck) is only for people eighteen and older.

For people in the infirmary due to COVID-19, treatments may include a variety of measures, depending on the severity of the illness. For case, people in the hospital who are not yet on oxygen may be given the antiviral medication remdesivir. For people who are sick plenty to need supplemental oxygen, dexamethasone (a steroid) may be added. Other medications that physicians in the infirmary may use for very sick patients include baricitinib (a Janus kinase inhibitor) or tociluzumab (a medication that targets the allowed system's interleukin-6 pathway). The primary treatment is supportive care, including oxygen and supporting breathing through mechanical ventilation, if necessary.

Remdesivir, an antiviral medication, tin exist helpful in treating COVID-xix infections. The drug received an Emergency Apply Authority from the FDA in May 2020 and became the first FDA-approved treatment for COVID-xix in October 2020. Remdesivir is approved for patients with COVID-19 who require hospitalization, and in January 2022, the drug was approved for utilize outside of the infirmary in people with mild to moderate affliction from the virus.

Dexamethasone, a steroid medication, tin exist beneficial for critically ill patients with COVID-19. A report from the U.K. Recovery Trial found that dexamethasone tin help save lives in people who require oxygen therapy or are on a ventilator. In this population of very ill patients, receiving dexamethasone resulted in a lower charge per unit of death at 28 days. The drug unfortunately does not seem to help in cases of balmy disease.

Convalescent plasma is the liquid portion of blood that can be nerveless from people who have recovered from COVID-xix. This plasma may accept antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Convalescent plasma is being studied in clinical trials every bit a possible treatment, and the FDA issued an Emergency Utilise Authorization for it on August 23, 2020. However, its benefits and risks still have not been confirmed in randomized clinical trials.

Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) initially seemed promising as a possible treatment for COVID-19, but after diverse clinical trials reported data on its safety and effectiveness, this medication was not found to be helpful.

A version of chloroquine (chloroquine phosphate) is used equally an condiment to clean fish aquariums. Consuming this fish tank condiment has led to at least 1 death and other overdoses. Practice not swallow this production—it tin can impale you.

Drinking bleach or injecting bleach or other household disinfectants is very unsafe and tin kill you lot. Another proposed treatment to avoid is oleandrin, an extract that comes from a toxic shrub. Ingesting even a small amount of the plant can impale you. These are not treatments for COVID-nineteen, and they volition not help preclude information technology.

Do not accept ivermectin, a drug used to treat parasites and head lice. Ivermectin products are fabricated differently for animals and for humans. Ivermectin is not an antiviral medication. Taking this medication has not been shown to be helpful in treating COVID-xix. Consuming information technology, peculiarly at doses recommended for animals, can be dangerous and may upshot in overdose, hospitalization, and death.

How do we attend school or work safely?

Effectually the world, there is variation in whether or not schools and offices are open for in-person attendance. In the United States, local and country officials have worked with school systems to plan school openings. Some schools are offering simply in-person education, a modest number of schools are completely virtual, and others withal are offering some blend of the ii.

If y'all or your children are returning to schoolhouse in person, and especially if you lot are not vaccinated confronting COVID-19, wearing a face covering or mask that covers the nose and mouth at all times is important to lower the take a chance of spread. If physical distancing is possible, please exercise so. Use hand sanitizer frequently and launder easily whenever possible. Stay dwelling or go along children at domicile if they are sick or have a fever.

When returning to in-person work, the same rules utilise. Existence vaccinated against COVID-19 is the safest approach. If you are not vaccinated, avoid large gatherings of people, physical distance equally much as possible, and wear a mask at all times. Regularly make clean desks and other ofttimes touched surfaces. If at that place has been a known exposure to COVID-19 in the space, so cleaning with disinfectant wipes is of import. Do not go to work when yous are sick or if you have a fever.

Finally, be sure to get a influenza shot during flu season. This can aid protect you and those effectually you.

When will things render to normal?

The rates of infection from the virus accept fluctuated since early 2020, but the virus has not gone away and it likely won't anytime soon. Overall, in the Us, the number of cases of COVID-xix and the number of deaths from the virus have connected to increase, though rates fluctuate in various communities and countries. With COVID-19 vaccines now widely available in the United states of america, a return to normal is expected, simply access to vaccines varies from country to state. As well, unless a loftier percentage of people cull to be vaccinated, a return to normal volition exist significantly delayed and new variants, such as Omicron, will likely go along to announced. Masking and concrete distancing continue to exist of import, especially indoors in areas of high COVID-19 manual, for those who are at college risk because of medical weather or immune suppression, and for those who are not yet vaccinated or not fully vaccinated. Masks will likely continue to exist required in wellness-care settings.

If your local community, county, or state allows nonessential businesses to be open and if you are not vaccinated against COVID-xix, the safest arroyo is to continue to stay at home and avoid being in public as much equally possible. Wear face up masks and consider double masking when you leave your home. Stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) away from other people.

If you determine to eat at a restaurant, it's safest to eat exterior, and you should still clothing a mask if you are not vaccinated, unless yous are eating or drinking. People who are vaccinated can feel more comfortable resuming pre-pandemic activities, such equally dining in a restaurant and shopping.

Many people believe that a negative COVID-nineteen exam means that it'south safe to get together with friends or family unit members outside of your household. However, this is not true. It is important to retrieve that a negative COVID-19 examination just ways that the person was negative at the moment of that test. The test merely gives information about the level of virus at the exact time of the test. Someone could have COVID-19 but not yet have enough virus to examination positive. Also, these tests are not 100% accurate.

The safest approach, especially if you are considered high run a risk and if you are not vaccinated, is to continue living as if the stay-at-home restrictions are yet in place. If you have been vaccinated, it is at present possible to ease dorsum into social events. But if you are in an expanse of high COVID-19 transmission, wearing a mask indoors is recommended.

If y'all have questions about your personal gamble due to your cancer or cancer handling, be sure to speak with your doctor for their guidance.

Where tin can I get the latest information nearly COVID-19?

Staying upward to date on the latest information on the COVID-xix outbreak is of import. The CDC and your local and country wellness departments will have ongoing data about whether the disease has been diagnosed in your customs.

This information is also available in Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic (PDF).

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Source: https://www.cancer.net/blog/2022-03/coronavirus-and-covid-19-what-people-with-cancer-need-know

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