How to get tested for COVID-19
Sarah Bleier, APNP at the NJSD Health and Wellness Center provides instructions for receiving a COVID-19 test. In most cases, you do not need to see a doctor or nurse practitioner in order to be tested. Ascension Health is currently requiring an appointment for evaluation by a healthcare provider in order to be tested.
COVID-19 Antibody Testing
As you may be aware, there are two types of tests for COVID-19. One type of test swabs the back of the nose and looks for active infection. Patients who test positive have an active infection and need to quarantine for a defined period of time to avoid infecting others. The other type of test aims to identify those who were infected with COVID-19 sometime in the past, have recovered, and have produced antibodies to COVID-19.
Evaluating Online Information
With so much information available online, it is good to remember that not all information is accurate. Taking a critical look at the information and its source can help to determine its validity. The CRAAP test is a commonly used tool for this purpose. Even if you’ve seen this before, this is a great time to review the concept and to put these ideas into practice.
WI Dept. of Health Services: COVID-19
Some of us get sicker from COVID-19 than others, but all of us can help protect people, places, and experiences that matter most. Taking just a few simple steps to stop the spread of COVID-19 reduces the risk for those around you. Because we’re all connected—by our health, by our actions, and by our commitment to each other. Learn how to protect what’s important to you. When you do, you help protect everyone in Wisconsin.
Treating COVID-19 at Home: Mayo Clinic
If you have coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and you're caring for yourself at home or you're caring for a loved one with COVID-19 at home, you might have questions. How do you know when emergency care is needed? How long is isolation necessary? What can you do to prevent the spread of germs? How can you support a sick loved one and manage your stress? Here's what you need to know.
CDC Influenza FAQ
Did you know you can catch COVID-19 and Influenza at the same time? It is more important now than ever for people to get their annual flu shot. “Anything that excessively challenges your immune system may put you at higher risk for more severe complications, or may even make you more susceptible to getting sick from something else,” advises Dr. Jennifer Frank the Chief Medical Officer at ThedaCare. For more information and to hear Dr. Frank’s recommendations, read the full interview with NBC 26 here or watch it here.
This year’s flu shot has been updated to better match the viruses expected to be circulating in the United States and two brand new vaccines were added for 2020 / 2021. The CDC has published a page with frequently asked questions and information on flu vaccines, specifically for this unprecedented season.
Additional Resources
Effective Interaction with Others
Human beings have been deprived of in-person social interactions for several moths, and learning to re-engage within the many parameters of the new physical space will be a learning process. Boundaries now exist in the physical environment where there previously were none. The pendulum had swung so far to open workspace and collaboration and now it has gone to the opposite end of the spectrum, encouraging people to physically distance from others. Here are some ways to be more cognizant of your interactions to ensure you're as effective as possible when you return to the workplace.
Strengthen Your Immune System
You want — no, NEED — to stay healthy and functioning at a 10. Maybe you’re getting back to your physical work environment for the first time in months. Or maybe you’re working from home while simultaneously raising three kids. Bottom line, your universe needs you healthy.
Good news! While there’s no magic “healthy pill,” there are tried-and-true ways to take your immunity superpowers up a notch. Preventive medicine physician and wellness expert Sandra Darling, DO, shares her top tips for staying healthy.