It’s now 2022, and the world is still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic effects in some way or another. As soon as the virus appeared, it quickly spread around the globe, resulting in a global health crisis. Millions of people died from the deadly infection, and many others face long-term health consequences. America alone recorded more than a million deaths. Combine it with other situations like the economy, loss of jobs, widespread and more. Although the scene is far better now, the impact of the pandemic and the risk of the virus mutating into another dangerous version are still the reality. Amidst this, a lot of other things are changing as well.
The general public is worried and confused as many contradictory views float around. They don’t know what direction they should take. CDC has eased many preventive measures; bivalent vaccine shots are available to tackle both original and newer editions of the virus. So, let’s take a picture of one such debatable scenario and then a few steps that can potentially keep you safe from coronavirus’s seriousness.
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COVID-19 booster shots
A MyBioSource survey of over three thousand Americans already revealed a massive gap between states supporting the preventive measures against the virus and those who were least or not supportive. For example, if Alaska and Vermont people supported the pandemic-related efforts by 50% and more, West Virginia and Kansas residents formed only about 8-19% of the population that believed in those prevention techniques. Amidst this, the lack of proper messaging and communication around anything can only be more concerning.
A case in point is the bivalent vaccination. While some authorities highly recommend these shots, others believe not everyone needs to opt for them. An FDA member and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s director Dr. Paul Offit opine that these shots can be most helpful for three types of people – someone over 75 years of age, with a chronic ailment, or who has an immunity problem. He believes a healthy young population may not benefit much from it. While some interpreted that he suggests youngsters shouldn’t take the shots, he emphasized that it’s about low reward and risk. Further clarification included that these cannot prevent mild infection or even spread.
Some experts opine that boosters can only protect someone for a few more months from the mild infection before they lose their antibodies. Then, there is a need to research more to learn about the duration of the efficacy of the original three shots against deaths and severity.
As for some reality checks, 226 American counties face high community level COVID-19 risks, 1,005 others are in the medium-risk zone, and another 1,986 falls under the low-risk category. Weekly new cases average around 54,186, which is almost 10% lower than the previous 7-day count.
Simple practices to stay safe from COVID-19 severity.
According to a CU Boulder publication, lifestyle choices can help people protect themselves from severe infection and reduce post-coronavirus symptoms. The reputed health journal also suggests that modern living has affected biological mechanisms, making people vulnerable to the wrath of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. That’s why it’s necessary to make mindful choices that may help mitigate your risks and the long-term effects of the virus.
Food
What you eat goes to your microbes that control your immunity. A lack of a balanced diet can affect them. So, include fibrous vegetables and fruits suitable for your gut and lung health. Items like spinach, kale, canned sardines, canned corn, nuts, seeds, and whole grains can be healthy additions to your diet. The health experts also talk about making your food flavorful for microbiomes. You can eat your potatoes after spicing them up with rosemary, oatmeal with cinnamon, pumpkin-themed recipe with ginger and cloves, etc. If you like pasta or pizza, you can put some more oregano or fresh basil. At the same time, you can depend less on high-dose supplements.
Stress
Chronic stress can exhaust you and cause inflammation while disrupting gut health. Women usually suffer from more stress and ignore their diet and activities. For them, things like acupuncture, meditation, yoga, and therapies can be helpful. Even 5 to 10 minutes of deep breathing can also benefit the body and mind.
Rest & recovery
Regular exercises build immunity and control inflammation risks. But if you don’t allow your body to recover after an intense workout, you risk yourself COVID-19 infection. So, you must pause and recover. Not slowing down enough can be as risky as not moving enough. Know how much pressure your body can take and adjust your activities accordingly. The experts suggest that moderate exercises can also be enjoyable and beneficial. Walking, choosing stairs for climbing up and down, and other such things can make a difference.
Other decisions related to COVID-19 protection can be complicated, but lifestyle choices are under your control. So, make the most of your time and decision power.
