“I’m not testing for Covid. If I’m sick I’m sick. What difference does it make?”

It makes a big difference. You SHOULD be testing. There’s things you should do differently if it’s Covid.

Governments & public health aren’t informing you - but that doesn’t change reality.

First things first - if you’re positive - stay home. If it’s at ALL possible for you to isolate - do so.

CDC guidelines suggesting you can go back to work when you’re fever free make zero sense - they’re economically driven. If you’re positive - you’re contagious ..

If you share a home with others (pets included) isolate away from them. If you can stay in a room with an open window and a HEPA filter - there’s good odds you can reduce household transmission. Wear a fitted respirator in all shared spaces.

If you absolutely can’t stay home - if you don’t have paid time off or are being forced into work - for the sake of other people wear a mask.

The best mask you can afford that fits your face. A well fitted respirator offers excellent protection for you AND those around you

Rest! Rest as much as you can and when you think you’ve had enough rest - you should rest some more.

Even if you feel “all better”. Mental activity counts too - rest your brain and your body.

Studies suggest that resting while recovering reduces odds of Long Covid.

Keep a record of your infection. Document when you got it, how many days you were positive, severity of symptoms etc.

If you become disabled - this information could prove invaluable if you need social supports, disability, medical care etc.

Consider adding additional layers like Paxlovid or Metformin (if you qualify), CPC mouthwash and nasal sprays or irrigation to reduce viral load. Every little bit helps!

Many people say “well if you’re sick you should do these things anyways” and I don’t disagree. But covid isn’t like a cold or a flu. It’s more contagious, it’s killing and disabling a much larger number of people and precautions MUST be taken.

It’s a multi system vascular virus - and reinfections increase your risk of developing Long Covid.

If you care at all about other people - you should be testing so that at the bare minimum you can take steps to protect others.

I’ve had friends express how glad they are that they didn’t visit me after coming down with “not covid”. They say “this is SO bad it would have killed you.”

They can and do show concern for me - but don’t extend that to the other vulnerable people in society.

Keep testing. Confirm if it’s Covid. Take steps to protect yourself AND break chains of transmission. Don’t fall for the narrative that it’s “just another cold/flu”… it’s not.

That narrative is driven by economics and politics. Not by sound science or health policy.

The most radical thing we can do right now is wear a mask. Fight mask bans. Clean the air. Tell leaders that we’re done being sick all the time. We’re done with the minimizing.

We’re going to protect one another.

For more on how to prevent COVID in hospital (though the tips apply to most public settings) my full article on mitigations is here: disabledginger.com/p/how-to-st…

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How to Stay Covid Safe When in Hospital

A guide to navigating the risk of hospital acquired Covid - as well as how to manage overall risk of nosocomial infections and hospital derived complications.

^{Broadwaybabyto (The Disabled Ginger)}