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Why you need better masks and more Omicron FAQs

Doctor puts on PPE at COVID-19 testing site

While the pandemic feels like it’s dragging on forever, the world of COVID-19 is constantly morphing. New variants change the playing field and research works to keep up and shed light on the ever-developing situation. 

Standing at the front lines of this pandemic in motion is Tryon Medical Partners’ Dr. Jennifer Womack. Since the beginning, she’s helped lead Tryon’s COVID-19 response, from administering countless tests, to helping local companies keep workers safe and businesses running. 

As the Omicron variant has raged across the country and through the Carolinas, Dr. Womack has seen the positivity rate across Tryon testing facilities rise to a record at nearly 50%.

“Omicron is much more contagious as we see these off-the-charts numbers,” Dr. Womack says. “The sheer number of cases means hospitalization and death rates are up, but for the majority of vaccinated patients, they are having a milder illness. For unvaccinated patients, it’s far less predictable and we’ve seen more severe symptoms similar to the Alpha and Delta variants.”

So how do you protect yourself and your family against this highly contagious variant and what’s in store for the future? Dr. Womack shares the answers to frequently asked questions about Omicron. 


What kinds of masks best protect against Omicron?

Masks provide a spectrum of protection that varies from the kind you use to the quality of fit. When choosing your mask consider this:

  • Best protection: N95 masks
  • Good protection: KN95 masks
  • Less protection: Single-use surgical masks
  • Least protection: Cloth masks (though multi-layer cloth masks offer far better protection than thin masks like gaiters)

At the beginning of the pandemic, cloth masks were often the best option with PPE in short supply. Now, with more product available, it may be time to upgrade your masks. If N95 and KN95 masks are harder to come by for you, remember that the best time to use these is when you’ll be in a situation with longer-term indoor exposure, like on an airplane or at a sporting event sitting directly next to others. Dr. Womack helps her high-quality masks last a bit longer by wearing a cloth mask over top to keep exterior layers clean. Still, these masks are considered single-use for the healthcare workers who wear them all day as the seal between the air and your skin degrades.

With more limited, brief contact events like going to the grocery store or picking up coffee, wearing a cloth mask is reasonable. But the better mask you choose, the less likely you are to contract COVID.

“It’s just as important to choose a mask you’ll actually wear,” Dr. Womack says. “If you wear an N95 mask but are constantly pulling it down, it’s not going to do a quality job. Any mask that doesn’t cover the nose and mouth or that constantly falls down provides poor protection.”


What do the CDC’s new five-day quarantine policies mean?

After getting used to the 10-day quarantine policy, the CDC’s updated five-day guidelines have caused many questions from patients. First, it’s important to be clear about how to count what day you are on. For those who test positive, day zero is your first day of symptoms. For those who have been exposed, the first day after your exposure is day zero. No matter your situation, testing on day five is the best day.

Quarantine differs depending on your vaccination status and if you’ve tested positive versus been exposed. Let’s break it down:

  • If you’ve tested positive for COVID-19, no matter your vaccination status, isolate at home until day five. On days six through 10, you can leave isolution while wearing a mask around everyone, including your family. 
  • If you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 and are vaccinated (meaning you’ve been boosted, had two doses of Pfizer or Moderna within the last six months or one dose of Johnson & Johnson within the last two months) wear a mask around others for 10 days. If you develop symptoms, begin staying home.
  • If you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 and are unvaccinated (or you haven’t had a booster and your Pfizer or Moderna vaccines were over six months ago or your Johnson & Johnson vaccine was over one month ago) stay home for five days. After that, wear a mask around everyone, including family, for five days. 

It’s important to remember that the full contagious period of COVID-19 is 10 days so the gold standard is to isolate this entire time. If you work from home and can stay there, it’s best to observe quarantine for 10 days. If you are in a situation where the guidelines allow you to come out of isolation on day six and you must, remember this does not mean you are free to socialize or visit restaurants.

“This new guidance allows for necessary outings, like picking up groceries or medication, or for essential workers, like teachers and those in healthcare to return to work, all while wearing a mask,” Dr. Womack says.

These guidelines are broken down even further (plus you can print a copy) here.  


Should I trust the results of home antigen tests?

At-home rapid antigen tests, while not as accurate as PCR tests, allow patients to get results quickly from the comfort of home. 

“Keep in mind that the risk of a false-negative is much higher than the risk of a false positive,” Dr. Womack says.

As high as community spread is with Omicron, if you are exposed, have symptoms and receive a positive result on an at-home test, it isn’t necessary to confirm that with a PCR test. The best thing to do is stay home and begin quarantine. If you are exposed, have symptoms and receive a negative at-home result, there is a chance you may not have enough virus in your system yet to trigger a positive result. Stay home and test again in a few days with a rapid or PCR test. 


What’s coming next? Will there be more variants after Omicron?

While the internet has been abuzz with predictions of what is to come, Dr. Womack remains vigilant.

“We don’t know anything for sure,” she says. “It’s hard to know for certain what the next round will be like, so do the most cautious things you can. Right now, we have a very high community spread. Limit social events and distance while the wave is high. The inevitable next surges will be hard to predict, but we have to learn to make plans around them.”


If I catch COVID, should I pursue getting treatment like antivirals?

While the Alpha and Delta variants had multiple monoclonal antibody treatments that were effective at preventing severe COVID, Omicron is only responsive to one variety, which is difficult to come by in North Carolina. Most vaccinated patients will have a mild course of illness so available monoclonal treatments are only recommended for those at risk of severe sickness, like immunocompromised individuals undergoing chemotherapy. Those who are generally healthy are likely not candidates.


If I’ve had COVID-19, should I still get vaccinated and boosted?

Many patients wonder if getting vaccinated or boosted is still worthwhile after they’ve had COVID-19. The short answer is yes, absolutely. Vaccines are a key part of staying out of the hospital with a potential future infection. Just wait 30 days after you’ve had the virus.

“We don’t know what the next wave will be like,” Dr. Womack says. “Prepare your immune system for the worst possibility and do everything you can to protect yourself.”

Stay healthy by seeing your physician for annual exams and to manage all ongoing medical conditions. By staying connected, though slightly distanced and masked, we’ll all get to the other side.