The Whole View, Episode 493: How to Prepare for Omicron Covid-19 Infection

Welcome to episode 493 of The Whole View! This week, Dr. Sarah and Stacy discuss what you can do to prepare for the new Omicron Variant of Covid-19. This is the second of a two-part episode, so be sure to check out last week’s episode for the science behind Omicron and how it compares to other variants.

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Key Takeaways

  • As a reminder, Stacy and Dr. Sarah are not here to tell you what to do with your health, wellness, and body or how to do it. They present this information for the sole purpose of keeping you informed so you can make the best decision for you and your health. They are not medical professionals, so be sure to include a primary care doctor in any medical decisions you make.
  • As discussed in last week’s episode, the Omicron Variant is (mis)regarded as “milder” due to a decrease in symptom severity. However, that does not mean you want to get it. Omicron is still very new, and we don’t have a lot of variant-specific data just yet, especially in terms of Long Covid. But if you do catch it, don’t feel guilty about it!
  • Studies from the last year show Long Covid rates are actually very high. It’s also likely Long Covid is more than just one thing, including damage from Microclots, a triggered autoimmune disease, and/or persistent infection. We don’t know if the risk is as high with Omicron, but we do know we can still get Long Covid even after mild or breakthrough infections.
  • If we ignore symptoms on long-covid or shrug them off and not talk to a doctor about them, there could be long-term impacts we’re not even aware of. Doctors may have suggestions or advisements to help improve your overall quality of living while you heal. Also, documentation is necessary because that’s what scientists use to keep up and understand what’s going on, the scope of the issue, and how we can fix things.
  • The best way to prepare yourself for Omicron is to get vaccinated and boosted. If you’re unsure if vaccination is right for you, talk to your doctor and strategize an alternative that works best for your situation. Also, wear N95 or KN95 masks and avoid high-risk activities like large, indoor, and unmasked events and large unvaccinated groups (where Covid can spread from person-to-person faster).
  • Optimize Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc, and Magnesium levels, and prioritize nutrient sufficiency with fruits and vegetables to help improve Long Covid symptoms. Also, be sure you’re getting enough high-quality sleep and plenty of activity.
  • It’s important to reiterate that this is not a “fat person” disease. Being overweight does not automatically make you unhealthy, nor does being “normal weight” make you automatically healthy. We’ve seen far too many young, healthy, and fit people die from Covid-19.
  • Work with your doctor to manage your comorbidities that covid can influence and reduce any high-risk habits like smoking, drinking, etc. Have a thermometer and oximeter in your house and some at-home test kits (if you can get them) for early diagnosis. Find free Covid test kits here.
  • If you get sick, make sure you get tested early (especially if you’re considered high-risk) and isolate to reduce your spread contribution. Get plenty of rest and high-quality sleep, and be sure to hydrate! There’s not much science on the benefit of supplements while you have covid, but it’s unlikely to hurt.
  • Many experts agree Omicron will most likely become endemic, meaning low levels of it will be circulating through the public at all times. We still don’t know how long immunity lasts after natural or breakthrough infection of Omicron. Don’t try to get it- better tools are coming (like antivirals and a potentially omicron-specific booster).

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