COVID-19 cases are rising—here's how to stay safe

As we move into fall, flu season is upon us once more and COVID-19 and influenza cases are expected to see an uptick. Not helping matters is the fact that the rollout of vaccines has been hampered by various factors, including insurance denials. Getting the new COVID-19 booster vaccine is recommended for everyone, particularly those with compromised immune systems. Beyond getting a vaccine, there are other ways that you can take caution and protect yourself and others from illness. Here's what to know of the latest COVID variant making the rounds and ways to stay safe.

Symptoms of the new COVID variant Pirola

Symptoms that are found across COVID-19 variants, including Pirola, include:

• Runny or stuffy nose

• Headache

• Fatigue

• Sneezing

• Sore throat

• Coughing

• Changes to sense of smell

Products to protect yourself from the new COVID variant Pirola

A mask

COVID-19 most commonly spreads via breathing in COVID-19 particles spewed by infected individuals. As such, the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 remains wearing a mask, specifically a KN95 or N95 mask, which effectively block 95% of airborne particles, including the ones responsible for the transmission of COVID-19.

A COVID-19 test

Symptoms of COVID-19 often overlap with other viruses such as influenza or the common cold. Furthermore, you might not display symptoms if you’ve contracted COVID-19. For both these reasons, it’s a good idea to use an at-home rapid COVID-19 test to see where you stand if you’re feeling under the weather or if you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

Hand sanitizer

COVID-19 can also be spread by touching your eyes, nose, or mouth after touching a surface coated with COVID-19 particles. With this in mind, it’s good practice to wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer when you cannot.

A thermometer

Running a fever is one of the many symptoms of COVID-19, so if you feel yourself uncomfortably hot for no discernible reason, you should break out the thermometer. Our pick for the best thermometer you can buy is Femometer’s Digital Infrared Thermometer, since it gives accurate results in an instant.

An electric kettle

Sipping a cup of tea can work wonders when you’re sick. To brew tea quickly and easily while you’re sick, we recommend using a quality electric kettle such as our favorite, the Cuisinart PerfecTemp. This kettle is intuitive to use, has several presets to make brewing even simpler, and boasts the fastest brewing times of the kettles we’ve tested.

An air purifier

A quality air purifier can filter pollutants from your home, including the ones responsible for COVID-19. Beyond COVID, an air purifier eliminates pollutants that can contribute to allergies and lung complications, making it a good investment for the home. The best we’ve tested is the Blueair Blue Pure 311i Max. This quiet purifier boasts excellent particle filtering, simple controls, and a washable prefilter, which reduces the frequency and cost of filter changes.

A sleep mask

Getting plenty of restful sleep will help you recover if you find yourself sick with COVID-19. If you need to sleep during the day (which you often do when you’re sick) we recommend using a sleep mask such as the one sold by Mzoo. This mask is the best we’ve tested, and it's great at blocking light. Unlike other sleep masks, it doesn’t put any pressure on your eyes.

Tissues

Make sure you throw your used tissues into isolated trash bags to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. To make the experience less uncomfortable, we recommend using the best tissues we’ve tested, Puffs Ultra Soft, which we love for their durability and, of course, softness.

A pressure cooker

Using a pressure cooker, you can keep the chicken soup flowing even when all you want to do is lie in bed. The best pressure cooker we’ve tested is the Ninja Foodi OL701 which cooks well, has lots of features, and is easy to clean.

A weighted blanket

Another way to make sure you get the rest you need if you’re infected with COVID-19 is to use a weighted blanket. Studies show that using weighted blankets can lead to easier and more restful sleep. The best weighted blanket we’ve tested is the Gravity Blanket because it’s easy to clean, durable, and provides the perfect amount of pressure.