{"669033":{"#nid":"669033","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Back to Class: Covid-19 Prevention Tips","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECovid-19 cases are rising nationwide. Although the community levels in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/prevent-getting-sick\/prevention.html\u0022\u003EFulton County remain low\u003C\/a\u003E, Dr. Benjamin Holton, senior director of Stamps Health Services, wouldn\u0027t be surprised if cases rise when people start gathering around our campus community in the next few weeks.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0022We\u0027ve seen a spike at the start of each semester since Covid-19 began. People come together and bring viruses with them. There\u0027s a lot of commingling, and it spreads from person to person, so we typically see a bump at the beginning of the semester. So far, that dissipates relatively quickly,\u201d he said. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAs the semester begins, his recommendations for all students include: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/vaccines\/stay-up-to-date.html#:~:text=Recommendation%20for%20Everyone%20Aged%206%20Years%20and%20Older\u0026amp;text=Everyone%206%20years%20and%20older,any%20original%20COVID%2D19%20vaccines.\u0022\u003EMake sure you\u2019re up to date on vaccinations\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/symptoms-testing\/testing.html\u0022\u003EGet tested\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;if you have\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/symptoms-testing\/symptoms.html\u0022\u003ECovid-19 symptoms\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIf exposed, follow \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/your-health\/if-you-were-exposed.html\u0022\u003Erecommendations\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EStay home when you\u2019re sick. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBecause Covid-19 can mimic a common cold or a variety of other illnesses, Holton specifically highlighted the importance of the guidance to stay home if you are experiencing a cough, sore throat, fever, runny nose, or other symptoms. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0022That is one of the most important things we can do to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses like the flu,\u201d he said. \u201cIsolating gives your body time to reduce your viral load enough to ensure you\u0027re not spreading the virus to those around you, and that\u0027s a key part of interrupting the transmission chain.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/your-health\/isolation.html\u0022\u003ECurrent CDC guidelines\u003C\/a\u003E include a five-day isolation period for those with mild illness and a 10-day period for those who experience moderate symptoms, including shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHolton stressed that those who are immunocompromised should wear a mask and take additional precautions to avoid exposure to Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses. While the federal Covid-19 public health emergency ended in May, Holton suggests that the virus is on track to become a seasonal virus similar to the flu. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s a real possibility that it\u2019ll be a seasonal virus, and not once a year like the flu tends to be, but maybe twice a year where we have a little bump, and we need to take more precautions,\u201d he said, noting that the community is better equipped to deal with surges due to availability of vaccines and natural immunity among the general public.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHolton recommends that students have several at-home tests on hand as the semester begins. Students experiencing symptoms can also get tested by making an appointment at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EStamps\u003C\/a\u003E. With the exception of psychiatry, all appointments there have returned to in-person as the health center continues to return to pre-pandemic operations.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAlong with offering Covid-19 vaccinations by appointment, Stamps will host walk-in flu vaccination clinics in October, with details to be announced early in the semester.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"As students return to campus, Covid-19 cases are rising nationwide. Here are some tips on how you can protect yourself. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAs students return to campus, Covid-19 cases are rising nationwide. Here are some tips on how you can protect yourself. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As students return to campus, Covid-19 cases are rising nationwide. Here are some tips on how you can protect yourself. "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2023-08-18 15:05:32","changed_gmt":"2023-08-18 16:24:16","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-08-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-08-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671425":{"id":"671425","type":"video","title":"Back to Class: Covid-19 Prevention Tips","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAs students return to the Georgia Tech campus, Covid-19 cases are rising nationwide. Here are some tips on how you can protect yourself from Dr. Benjamin Holton, senior director of Stamps Health Services.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1692375410","gmt_created":"2023-08-18 16:16:50","changed":"1692375410","gmt_changed":"2023-08-18 16:16:50","video":{"youtube_id":"zcB4mEj-LSU","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/zcB4mEj-LSU"}},"671424":{"id":"671424","type":"image","title":"Stamps Health Services","body":"\u003Cp\u003EStamps Health Services is located\u0026nbsp;within the Joseph Brown Whitehead Building on the Georgia Tech campus.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1692374181","gmt_created":"2023-08-18 15:56:21","changed":"1692374181","gmt_changed":"2023-08-18 15:56:21","alt":"Stamps Health Services","file":{"fid":"254480","name":"241289695_4271320359603829_4869953748305796703_n.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/18\/241289695_4271320359603829_4869953748305796703_n.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/18\/241289695_4271320359603829_4869953748305796703_n.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":197562,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/08\/18\/241289695_4271320359603829_4869953748305796703_n.jpg?itok=fxRevZYi"}}},"media_ids":["671425","671424"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/health.gatech.edu","title":"Stamps Health Services"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"184593","name":"Covid 19"},{"id":"123","name":"CDC"},{"id":"167128","name":"Stamps Health Services"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"},{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Communications Officer\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}