Covid Informed

Frequently Asked Questions

We are glad that you recovered from COVID! Unfortunately, immunity from a previous infection doesn’t last for a long time, and you may get COVID again.

Therefore, it is very important to follow the safety practices including washing your hands frequently, wearing a face mask, and staying home away from others when you experience symptoms to reduce the risk of spread COVID.

Make sure to get tested if you feel sick again. 

The only proven way to build immunity against COVID is getting vaccinated. 


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It is totally understandable that you are more anxious and worried at this time. However, remember to take care of yourself. When you take care of yourself, you are also in a better position to help your loved ones.

Take care of your body. Eat balanced, nutritious meals. Exercise and take a walk. Set up a sleeping schedule and stick to it.

Consider taking a break from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including those on social media. Although it is important to keep up with the news, it is also important to take breaks from it

Avoid relying on alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs to manage your anxiety. Talk to your doctor if you want help quitting or reducing using these.

Don’t let misinformation impact your mental health! Here are some ways to identify and avoid misinformation:Be cautious of what you see on social media. People unknowingly share information that is incorrect.  Double-check that your sources of information are trustworthy. Websites such as CDC.gov and WHO.int are reliable and often a good place to start in looking for correct facts about COVID.

Reach out to friends and family. It is important to check in and share your concerns with your loved ones. They are just a phone/video call away.

Talk to your doctor and discuss your concerns, including feeling anxious and stressed.

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Smokers tend to develop more serious complications and have a higher rate of death if they get COVID. Smoking damages one’s lungs and weakens the immune system making it less able to fight off viruses. 

Similarly, E-cigarettes use damages lungs and the immune system. E-cigarette liquids include harmful chemicals, heavy metals, and fine particles. E-cigarettes or vapes are not safe. 

Smoking and vaping make it hard to adhere to safety measures such as wearing face masks. It also involves touching the face and mouth with hands repeatedly. Thus, stop all tobacco use, including e-cigarettes, completely. 

If you are concerned about COVID, this is a great time to quit smoking or vaping. 

Resources such as the Asian Smokers’ Quitline increase your chance to successfully quit tobacco use.  

  • 1-800-NO-BUTTS (English)
  • 1-800-838-8917 (Chinese)
  • 1-800-778-8440 (Vietnamese)  

To learn more about COVID and smoking, see this short (1.5-minute) video from TobaccoFreeCA:

Scientists warn that people who are exposed to secondhand smoke, especially children, are at greater risk of severe illness and complications if they get COVID.

Although more research is needed on whether secondhand smoke can directly spread COVID, we know that exposure to secondhand smoke can weaken the immune system, damage lungs, and cause respiratory illnesses and heart diseases – all of which increase the risks of more severe illness of COVID.  

Protect your family, friends, and children – don’t smoke or vape around them. 


Use this as an opportunity to quit smoking or vaping entirely! If you live with a smoker or vaper, help them quit.

Resources such as the Asian Smokers’ Quitline increase your chance to successfully quit tobacco use.  Non-smokers can call the Quitline to learn how to support their loved ones to stop smoking or vaping.
YES. If you have been around someone who has COVID and you have COVID symptoms, you should get tested and stay home. Your workplace or school may require you to continue testing. Follow the guidelines. 

COVID vaccines are effective at reducing the chance of being severely ill or dying from COVID. More research is needed to understand how long vaccines can protect people. 

Talk to your doctor if you have questions about testing after vaccination. 

Testing can help us find out if we have a current COVID infection so that we can protect ourselves and our loved ones!


Yes. There are at-home self-test kits or sample collection kits available via prescription or over the counter. 

Both PCR and antigen tests are available. 

PCR tests are more accurate but cost more and take longer (1-3 days) to get the results. PCR tests can cost about $100 and you may be eligible for insurance or, if uninsured, government funding to cover the cost. For most tests, you will be required to send your sample to the lab. 

Antigen tests are cheaper and fast (as fast as 15 minutes) but are less accurate and more likely to yield false negative results. They cost $25~40 from local pharmacies or online retailers. 


To stop the spread of COVID-19, testing plays a vital role.


More information: 



Some people may have some other illness like flu or cold, which may be reason for feeling sick despite a negative COVID test. 

But on a cautious side, it can be a “false negative” result: The test says you didn’t get infected with COVID, when in fact you have.

Ask your doctor if you should get tested again, especially if you feel sick. 

Continue practicing safe practices regardless of your test results to reduce the risk of spreading COVID:  wash your hands frequently, wear a face mask, and stay home away from others if symptoms continue. 


You can find out if you currently have COVID by taking a diagnostic test that checks specimens from your nose or mouth.
There are two types of diagnostic tests: 
  •  Molecular tests, including NAAT (Nucleic acid amplification test) or RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase chain reaction) test, detect genetic material from the virus. Molecular tests are more sensitive than antigen tests but may take longer time until you get a result (several hours to a couple of days). 
  •  Antigen tests detect specific proteins from the virus. Antigen test can be less expensive and return results more rapidly. However, they are less sensitive than molecular tests and may give false negative results – in other words, the test could not find the virus but in fact, you have COVID. 

Both types of tests are available from a healthcare or public health provider or via at-home testing kits. 

Your choice of test may also depend on your workplace requirements, or requirements for travel within or outside of the U.S. For travel requirements, refer to CDC Guidelines for Travel.
 

Learning if you currently have COVID or not is the first and most important step to protect others around you. 

For more information, see:

No. Being “careful” cannot completely prevent anyone from getting COVID.

Getting vaccination is the most effective way to protect yourself from getting very sick from COVID.

With more infectious variants of the COVID virus, unvaccinated people remain at high risk for COVID.

Talk with your doctor about the concerns you have.  The earlier you get vaccinated, the better you can protect yourself and your family!

 
More information:
Recent CDC guidelines recommend fully vaccinated people to wear masks in public indoor settings in areas of high transmission rates.  Some places still require everyone to wear a mask, including public transportation, schools and healthcare facilities regardless of vaccination status.

Be award that it takes at least a few weeks for your body to build immunity after vaccination, during which you may still get infected.  In addition, research suggests that vaccinated people can still spread COVID.  Therefore, we recommend:
  • Continue to wear a mask when possible – especially if you are with others who are not yet fully vaccinated. 
  • Continue to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face, and avoid large gatherings with people who don’t live with you. 
  • Don’t forget to get tested if you feel sick.

Wearing a mask is one of the most effective ways to protect others and yourself. 

All vaccines were shown to effectively prevent being severely ill from COVID.

Four companies have acquired approval or authorization from the FDA to be used in the U.S.: Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson. 

Most vaccines require two or more appointments with a few weeks in between. 

Additional doses or booster shots are recommended for those who are 5 years of age and older.

It is very important to follow the protocol to achieve maximum effectiveness, so please ensure to keep your appointments.  

For more Information:

Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is for educational purpose only. Given the fast-evolving situation of COVID-19, while the research team attempts to provide timely information on this website, please refer to the COVID-19 information website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html for the most updated guidelines. Always seek advice from your health care provider for specific recommendation pertaining to your health condition.