Senior News Line: Dealing with COVID … again

Here we go again. Not to be an alarmist, but COVID never did go away. It’s been creeping around, changing its composition, infecting people, staying one step ahead of medicine every step of the way.

And now it’s surging again, with the biggest rate of positive cases since January 2022, so says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC has been surprised because COVID has been worse this summer than last, calling this surge “very high” in most states and “high” in a dozen more.

And now with fall and winter on its way, we need to gear up and be ready to stay safe, again. In case you’ve forgotten:

• Wash your hands with antibacterial soap. That has to be the best method of keeping the germs out of your body. Plus, carry a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer in your pocket or purse and use it on grocery store cart handles.

• Wear a mask when you’re out in public places. Yes, I know, you’ll probably be the only one in the store with a mask right now, but remember that the Environmental Protection Agency says COVID particles can hang in the air for hours and transmit from person to person over six feet apart. Buy a box of masks if you don’t have plenty.

• Consider signing up for grocery delivery if they have it in your area. If not, and if you must shop, try to avoid crowds and busy shopping times.

• Use a sanitizing hand wipe to frequently clean your doorknobs, computer mouse, key fobs, remote controls and car steering wheel.

• By the time you read this, yet another vaccine booster should be out. Decide with your doctor if you should have that.