Dr. Paul Cieslak, OHA senior health advisor and medical director, Communicable Diseases and Immunizations, and Dr. Dean Sidelinger, OHA state health officer and state epidemiologist, answered today’s questions. We’ll continue to answer your questions in upcoming newsletters.
Q: Since physicians are urging everyone to wear masks in crowded indoor places to protect children, why haven’t there been any recommendations to wear masks in schools? – Patti, Sherwood
A: “Wearing a mask offers a person good protection from COVID-19, the flu, RSV and also other respiratory viruses. If you are sick, I encourage you to stay home, but even then, if you are around others, wearing a mask will help protect them. With respiratory viruses circulating at high rates throughout Oregon, I recommend wearing masks in crowded indoor spaces. For students, teachers and staff this may include schools. Individual students and their parents should look at their own risk factors and may consider wearing a mask, for now, in schools. OHA worked with the Oregon Department of Education to provide this guidance to schools as they communicate with families and staff about increased illnesses in their communities and to encourage people in schools to consider wearing masks to support health and in-person learning for their entire school community.”
Q: My husband and I received our 5th COVID-19 vaccine Sept. 22. Should we be getting another six months from then? I've read about the new strain and wonder if there will be a new vaccine targeting that or if we should just get an additional booster. Thank you. – Wendy, Eugene
A: “If your most recent vaccine was the bivalent booster (which it was since no other booster was available starting Sept. 2), no additional COVID-19 vaccine doses are currently authorized for you. Time will tell whether new variants or post-booster waning of immunity are leading to serious illnesses and hospitalizations; in the event that they are, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may indeed recommend another bivalent shot in the coming months.”
Q: Do you have any ideas for help with problems with nose running under KN95/KF94 masks? I've tried various allergy tablets and use a nasal inhaler (fluticasone), and I have tried Afrin. Because I have to go outside often to blow my nose, I've not been able to see my doctor nor get my hair cut. – Lynn, Eugene
A: “Sorry that you’re having this problem – it's a tough issue. If your nose running is due to allergic symptoms, either from seasonal allergies or from something in the mask, you could ask your doctor about potential treatments, of which several are possible, and maybe they will agree to see you via video call. Otherwise, I wouldn’t advise that you medicate it. In particular, one shouldn’t take oxymetazoline (Afrin) for more than three days.”
If you have questions about topics related to COVID-19, submit your question here. While we are unable to answer every question, we try to address questions that may be of interest to a broader audience. Please understand we are unable to provide specific medical advice for personal medical conditions.
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