NOTE: This article does not constitute medical advice and is provided for information purposes only. Please consult your doctor or emergency medical services in case you experience emergent medical symptoms.

Fort Worth Pharmacy is not currently providing Covid-19 vaccinations but we are here to answer your most commonly asked questions about the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19. Covid is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus. The disease was discovered after an outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. It’s been responsible for tens of millions of infections globally, causing well over 2 million deaths.

The United States is the most affected country to date with over 33-million cases and 594,000 deaths. As of June, 2021 Texas has had 2.97-million cases and 52,147 deaths due to Covid. Tarrant County has had 262K cases and 3,543 deaths due to Covid.

Covid Prevention

Researchers are working on creating more treatments for the disease but the best medical advice is to avoid potential infections and get a vaccination.

Here are some precautions you can take to prevent contracting this virus:

Disinfectants and antibacterial sanitizers

Wash your hands often;
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands;
Use a tissue instead of coughing or sneezing into your hand (or onto others);
Dispose of tissues after each use by putting them in an airtight container and then tossing them in the trash;
Do not touch any surface that could have water droplets on it without using gloves or other protective measures.

Keep reading to learn more about the current treatment options and what to do if you develop symptoms.

Current Treatments for COVID-19

*Coronavirus infection impacts lung function.*

The FDA has also granted emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for some medications. EUAs allow products that haven’t received FDA approval to be used in circumstances where there are no suitable FDA-approved alternatives. The COVID-19 medications that have received EUAs are Remdesivir, Bamlanivimab, Etesevimab, and Imdevimab. The other medications are all intended for people who’ve been hospitalized or are at risk for hospitalization.

Physician Referral for COVID

Are you looking for a specialist who can provide the specialized knowledge you need for COVID? We are pleased to provide a referral for Doctors who are treating COVID infections and long COVID symptoms. Call us at 817-361-9960.

Covid Vaccination Options in Fort Worth, Texas

There are different COVID-19 vaccination options available in Fort Worth, Texas. However, you are not likely to be allowed to choose your vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine that you’ll receive depends on different factors such as your age, availability at that time, and your location. But remember that all COVID-19 vaccines have clinically shown to give protection against the reaction of coronavirus infections.

Coronavirus Variants in Fort Worth, Texas

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services variants of the Covid-19 Coronavirus have been confirmed to be active and spreading. As of this writing, there have been four cases confirmed in Dallas County. Three people have died, and those who survived were all hospitalized for a long time.

There is no specific vaccine available yet for Covid-19 variants but existing vaccines are still highly effective against them and are your best protection. You can protect yourselves by wearing masts around those who are unvaccinated or in dense crowds. We also recommend continuing to use washing your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

How to Protect Others

Stay home if you are sick
- Unless medical care is needed, the safest way to protect others is to stay home.
Cover coughs and sneezes
- Cough and sneeze into your elbow, to prevent any particles from transferring to another person through touch.
Wash your hands
- Use warm, soapy water, and wash for at least 20 seconds.
Wear cloth face coverings in public settings
- Especially in places like grocery stores and other communal areas where it is hard to maintain social distancing.
  - Recent studies have shown that coronavirus patients can be asymptomatic (lack any symptoms of the disease), so face coverings are important.
Use non-contact methods of greeting, rather than handshaking to prevent spread of virus

At-Home Coronavirus Treatment

The most important thing you can do is to avoid infecting other people, especially those who are over 65 or who have other health problems. Symptoms begin 2 to 14 days after you come into contact with the virus.

Early studies show that many people who have mild infections recover within 2 weeks. More severe cases tend to last 3 to 6 weeks. If your symptoms are mild enough you can recover at home, you should but again you must stay away from others.

Coronavirus Frequently Asked Questions

What helps, what doesn’t, and what’s in the pipeline?

Most people who become ill with COVID-19 will be able to recover at home. Getting enough rest, staying well hydrated, and taking medications to relieve fever and aches and pains also help. The FDA has also authorized treatments that may be used for people who have been hospitalized with the disease. Scientists continue working hard to develop other effective treatments for people with the flu with the drug. For more information, visit www.fda.com/medicare.org for more information.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms may not appear for up to two weeks. If you feel you may have been exposed, please exercise caution when considering leaving home.

Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath

Who is most at risk?

Older Adults
People with underlying health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease)

Who should be tested?

Most people will have mild illness and can recover at home without medical care and may not need to be tested.
CDC has guidance for who should be tested, but decisions about testing are made by state and local health departments or healthcare providers.
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and want to get tested, call your healthcare provider first.
You can also visit your state or local health department’s website to look for the latest local information on testing.

What should you do if you think you have COVID-19 symptoms?

If you think you have COVID-19 symptoms, you shouldn’t leave your home and immediately isolate yourself even if you’re experiencing mild symptoms like flu, cough, mild fever, or headache until you fully recover. That’s the first step to treat covid 19 has helped people recover. Take plenty of rest, as it will also help reduce the risk of developing an infection or related symptoms.

If your symptoms persist and become severe with breathing problems and high fever, you should instantly consult doctors. Call your local healthcare authority or hospital. Moreover, you should keep yourself updated with the latest developments and data from reliable sources like WHO.

You Have Coronavirus — Now What Happens?

The first thing that you need to understand about Coronavirus is, it attacks and weakens your respiratory system. When COVID-19 attacks your body and immune system, your body gives any one of the two reactions:

Mild to moderate reaction accompanied by flu, coughing, body ache, mild fever, headache, sneezing, diarrhea, or loss of sense of taste and smell. When you have this reaction, isolate yourself in a separate room for at least ten days and stay away from others in your home.
A severe reaction may include intense coughing, tightness in the chest, appetite loss, breath shortness, loss of taste and smell, sweating, and body aches. In case of a severe reaction, you should immediately get hospitalized as the condition may need intensive medical care.

Should My Children Get the COVID Vaccine?

Yes, you should consider getting your children vaccinated. Although the symptoms of COVID-19 among children are milder as compared to adults, some kids can develop conditions and complications that can have a serious impact on their overall health and well-being.

Is Redemsvir or Hydroxychloroquine approved for treating coronavirus disease?

Redemsvir or Hydroxychloroquine is the first FDA-approved antiviral drug for the treatment of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This broad-spectrum antiviral medicine is indicated for treating COVID-19 among children of age ten years and older and hospitalized adults.

What Are Coronavirus Variants?

As corona is a virus, and like other viruses, it continually undergoes mutation, which increases the possibility of new variants’ occurrence. Currently, there are five noteworthy COVID-19 variants in the USA, which include:

B.1.1.7
B.1.351
P.1
B.1.427
and B.1.429

Should You Get Vaccinated if You’ve Had COVID-19?

If you already have had COVID-19, your body has naturally developed immunity against the virus. But at present, you don’t know for how long it’ll provide you protection from the coronavirus. So WHO highly recommends getting vaccinated even if you’ve had contracted the coronavirus unless your doctor recommends against it.

Where can I find more information?

We have many helpful articles below that have been tracking the COVID-19 pandemic. You can also find more information about how to stay safe in this unprecedented time at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html