Given the ever-changing nature of the pandemic, many questions remain about how to stay safe. Here are 4 frequent ones:

Question 1     I received the vaccine, won’t that prevent me from getting the virus?

 The vaccines are incredibly effective at preventing serious infections but “breakthrough infections,” although believed to be unusual, are still possible. In fact, the CDC stated they were surprised to learn how many breakthrough infections have been occurring since many of them were hidden by their asymptomatic presentation (having no symptoms). The vast majority of these cases are mild, thankfully.  But, they also found that once infected, a vaccinated person appears to be just as likely to spread the virus.

Question 2     People who had a vaccine shot yet became infected, appear to be just as likely to spread the virus as people who are unvaccinated… how can this be?

Although the vaccine is extremely effective at limiting the severity of the virus, if one is infected, it appears that the virus can live and grow in abundance in the nasal passages of the infected person because the vaccine is only effective in knocking down the virus in the bloodstream of the body. So, unfortunately, if they catch the virus, those folks who have been vaccinated are just as likely to spread the disease as unvaccinated folk.

Question 3     “What if I think I have been exposed to COVID?”  

Contact your healthcare provider immediately. Tell them you were exposed to Covid-19 and have symptoms.

If you are positive:

• Stay at home and away from other people. 
• Separate yourself from other people and animals in your home. 
• Wear a face covering. 
• Cover your coughs and sneezes. 
• Clean your hands often. 
• Avoid sharing personal household items. 
• Clean all high-touch surfaces every day. 
• If you are very ill, call 911, and tell them that you are at risk for Covid-19 and have developed symptoms. Your local health department and ambulance service can help arrange safe transportation for you to get treated and keep you and those you love safe. 
• Also, if you attended church within a few days of exhibiting symptoms of the virus and/or received a positive test result, please call the church office 541-345-8741 so we can follow up with our contact tracing.

Question 4     If I’m not yet vaccinated, where can I get vaccinated?

Lane County Public Health is offering FREE drop-in vaccination clinics for all members of our community.  Visit https://lanecounty.org/cms/one.aspx?pageId=17388003 to see a list of upcoming clinics. If you need help accessing a vaccine appointment, let our church staff know and we can provide assistance.