COVID & Mitigation
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19, is the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the leading federal public health agency responding to COVID-19.
Symptoms
People with COVID-19 reported a wide range of symptoms, according to the CDC. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC will continue to update this list as we learn more about COVID-19.
Emergent symptoms:
The CDC advises to look for emergency warning signs* for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Bluish lips or face
*This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility: Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19.
Vaccines
Vaccines in the US are highly effective
- The COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States are highly effective at preventing severe disease and death. But they are not 100% effective and some fully vaccinated people will become infected (called a breakthrough infection) and experience illness. For such people, the vaccine still provides them strong protection against serious illness and death.
How to mitigate the COVID-19 threat
- Wear a facemask to protect yourself and others;
- Stay physically distant from others (about 2 arm lengths)
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water.
- If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands).
Considerations on who should get tested
- People who have symptoms of COVID-19
- People who have had close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more) with someone with confirmed COVID-19.
- People who have been asked or referred to get testing by their healthcare provider, or state health department.
Not everyone needs to be tested. If you do get tested, you should self-quarantine or isolate at home pending test results and follow the advice of your health care provider or a public health professional.
Where to get information or assistance
- Winn Call Center: (912) 435-6633
- Nursing Advise line at 1-800-TRICARE (874-2273), option 1; www.tricare.mil
- State of Georgia’s hotline: 1-844-442-2681
- Additional information to determine if you need quarantine, testing or isolation is available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/.
TRICARE Test Search Tool
In addition, TRICARE offers a COVID-19 test online search tool at militaryrxexpress-scripts.com/find-pharmacy. If you are exhibiting mild COVID-19 symptoms, self-isolate and follow the above guidelines to schedule a test. COVID testing is not an emergency.
Additional information: