COVID Mistakes Worth Avoiding

Here's a good article by Beth Ann Mayer that should be handed out to patients in every doctor's office. It's just common sense, but too many people seem to be lacking common sense.

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The Common Mistake That Increases Your Risk of Catching COVID Twice This Season. Four doctors agree: This COVID mistake is worth avoiding.

Apr 19, 2026 8:25 AM EDT

Key points:  

• COVID-19 still poses risks, especially to vulnerable populations, despite life largely returning to normal.
• One action in particular increases risk of COVID reinfection, especially with emerging variants.
• Doctors advise vaccination, good hygiene, testing and staying home when sick to prevent spread.

"Back in the spring of 2020, we dreamt of a day when COVID would be gone. The reality is that isn’t how the virus played out, and we now live with it. Life has long returned to normal since those dark days six years ago, but that doesn’t mean doctors want people to wave off the virus.

“While it is not as deadly as it was early in the pandemic, COVID-19 can still result in hospitalizations and even death among older individuals and those with significant comorbidities, such as those with advanced lung, heart, liver or kidney disease and those who are immunocompromised,” explains Dr. Jimmy Johannes, MD, a pulmonologist and critical care medicine specialist at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center.

"COVID-19 also doesn’t go away once winter ends, though that is typically when hospitalizations and infections peak.

“We tend to talk more about COVID during flu season because respiratory viruses spread more easily in the colder months,” says Dr. Mike Richardson, MD, a family physician. “We continue to see cases and even outbreaks in the spring and summer. It can circulate year-round, but we typically see higher peaks in the fall and winter.”

"Dr. Richardson says that one of the biggest mistakes he sees people make is understimating COVID.

“I often see COVID trigger prolonged breathing issues in people who had asthma earlier in life. This is not just a week or two of symptoms,” Dr. Richardson explains. “Recovery can take months. The challenge is that it is hard to predict who will be affected this way. Because of that uncertainty, the best strategy is still to avoid getting infected in the first place.”

"Doctors say that there’s another common mistake that increases your risk of getting COVID twice this season. Here’s what it is and the simple way to avoid it.

Not getting vaccinated can raise your risk of getting COVID-19 twice in a season.

“Because COVID mutates around our immune response to prior exposure, it is very important to get the best, most up-to-date vaccine for the best protection against infection,” explains Dr. Linda Yancey, MD, an infectious disease specialist at the Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston.

"Another physician agrees. “Skipping vaccination leaves your immune system less prepared to recognize and fight the virus,” explains Dr. Raj Dasgupta, MD, the chief medical advisor for Sleepopolis. “Vaccines strengthen the body’s immune memory, so unvaccinated individuals have a higher risk of reinfection, especially with evolving variants that partially escape immunity from past infections.”

"Indeed, a not-new but previously dormant variant, Cicada, is currently under surveillance by the CDC and other major health organizations. The new variant matters, whether you’ve gotten COVID this season or not.

“COVID-19 reinfections can happen,” Dr. Johannes notes. “While an infection can protect against another infection, waning immunity over weeks to months and the possibility of changing variants can lead to reinfection, especially for those with a weakened immune system. The COVID-19 vaccine can reduce the risk of getting COVID-19 infection and reinfection.”

"In fact, JAMA Network Open research suggests that reinfection risk is higher among people who remained unvaccinated than in those individuals who rolled up their sleeves.

"Now, doctors agree that the COVID-19 vaccine doesn’t prevent reinfection or infection (though it can). “In the best-case scenario, vaccination helps prevent infection altogether,” Dr. Richardson explains. “If you do get infected, it can reduce the severity of symptoms and lower the risk of spreading it to others. It is not perfect protection, but it is a strong and effective layer of defense.”

"Your primary care doctor can advise you on the best frequency for COVID-19 boosters based on your health and risk factors.

"Doctors say a multi-layered approach is still best for avoiding COVID-19 infections and reinfections (and protecting your community). Besides staying up to date on vaccinations, doctors advise people to:

• Wash your hands. Dr. Johannes calls good hand hygiene “probably the most practical and reliable way to reduce the risk of getting COVID-19 infection.”
• Get tested. Dr. Johannes suggests getting tested if you suspect you have COVID-19, especially if you’re at a higher risk for severe illness, such as because of your age or underlying conditions. “Testing for COVID-19 early and seeking treatment with an antiviral treatment, such as Paxlovid, can reduce the severity of illness and reduce the risk of complications or hospitalization,” Dr. Johannes says.
• Stay home if you’re sick. Remember, we’re all on the same team. Sometimes, you need to return to a life that isn’t normal to protect others. “Don’t ignore early symptoms and continue normal activities, spend extended time in enclosed spaces when transmission risk is high or return to work or social settings too soon when you are still symptomatic and have a fever,” Dr. Richardson says.

"In short, get vaccinated. And if you feel sick? Stay home and rest up. If you are sick and coughing or sneezing, wearing a mask can also help reduce transmission until you are no longer contagious."