This summer, COVID-19 cases are rising across the US. Atracare’s Lewes & Ocean View Urgent Cares report a significant uptick in positive cases, due to the FLiRT strains of COVID-19. Here is what you need to know.

● COVID cases have increased this summer in the US, thanks in part to summer travel
and gatherings.
● Atracare’s Lewes & Ocean View Urgent Cares are seeing a large increase in COVID
positive patients.
● While Delaware has only seen a modest increase in COVID compared to other states, it
is considered substantial enough to warrant attention. Nationwide, the average share of
ER patients has increased 115% from a month ago.
● The best way to protect yourself against COVID is to get vaccinated, and to seek out
treatment if you are at an increased risk of severe disease.
● How can you tell if it is COVID or a cold?
○ Both COVID and the common viral cold can cause a runny nose, cough,
congestion and sore throat. However, body aches and high fevers are more
common with COVID and the flu.
○ At home antigen testing for COVID is the number one way to check for COVID.
These tests have a relatively high sensitivity and capture most cases when the
patient is symptomatic.

● References:
○ https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2022/01/it-flu-covid-19-allergies-or-cold#:~:text=You
%20may%20have%20a%20runny,cure%20for%20the%20common%20cold.
Accessed July 26, 2024.
○ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/map-covid-levels-states-summer-2024/.
Accessed July 26, 2024.

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