The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a full library of resources available here.
If you are sick, you can find details on what to do and how to stay safe and protect your family here.
According to the CDC, it’s important to isolate yourself in order to protect others.
Most people with COVID-19 are able to recover on their own. Over-the-counter medications such as fever-reducers, cough suppressants and saline nose spray may help alleviate discomfort.
You can monitor your symptoms with this tracker.
If unvaccinated, others in your home should quarantine and monitor symptoms. If symptoms like fever, coughing or shortness of breath occur, the individual should be tested.
If your child (under the age of 18) needs to be tested, you must first obtain a provider referral via a virtual pediatric visit. Once that is received, he or she can be tested at any Memorial Hermann Urgent Care. Children ages 6 months and younger can only be tested at Memorial Hermann Urgent Care West University.
Per the CDC, if you're vaccinated and you’ve had close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested 3-5 days after your exposure, even if you don’t have symptoms. You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until your test result is negative. You should isolate for 10 days if your test result is positive.
Learn what the CDC says about when to seek medical attention here.
You should seek emergency care if you show signs of respiratory or cardiac distress. These include:
*This list is not all possible symptoms.
Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you. To find a physician, call (713) 222-CARE (2273) or click to schedule online.
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.
The CDC has recommendations on when you can begin to see others. Learn more here.
We’re here to help. Our Nurse Health Line is free and open 24/7 at 1 (855) 577-7979
The CDC has additional resources on how to protect yourself and others here.
As we approach the peak of hurricane season, it's crucial to ensure that you and your family are prepared for potential storms. Houston's unique location on the Gulf Coast makes it particularly vulnerable to hurricanes, which can bring heavy rainfall, flooding and strong winds.
With the introduction to the COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020, the research, development and science behind vaccines has become a household topic like never before.
When winter comes, it sometimes brings along an unwelcome gift: cough, congestion, and a runny or stuffy nose.
The bad news: omicron subvariants have continued to spawn and spread even faster than the highly contagious omicron itself.
Some people get COVID-19 and barely notice it. Others land in the ICU fighting for their lives. Why is that? COVID pneumonia—when the two diseases merge—often may be to blame.
A promising drug for COVID-19 treatment is Paxlovid. In fact, for those vulnerable to being severely sick, this antiviral pill can lower their chances of being hospitalized or dying.
By now you may know someone—if not several people—with omicron, the latest and fastest spreading strain of COVID-19.
A new COVID-19 variant, omicron, has reached the USA’s horizon.
Now that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine has been approved for emergency use in children ages 5 to 11, you may have questions.
You may be worried that your immunity against COVID-19 is dwindling. If you were fully vaccinated more than 6 months ago, it may be, says Binita Patel, PharmD, MS, vice president of pharmacy services at Memorial Hermann Health System.
The flu may have been less threatening last year, but that’s thanks to many of us staying at home much of the fall and winter of 2020.
Booster shots are here for some, on the horizon for others and a relief for all. Right now the focus is those who are 65 years of age, older residents in long-term care settings, those who are immunocompromised and those at increased risk for occupational COVID-19 exposure.
Using ring-worm drugs intended for animals to treat or thwart COVID-19 is a load of manure.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today fully approved use of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine—with no reservations.
Pregnant women are among the most vulnerable to COVID-19—and the least vaccinated.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the CDC have approved booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines for moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals.
Your kids have been your priority since the first time you held them in your arms. Now the COVID-19 Delta variant is spreading as their in-school classes approach.
These are scary times—especially if you face sending your unvaccinated children back to in-person school or daycare while COVID-19’s Delta variant lurks.
While COVID-19 was initially considered a respiratory illness, it soon became apparent that COVID-19 could affect multiple organs within the body, including the heart—and even in those who were asymptomatic for COVID-19 and/or who had no prior heart problems. What’s more, those heart issues can l...
As if having COVID-19 weren’t enough, nearly one-quarter of individuals who recover from their initial COVID-19 infection suffer from at least one persistent, recurrent or new symptom 30 days after their initial COVID-19 diagnosis, a recent study found.
The news is getting around—as is the fast and fierce Delta strain of the coronavirus. And yes. Even the vaccinated can test positive for it.
With new cases surging nearly 70 percent in a single week due to Delta, now is the time to get vaccinated against COVID-19 if you haven’t already, reports the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine already scores an A+ for people 16 and older. But now that it’s available for 12-to-15 year-olds, you may wonder if the vaccine’s safety makes the grade for your children.
You’re surely eager to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind you. But if you or your children are not vaccinated, not so fast. The latest coronavirus villain—the Delta variant—has proven to be the fastest and most infectious spreader.
Great news: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration have approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 12- to 15-years old and the vaccine’s efficacy is 100 percent for that age range.
Research gives the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine an A+ for children ages 12 to 15 years old. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve it for that age group soon.
It’s still being debated whether employers, airlines, schools, daycares, restaurants, sports arenas, assisted living facilities, foreign countries or others could or should bar entrance to those who don’t prove they’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Fact: By the end of this day, 17 Americans will die waiting for an organ transplant. They’re among the 107,000 children, women and men currently standing by on the national transplant waiting list. By year’s end, only 39,000 will get an organ.
Today, doctors and many top health agencies are urging pregnant women as well as new or prospective moms to get vaccinated. So, what gives? We’ve got the real deal on what’s led to this change in tune endorsed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Obstetri...
Superwoman has nothing on you. Even before the pandemic, you seemingly did it all. But then COVID-19 came along. Suddenly, you may have felt trapped amid chaos and cramped spaces—while also being stripped of grandparents, teachers, family friends and other key players.
If you need another reason to get the vaccine, here’s a big one: A taste of freedom. The CDC’s new guidelines say, once fully vaccinated, you will be free to enjoy some liberties we once took for granted.
How is the vaccine different from the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines? How effective is the new vaccine? How does the vaccine work? We answer these questions and more.
It’s okay if feel uncertain about getting a COVID-19 vaccination. It’s only natural to be unsure of something so new. So, what is the real deal on the claims you’ve heard? Read on as we separate fact from fiction.
You don’t like needles. Plus you’re anxious about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines—or the exposure of waiting in line to get one. We hear you. Here are answers to common COVID-19 vaccine questions from infectious disease experts.
COVID-19 can cause uncomfortable symptoms, long-term disabilities or death—and there is no way to know how it would affect you. Even before you know you’re sick, you could spread the disease to family, friends and others. The results could be tragic.
If one mask is good, are two or three even better? When it comes to double-masking against COVID-19, the answer is yes, says Linda Yancey, MD, infectious disease specialist at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital and Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center.
We eat; therefore, we are. Eating is not just sustenance, but also a source of joy and comfort. So, if you lose your sense of taste and smell, even temporarily, you may feel lost or confused about what to eat and how much.
Lethargy, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances and extreme light or sound sensitivity from migraines may send you to bed. But you don’t have to take these headaches lying down.
A far more contagious coronavirus variant—first spotted in the United Kingdom—has arrived in Houston, Harris County Public Health officials say. B.1.1.7, as it’s called, is up to 70 percent more contagious than other variants of the coronavirus.
In one week we’ve gone from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommending one coronavirus vaccine to two. So how does newcomer Moderna compare to Pfizer vaccine? And what does that mean for you?
After nine months in a pandemic, the news of a COVID-19 vaccine brings welcomed relief and hope. But, as you make decisions for yourself or your family, the news can feel overwhelming. Memorial Hermann is here to help.
As we’ve seen throughout the pandemic, there is conflicting information about the coronavirus—and now the COVID-19 vaccine—online. Here are five common myths about the vaccine that you should know the truth about.
You may think you got off lightly with a minor bout of COVID-19. But the coronavirus may not be done with you—even if tests say otherwise. The latest research indicates a devastating second act for some survivors due to damage from COVID-19 — or the body’s response to it.
Houston temperatures are dropping, but the number of COVID-19 cases are rising. What is causing this surge and what can we do to stay safe?
Most people know that the immunocompromised and elderly are at higher risks for serious health complications related to COVID-19, but health professionals now emphasize another risk factor: teen vaping. Here's why.
When we hit the road, we hope to escape. But wherever we go, COVID-19 already has arrived. So how do we stay safe?
It’s easy to get stressed out when hair strands clog your shower drain or cover your brush. Some hair loss is normal. Both sexes shed 50 to 100 hairs daily–out of 100,000 hairs on our scalps. But if you’re concerned or experiencing heavier hair loss, see your dermatologist or p...
A healthy pregnancy starts before conception. Smart choices with nutrition, exercise and daily habits are the building blocks your baby needs to have the best start possible.
Organizing and preparing your home for a newborn goes beyond picking out color-coordinated bedding for the nursery. Especially during the pandemic, taking steps to ensure your home is clean and safe is one of the most important things you can do. A little advance planning goes a long way....
As time has progressed, we’ve learned more about COVID-19. And not all of the developments have been encouraging. For those without a medical degree, Dr. Annamaria Macaluso Davidson explains terms and expectations for antibodies, vaccines and herd immunity—and how scientist...
As we approach the peak of hurricane season, it's crucial to ensure that you and your family are prepared for potential storms. Houston's unique location on the Gulf Coast makes it particularly vulnerable to hurricanes, which can bring heavy rainfall, flooding and strong winds.
The pains of working from home extend beyond having kids and animals interrupt your focus and phone calls by entering your “work” space.
While the effects of COVID-19 on the respiratory system, including the lungs, are well known, doctors and scientists are discovering that the virus also directly and indirectly impacts the cardiovascular system, including the heart, often with devastating effects. It's such a novel virus. But one...
Wearing a mask has become part of our daily routine. Unfortunately, myths about this important safety measure have become common, too. Dr. Linda Yancey, MD, infectious disease specialist at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital helps us sort fact from fiction.
We are all tired of hearing about COVID-19. And, it’s not uncommon to feel drained from watching the never-ending news reports, statistics and graphs, and wondering when life will be normal again. After months of dealing wi...
You’ve been exposed to COVID-19. Now what? Here’s what you need to know according to Dr. Halie Shah at Memorial Hermann Medical Group Clear Lake.
During the global pandemic, you may be wondering: is it safe to go into a healthcare provider’s office or clinic? How do you recover from delivery while avoiding COVID-19? How do you keep your baby healthy?
With onsite classes set to start this fall—and camps and daycare already open—you must do your homework to decide what’s right for your family during the coronavirus crisis.
If your fitness routine has moved from the gym to your living room, here are tips on how to break a sweat without the fancy equipment.
If the pandemic—and related fears—have impacted your mental and physical health, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s normal.
“Wash your hands!” In the past, you may have told that to your kids—before meals—just as your parents told you. But the rules have changed with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thanks to COVID-19, our stress—and comfort food consumption—may be off the charts. That’s why tummy troubles could be a regular but unwelcome guest in your home
Certain groups, including older people and people of all ages with serious underlying health conditions, including obesity, are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Is there a relationship between COVID-19 (or SARS-COV-2, the new coronavirus that causes it) and stroke? What can you do to help protect yourself from stroke, during the pandemic or anytime? What measures are hospitals taking to help ensure patients receive care quickly and safely?
While it’s uncertain when sports programs will rebound, things will eventually return to normal, albeit likely a different normal. What can athletes do now to try to maintain their edge? And how can they safely return, once programs resume?
Anxiety, fear, sadness, loneliness, disappointment, depression. Your children may be dealing with such feelings in the COVID-19 crisis.
Now that some restrictions are being lifted, we can look toward resuming our normal lives. Memorial Hermann–affiliated physicians remind us that early detection is important, and taking time for routine health screenings should be a priority.
As summer approaches, stay-at-home orders are lifted and we begin to shift to a new normal, how can we protect our older loved ones, including our parents and grandparents? Memorial Hermann Medical Group Fairfield’s primary care family medicine physician, Toni Odumosu, MD, offers tips for k...
If we’ve formed new habits, which should we keep, and which should we kick? And how should we go about breaking new bad habits?
Your workouts may have taken a backseat these past few months, but not to worry. Here's how to safely resume an exercise routine.
Quarantine fatigue has taken its toll. We’ve watched everything on Netflix, planted our spring gardens and reorganized every drawer and cupboard in the house. We’re more than ready to spend quality time—in person—with family and friends. As stay-at-home restrictions begin ...
It’s time to get back to the basics of good health. Although we are still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians are taking precautions to safely resume preventive care, both in their offices and virtually, with telehealth audio and video options.
Life will never be the same for children who grew up in the COVID-19 era—and that’s challenging. But parents can help their children understand and adjust to the new normal.
Masks can keep you from infecting others with the coronavirus via invisible airborne droplets when you cough, sneeze or breathe. You may be contagious even if you don’t have any symptoms.
Be prepared. It’s how we must roll these days. And given that many who get COVID-19 will recover at home, it pays to have an emergency at-home care kit ready in advance. Here's what you should have to nurse the infected and protect the rest of your family or housemates.
When we think of Easter, Passover or Ramadan, we think of religious gatherings, huge feasts and celebrating with tons of relatives we might rarely see. Now more than ever, it’s vital to stay home for the holidays. But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice observing tradition with fa...
When it comes to COVID-19, it's clear that fever is a hallmark of the infection. But how high, exactly, is too high? How do you properly take your temperature? How often? What about children? The answers to these questions vary based on the person and the circumstance. Dr. Michael L. Chang, pedia...
Most people with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, recover on their own. But it’s important to know when to seek medical attention. You or a family member should seek emergency care if you show signs of respiratory or cardiac distress. These include labored breathing, bluish ...
A sudden loss of smell or taste can be one of the earliest signs of COVID-19. “But losing your sense of smell doesn’t mean with certainty that you have coronavirus, so don’t be alarmed,” says Dr. Sreekrishna K. Donepudi, an otolaryngologist with Memorial Hermann Medical Gr...
Social distancing is a phrase regularly used in our vocabulary now. You’ve followed the recommended precautions, but a family member deems this order unnecessary. Here are tips to have an honest conversation with your loved one. How do you handle someone in your family who's not taking "soc...
Whether the organic items on your shopping list are unavailable or you’re limiting your grocery store runs, many staple ingredients can be used for healthy meals and last longer than you think. Here’s how to curate a quarantine pantry and refrigerator. What are some staple ingredients...
Taking your work from office to home can be an adjustment, especially if you’re sharing the space with a partner or kiddos. Try and use this new working from home reality to create a healthy routine and keep your mental health top of mind. Many of us have quickly shifted to home offices and...
If you’re homeschooling during COVID-19, you’re not alone. Social distancing has become the new normal for families, and you may have questions on how to let ‘kids be kids’ while keeping everyone safe—and sane. Being inside, away from friends and displaced from routi...