HEALTHWISE MAUI

Q: Who should get tested for COVID-19? Are tests still being restricted? Recommendations keep changing and it is hard to keep up.

Michael Shea, MD, Intensivist & Chief

Medical Director, Maui Health: If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19, you should contact your health care provider about getting tested. The most common symptoms are fever or chills, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, body aches, loss of taste or smell, congestion, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea. You don’t have to be experiencing all these symptoms in order to get tested. Many people with COVID-19 may only have one or two symptoms, and some don’t have any symptoms.

Additionally, if you have been in close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more) with someone that has tested positive for COVID-19, you should also talk to your health care provider about getting tested.

Early in the pandemic, there was a shortage of tests and health officials limited testing, but now anyone with symptoms or who has had a

potential exposure can and should be tested.

It’s no longer restricted to certain people, like those who are at high risk.

If you have symptoms or have had a highrisk contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19, it is essential to get tested so that you can know for sure whether you’re sick with COVID-19 and take the proper next steps. We know that testing works to slow the spread of this disease because it means that contact tracers can do their job and quickly identify and quarantine anyone close to you who may have been exposed, so it lessens the risk of further infections.

If you are still not sure whether you should get tested, call your doctor. You can also take the Centers for Disease Control’s Coronavirus Self Checker on our website at MauiHealth.org/covid19.

Q: What is “pandemic fatigue”? Michael Shea, MD, Intensivist & Chief

Medical Director, Maui Health: Early in the pandemic — March and April — people were very concerned and focused on protecting themselves from a relatively unknown virus, COVID-19. We were careful about wearing masks, and some people were even taking precautions like wiping down their groceries and

mail before bringing it into the house. But after nine months, many people have grown tired of the constant vigilance. People are getting burned out, and they’re starting to let things slide a bit more. That’s what we mean when we talk about “pandemic fatigue.”

We’re concerned that pandemic fatigue is leading people to take fewer precautions to protect themselves and their families from COVID-19 and putting everyone at a higher risk of infection. That might mean going out in public without a mask, being less mindful about washing your hands, or deciding to attend a gathering with people outside your household. The different opinions and views on the pandemic and the way it has forced us to change the way we live may even be causing friction in your own family. People are getting frustrated with the restrictions.

Pandemic fatigue is dangerous, because if we all start letting our guard down, we will see another surge in infections on Maui, just like the Mainland is seeing right now.

The burnout is real, but we can’t let up. It is important to maintain vigilance, but also important to give yourself a break from constant focus on this pandemic.

Plan to give yourself and your family some mask-free time. Go for a swim in the ocean or

play with your kids in your backyard without your masks. Activities like these can help you enjoy some mask-free time outdoors while following state and county rules about mask wearing. Make sure you’re scheduling plenty of time to socialize safely, like connecting with loved ones over video chat, or meeting a friend for a masked walk in the park. And practice self-care by getting enough sleep, eating healthy food and staying physically active.

Through stress management and finding alternative, safe strategies to avoid pandemic fatigue, we can keep our energy levels up and continue doing the things we know will protect ourselves and others from COVID-19, like wearing masks, washing hands, staying 6 feet apart and avoiding gatherings.

■ Physicians, providers and administrative staff who practice at Maui Health System hospitals and clinics answer questions from the public in “Healthwise Maui,” which appears on the first and third Thursdays of the month. Maui Health System operates Maui Memorial Medical Center, Maui Memorial Medical Center Outpatient Clinic, Kula Hospital & Clinic and Lana‘i Community Hospital and accepts all patients. To submit a question, go to the website at mauihealth.org/healthwise.