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What Can I Do to Protect My Family Against the Omicron Variant?

Amy Verlsteffen, APRN, senior director of clinical transformation at TytoCare, is not only a pediatric nurse practitioner but also a mother of five. She shared with Verywell Family how she is keeping her family safe amid the news of omicron. In a nutshell, she is planning on continuing to do what she’s been doing all along—following recommendations from the CDC, and heeding advice from medical professionals.

Vaccination, mask-wearing, and rapid, frequent, proactive testing continue to be our best tools to fight omicron and all other variants of SARS-CoV-2.

— ALICIA ZHOU, PHD

“My children are vaccinated, we practice social distancing, we avoid large crowds, and we wash our hands frequently,” Verlsteffen. “I am no more ‘worried’ about this variant than I was about [the original strain of] COVID-19 or the delta variant,” she commented.

In addition to the measures Verlsteffen is taking to keep her family safe, Dr. Zhou emphasizes that it’s important for every member of your family to be vaccinated, and boosted, if eligible. Masking is important, but you also want to ensure that your child is wearing a mask that fits well and that has a good seal. Parents might consider upgrading to KN95 or N95 masks, she says.

Finally, it’s important to get yourself tested frequently, Dr. Zhou advises, and to certainly get tested if your child or anyone in your family is showing signs of COVID-19.  

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