Can the COVID-19 virus spread through drinking water?
The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in treated drinking water. Conventional water treatment methods used in most municipal drinking water systems use filters and disinfectants to remove or kill germs, like the virus that causes COVID-19. The Environmental Protection Agency regulates water treatment plants to ensure that treated water is safe to drink.
Can someone get COVID-19 more than once?
Yes. Getting COVID-19 (or any infection) more than once is called reinfection. Those who have recovered from COVID-19 may have some immune protection from reinfection for a few months, but it is possible that the recovered person could get COVID-19 again if exposed after that time. Data suggest that immunity from COVID-19 may last three months, or about 90 days.The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed. Another good way to prevent infection is to get the vaccine.
Does cleaning frequently-touched objects and surfaces really help to protect ourselves from COVID-19?
It can. COVID-19 may live on surfaces for different lengths of time. We all touch certain things frequently: doorknobs, light switches, faucets, countertops, and more. If you touch something that was just touched by someone with the virus on their hands, you could pick up the virus on yours. This is not thought to be the most common way that the virus is spread, but it is possible to spread it this way. That’s why we recommend you wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds and clean high-contact surfaces often.
Can a person test negative and later test positive for COVID-19?
Test results reflect the state of illness at the time when you are tested. Someone can test negative one day, then get exposed, and test positive on a later day. If a person is in the early stages of infection, it is possible the test will not detect the virus and come back negative.
What are COVID-19 variants, and do we have them in Texas?
See full answerVariants are different strains of a virus. Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time. Sometimes new variants emerge and disappear. Other times, new variants emerge and persist. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented in the United States and globally during this pandemic.We know that some of these variants are more contagious than others and are starting to spread in Texas. This is why we need to continue to take prevention steps and precautions against COVID-19, including getting vaccinated.For more information about variants in the U.S., see the About Variants page on the CDC site. For more information about variants in Texas, visit the News Updates page on the DSHS website.
What are some everyday actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19?
• Consider wearing a mask. Vaccinated or not, wearing a mask in indoor public spaces can help protect you and everyone close to you.• Wash hands often for 20 seconds and encourage others to do the same. Use hand sanitizer with at least 60\% alcohol if soap and water are unavailable.• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue away.• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.• Disinfect surfaces, buttons, handles, knobs, and other places touched often.• Stay six feet apart from others.• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.