Well, Covid has taken hold of our neighborhood, our towns and our world, really. Everyone who calls lately says their whole family is sick and their friends and neighbors are sick. At one point this month there were a million people at any given point in time being diagnosed with Covid in the United States.

That’s a lot of Covid.

Thankfully, this variant that I’ve playfully dubbed the “Unicorn Variant” is much less deadly but a lot more contagious. It’s really a miracle, in some ways.

And yet, I know someone who is in the hospital with pneumonia right now with Covid so it’s still not possible to feel completely safe. “It’s just a bad cold” is not true for everyone.

I have to say that I’ve studied up on treatments for Covid and have been on the phone with a lot of sick friends and family who trust my research and have reached out for help. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to share my protocol here, which is sad in itself but understandable, but I don’t see why I can’t share some common sense approaches to staying or getting well.

We know that vaccinated people are getting sick and even dying from Covid, so I think it’s safe to put that argument to rest. Many believe the vax still offers some protection and if so—great. But the best thing you can do whether vaccinated or not is to avoid getting Covid in the first place. And the only way to do that is to stay home, avoid large crowds and practice good hygiene.

Since that’s not feasible for most of us, having a plan in place if you do catch Covid is a really smart thing to do. You should be stocked up on things like vitamin D3 and Vitamin C. In fact, you should be, after consultation with your doctor, taking these things everyday. I’ve written in this column before that most people in cold climates are D3 deficient and that some studies have shown that is a weakness in fighting Covid. I’ve also read it only takes four days to run dry on D3, so it’s not as if you have a huge storehouse in your body to rely on. Dr. Fauci himself has said he takes 10,000 IU’s a day. That’s a lot of D3 and a lot of prevention. Always consult with your doctor to find the right dosage for your own personal circumstances.

Just recently in El Salvador the government put out a public service message urging people to get sunlight, exercise, fresh air, to eat well and take certain vitamins to keep their poor country safe during Covid. I wish that type of advice had been broadcast to the world from the start of the pandemic. It makes total sense. Since when is taking care of yourself not a sensible solution to thwarting off or living with any kind of illness?

It’s not so easy for us to get sunlight or exercise in our part of the country right now, but I’ve read advice from doctors who say do what you can! Walk in place in your living room for 15 minutes, try to get outside when you can for a walk, and I even read airing out your house for ten minutes a day if someone has Covid inside of it is a good thing to do. Just crack open a window a little in each room and one room at a time everyday for a few minutes and let the outside in.

And the Internet is a help if you get Covid. Go to sites you trust and see what’s available out there. How sad most people have never heard of monoclonal antibodies which are laboratory-produced molecules that act as substitute antibodies that can restore, enhance or mimic the immune system’s attack on cells. Monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 may block the virus that causes COVID-19 from attaching to human cells, making it more difficult for the virus to reproduce. While not easy to get, sadly, you should consider them for your Covid tool box after consulting with your doctor, who must offer a prescription for the treatment.

If you do get Covid, don’t wait a week to take action. Be in touch with your medical team and build your own protocol for recovery with practical solutions, like rest, extra fluids and certain vitamins and supplements.

I can only offer practical advice here but talk to others who have gotten over Covid and build a storehouse of information for yourself. I really feel that the more research you do, the more peer-reviewed studies you can digest and the more tidbits you learn along the way, the better off you’ll be. You are your own advocate. No one is going to look out for you with the same passion that you look out for yourself.