Viruses can change over time from the original virus, making it more likely that the virus will continue to spread, according to the CDC. Some variants can be mild. Others can cause more infections and make the virus spread faster. There are currently two prevalent variants of COVID-19, the Delta and Omicron variants.

Getting vaccinated remains the best way to prevent catching COVID-19 or having a severe case, the CDC says. It’s also important to continue to follow the CDC’s recommendations on preventing the spread of COVID-19, including social distancing, frequently washing your hands, cleaning surfaces with disinfectant and using antibacterial hand sanitizer often.

While the vaccine is your best protection against the virus, it isn’t full proof when dealing with variants. No vaccine is 100% effective. That’s why boosters are available and recommended for people who have been vaccinated.

If you are having symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19, you should take a COVID-19 test to be diagnosed.

If your test is positive, contact your doctor’s office so they can manage your care and recovery. If your test is negative but you are sick, your doctor may want to test you for other illnesses that have similar symptoms, such as the flu, strep or a stomach virus.

Until you know if you are contagious, the CDC recommends you isolate yourself from those you live with and not go to work, school or community and family events.

The CDC offers up-to-date quarantine and isolation guidelines, based on current data.

You have options, including self-testing at home, testing at a pharmacy or testing lab, even some doctor’s offices offer testing. Make sure you use doctors, pharmacies and labs in your health plan’s network for maximum benefits. Learn more about your testing options.

Coverage of testing and vaccines may vary based on your plan. Go to What’s Covered for the most up-to-date information.

Visit the What’s Covered section to learn more about your coverage. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers up-to-date health information about COVID-19. Our Connect blog has numerous articles about COVID-19 prevention, testing, treatment and coverage.

If you don’t have pharmacy benefits with BCBSIL/Prime, please contact your health plan administrator for more information.