How to navigate the new world of at-home testing

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [Is it flu, COVID-19, or RSV? There's a test for that]( By Alice Park Senior Health Correspondent It’s that time of year again, when colder temperatures and closer quarters mean more coughs, sneezes, and sore throats. But this year we have more options than ever before for minimizing our misery, thanks to at-home test kits and some new and updated vaccines and treatments. Knowing what’s making us sick has never been more important for protecting both ourselves and those around us from getting seriously ill. Here’s what you need to protect yourself during the upcoming season: - You can now test yourself for COVID-19 and flu, and the government has restarted its program for providing free COVID-19 test kits. - At-home testing can save time and reduce spread of disease since you don’t need to make an appointment at a doctor’s office or visit an urgent care or emergency room. - Thanks to telemedicine, your self-test results could lead to quicker prescription treatments for flu and COVID-19, which are most effective if you start them soon after your symptoms appear. [READ MORE]( Share This Story What Else to Read [What to Know About the Saltwater Threat to Louisiana's Drinking Water Supply]( By Solcyre Burga A long-lasting drought in Louisiana is impacting the drinking water from the Mississippi River, posing a risk for the state’s residents. [Read More »]( [Column: What It Will Take to Avoid a Tripledemic This Winter]( By Dr. Ashish K. Jha RSV, the flu, and COVID-19 are racing towards us this winter, but we have the tools to fight back and focus on the most vulnerable. [Read More »]( [How to Maintain Your Social Life When You Have IBD]( By Elizabeth Millard Keeping connections strong can boost your health, but it's challenging when you're anxious about flare-ups. [Read More »]( [No, Coffee and Tea Aren’t Actually Dehydrating. Here’s Why]( By Jamie Ducharme Instead, it's quite the opposite. (Originally published in 2018.) [Read More »]( [How to Be Ambitious Without Sacrificing Your Mental Health]( By Jamie Ducharme The key is to harness ambition for a goal that serves your well-being. [Read More »]( ONE LAST READ [Writing through OCD]( When playwright and poet Dan O'Brien was a child, a near-tragedy in his family triggered a lifetime of obsessive compulsive disorder. As he describes in an essay in the Washington Post, becoming a writer helped him cope but it was in therapy that O'Brien found peace. [Read More »]( If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Alice Park and Oliver Staley, and edited by Oliver. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.