Category: Corona Virus Vaccine

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We interrupt Californians fun-filled summer to note once more that COVID is surging in the Golden State if anyone cares.

Its hard to tell with all the sold-out concert venues, packed beaches and theme parks, plus record-breaking air travel.

The level of the virus in state wastewater continues to climb, The Times Rong-Gong Lin II reports, already exceeding last summers increase and nearing the peak in the summer of 2022.

And there are indications this summers COVID wave might have some staying power, he wrote. Coronavirus levels in California wastewater have been high or very high for seven straight weeks, with no sign of cresting.

Infections are rising as the virus mutates and spreads more easily. The FLiRT subvariants now dominate the U.S. caseload. Hospitalizations have, thankfully, not spiked, and the risk of developing long COVID is lower now than early in the pandemic, according to a recent study, particularly among vaccinated individuals.

Still, the risks remain significant, and health officials continue to urge caution across the board. Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious disease at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, offered her perspective to Lin:

If you have cough-and-cold symptoms, at this point, living in Los Angeles, you should really think that they are COVID until proven otherwise.

If youve been out and about pretty much anywhere, its obvious many people didnt pack that caution for their summer fun.

A Pew Research Center survey conducted in March found that just 20% of U.S. adults consider the coronavirus a major public health threat.

I previously reflected on how Id let my guard down over time. But we also asked to hear from you, our readers, to learn how your own perceptions and behaviors have changed (or not) five summers into living with COVID.

The hundreds of responses you shared revealed a range of concern, from the extremely cautious to the not at all worried.

Its mostly an afterthought/inconvenience in my community now, wrote Joseph S. of Hermosa Beach. [Like] Oh sorry to hear, get well soon. I think the average person in my social group is about the same, with exceptions for people close to older/vulnerable family members.

Many readers expressed a feeling that nobody around them is taking coronavirus as seriously as they do.

I dont shake hands, nor do I go out in public without a mask, said Stephen B. of San Jose. People are coughing without covering their mouth or not wearing masks anymore. People just dont care anymore.

Some shared that theyd recently contracted COVID or knew someone who had.

For some, that heightened their concerns, while others who experienced mild symptoms said it alleviated their worries.

Its a complicated thing because people want things to be how they were pre-pandemic, Eli L. of Los Angeles shared. I get that, I want that too!! But the pandemic is ongoing, long COVID is a real threat, and wishing it away isnt an effective strategy.

Heres more of what you shared with us (edited for clarity and brevity).

A lot of people see me in the mask and roll their eyes. Ive overheard people joke about how many times theyve had COVID and either how it was never a big deal or how oh, the first three times I got it were nothing but then the fourth time kicked my butt.

Sarah B., Los Angeles

The precautions I take are minimal compared to the height of the pandemic. I dont wear a mask, although Im always on alert for people who are coughing and sneezing. I do my best to avoid or step away from them. At restaurants or bars, I prefer sitting outside but if inside, Im mindful of the ventilation system.

Bob Z., Davis

Is COVID on my mind every day? Absolutely not. That would be to live in fear, and not really to live at all. COVID is with us to stay, but it should not destroy everyday living or require divisive mandates. Its up to individuals, with the tools that have been developed and are available, to manage it for themselves.

Andi E., San Diego County

At first, like most everybody, we took all the precautions like wiping down our groceries when we brought them into the house. Now, I probably wash my hands more.

Karen W., Indio

My workplace has very regular outbreaks and Im actually grateful that some of my coworkers will test, but not all. But with zero guidelines, its not good enough for me so I still wear an N95 at work and at stores. Its the long COVID and potential brain damage, and well, damage to every organ including the heart that keeps me very concerned.

Josh R., West Hollywood

Im still very concerned, especially about long COVID. Its on my mind every week and I still test before and after all business travel and attending conferences (which are frequent for my job), this to ensure that Im not an asymptomatic carrier.

Dawn W., Redlands

I think people dont care. They say its just like the flu. Although when my husband got it this time, people were shocked and asked if he knew how he got it. Of course we dont know but we alerted everyone who had been near my husband before his positive test. People appreciated that we shared the information.

Jill S., Pacific Palisades

Many immunocompromised people cannot leave their homes because of the lack of restrictions, especially in medical settings. Therefore, I feel its important I go out into my community wearing my mask so other people feel okay to wear one too. I have had a positive response to my mask and the precautions Im taking. I think we need to be kind to each other, so that we can live in a society that is accessible to everyone.

Lauren S., Los Angeles

Cal Fire firefighter Nick Martinez puts out hot spots from the Park blaze near Forest Ranch on Saturday.

(Nic Coury / Associated Press)

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A high-end water filter has built a cult following. But as Times contributor Adam Markovitz writes: [T]he full, unfiltered account of Berkeys rise is a murkier tale, involving fights with the Environmental Protection Agency and the state of California, doomsday preppers and a right-wing media blitz.

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Todays great photo is from Laura Sneddon of Los Gatos: Sonoma Coast State Park.

Laura writes: [The] park has a beautiful coastline that is easy to visit and enjoy the water and wildlife.

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Ryan Fonseca, reporter Amy Hubbard, deputy editor, Fast Break

Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.

Go here to see the original:

People just dont care: Five summers in, readers share their COVID concerns - Los Angeles Times

Evidence shows the increase.

FREDERICK, MD (LG) There seems to be an uptick in COVID cases in the state of Maryland. Thats according to Monique Duwell, with the Maryland Health Department. So we have been seeing an uptick in Covid cases in Maryland. Theres several different types of COVID related data that we look at to monitor Covid activities. We are seeing an increase across the board in terms of COVID cases, case rate, hospitalizations, waste water, so there is a lot of evidence that shows that there is an increase of COVID across the state.

Duwell says COVID is not as bad as it was in the past. We dont know the kind of trajectory, in other words, how much of that activity is going to increase, but we will monitor the data closely, she added.

Reseach shows that people with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, but some people become severely ill. Older adults and people who have certain underlying medical conditions are more likely to get severely ill. Post-COVID conditions can include a wide range of health problems that can last four or more weeks after contracting COVID-19. Even those who do not become severely ill from COVID-19 may experience post-COVID conditions, sometimes referred to as Long COVID.

What we are seeing is that all populations in Maryland continue to be affected with COVID. It isnt necessarily a particular age group, or a geographic region, we are seeing a statewide population, Duwell added.

COVID-19 is spread in three main ways:

COVID-19 vaccines are the best way to prevent serious illness due to COVID-19. The vaccine teaches our immune system how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19.

The COVID virus continues to mutate and shift, and that is quite common for respiratory viruses. Immunity and protection that we have, over time, can wane. And thats why there is a new vaccine in the Fall that we are going to be recommending Marylanders to get that vaccine.

By Loretta Gaines

Read the original here:

Covid 19 Cases on the Rise In Maryland - WFMD

En espaol

Julia Wall/AP

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says most people are eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations.

People 5 and older should get one dose of the updated vaccine, regardless of how many and which vaccines they previously received. Children 6 months to 4 years old may need more than one shot, depending on their age and vaccination status, according toCDC recommendations.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine isno longer availablein the U.S.

The CDC recommends that adults 65 and older get a dose of the 2023/2024 vaccine for added protection, as long as it's been at least four months since the last shot.

People with compromised immune systems may receive additional doses, depending on their vaccination history. More information is available at theCDCs website.

Vaccines are administered at retail pharmacies, including Walgreens, Walmart and CVS, clinics and other locations, such as doctors offices. Use the federal governments website Vaccines.gov to search for vaccination sites by ZIP code. Get the same information by texting your ZIP code to 438829 or by calling 800-232-0233. You can check with your primary care physicians office to see if COVID-19 vaccinations are offered. If you are a veteran, the Department of Veterans Affairs offers COVID-19 vaccinations at VA facilities. Sign up online or call 800-827-1000 to make an appointment.

More information about COVID-19 vaccines is available on the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' COVID-19 website. Or you can call the state's COVID-19 hotline at 800-232-4636.

The federal government no longer covers the cost of the vaccines, but most people with Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance will not have to pay.

Children 18 and younger may qualify to receive no-cost or low-cost vaccines through the Vaccines for Children program.

Its safe and effective to receive an updated Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax vaccine at least two months after your last dose no matter which brand youve received, including Johnson & Johnson.

The updated vaccines only target one strain of the omicron variant, called XBB.1.5, and are recommended by the CDC to protect against more recently circulating strains of the virus. The bivalent boosters, released in 2022, targeted the original strain of the virus and two omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5. The Novavax booster targeted only the original strain of the virus.

Vaccine manufacturers are once again working to update the vaccines for the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season. The redesigned shots, which should be available in the fall, will target a strain of the virus that is causing a significant share of infections this summer.

Some vaccination sites ask for proof of identity or eligibility. Bring a drivers license or other state-issued ID that shows your name, age and state of residency, along with your health insurance card.

The CDC no longer distributes vaccine cards, andthey are not required to receive a vaccine. If youve lost your vaccine card, you can call the site where you were vaccinated to request a new one or a copy of your vaccination record.

Its common to experience mild to moderate side effects after getting vaccinated, such as soreness in the arm, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, nausea, fever or chills but these are temporary and normal signs that your body is building protection, the CDC says.

A small number of vaccine recipients have experienced adverse reactions to the shots.

According to the CDC, it is safe to receive the flu vaccine and updated COVID-19 vaccines simultaneously, although you are a little more likely to experience side effects, such as a headache and fatigue. Adults 75 or older (and those 60 to 74 with certain underlying health conditions) who are encouraged to get the RSV vaccine may receive that at the same time as the others, but some health experts suggestspacing them out. If you had the RSV vaccine last year, you dont need another one this year.

Contact your health care provider for more information.

The U.S. government is no longer distributing COVID-19 vaccines to long-term care facilities. That means that nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other long-term care settings are now responsible for coordinating COVID-19 vaccination programs for their residents and staff. Most long-term care facilities have existing partnerships with local pharmacies or health departments to provide a variety of vaccinations, such as flu vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines and others.

Long-term care facilities that receive Medicare and/or Medicaid dollars are required by federal law to educate residents, their representatives and staff about COVID19 vaccines and offer a COVID19 vaccine to residents, resident representatives and staff.

All vaccines reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections and are highly effective at preventing severe illness and death from the disease. No vaccine is 100 percent effective, and infections can still occur postvaccination.

Be aware that scammers often purport to offer COVID-19 vaccines and treatments and try to charge for them. The AARP Fraud Watch Network is tracking the latest scams.

North Carolina residents who believe theyve encountered a COVID-19 scam can report it to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General by calling 800-447-8477 or by submitting a complaint online.

Editor's note: This guide was last published Oct. 6, 2023, and has been updated with new information.

Natalie Missakian covers federal and state policy and writes AARPs Fighting for You Every Day blog. She previously worked as a reporter for the New Haven Register and daily newspapers in Ohio. She has also written for the AARP Bulletin, the Hartford Business Journal and other publications

See the original post here:

How and Where to Get COVID-19 Vaccines in North Carolina - AARP States

Wastewater data shows an uptick in COVID-19 infections in many parts of the U.S., including Minnesota, this July.

It definitely seems that COVID case counts are rising both nationally and locally, said Dr. Priya Sampathkumar, an internal medicine physician and head of Infection Prevention and Control at Mayo Clinic.

Data from WastewaterSCAN, which has Minnesota data from St. Cloud, Red Wing, Mankato and Rochester, shows a rising level of COVID RNA found in Rochesters wastewater since late June. The amount of virus detected had been low and stable through the early summer. Now, the level detected mirrors the amount of virus found in late January 2024, as a spike of winter cases fell.

That has translated to primary care providers seeing more patients lately with respiratory illness symptoms, Sampathkumar said, although the number of self-reported positive tests has increased. And thoughthe number of people hospitalized with COVID has increased slightly this month, Sampathkumar said, most cases still seem to be relatively mild, probably because of prior immunity either from vaccination or prior COVID illness.

The percentage of visits to local emergency rooms is still declining, however, said Matthew Giljork, an Olmsted County Public Health epidemiologist.

Hospitalizations have not translated to an increase in ICU utilization or deaths so far, Giljork said.

At Olmsted Medical Center, they have not observed an increase in hospitalizations, said Dr. Odette El Helou, an infectious disease physician at OMC.

At the state level, per the Minnesota Department of Healths July 25 update, COVID hospitalization rates increased slightly over the previous week but still remain low.

A summer wave of COVID infections is not necessarily unusual Sampathkumar said it appears that COVID is settling into a seasonal pattern: a peak of cases in the winter, and a smaller peak in the summer.

Other factors, El Helou said, are people traveling more during the summer and therefore being more exposed to the virus and the level of protection from last falls COVID vaccines is beginning to wane.

To avoid getting sick, the same precautions that health professionals have been sharing since the start of the pandemic still work.

Practice good hygiene, wash hands, said El Helou, good ventilation stay outdoors if possible, open the windows of your home if you have other people in.

For vaccinations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month recommended that everyone 6 months and older receive an updated 2024-2025 COVID vaccine this fall alongside the seasonal influenza vaccine.

COVID boosters, we hope, will be available by early September, Sampathkumar said. Everyone should definitely seek out that vaccine and get it. As weve all seen, getting vaccinated may not completely protect you from getting a COVID infection, but its very, very effective at preventing serious illness and preventing deaths.

If you do get sick, get tested early to see if it is COVID, Sampathkumar said, so you can seek treatment like Paxlovid if you are eligible.

We recommend you stay home if you have symptoms and that you wear a mask for at least the time that you have symptoms and potentially for up to five days after your symptoms improve to protect everyone else around you, Sampathkumar said.

Originally Published: July 28, 2024 at 9:16 p.m.

Here is the original post:

Cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota are ticking up. Heres what to know - St. Paul Pioneer Press

A possum in the wild. (Joseph Hoyt / Virginia Tech via SWNS)

By Stephen Beech via SWNS

The virus that causes COVID-19 is "widespread" among wildlife, reveals new research.

Six out of 23 common species - including rabbits and bats - showed signs of SARS-CoV-2 infections during an examination of animals in the United States.

Antibodies indicating previous exposure to the virus were also found in five species - with rates of exposure ranging from 40% to 60%, depending on the species.

Genetic tracking of wild animals in Virginia confirmed both the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and the existence of "unique" viral mutations with lineages closely matching variants circulating in humans at the time.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, are further evidence of human-to-animal Covid transmission, say scientists.

The study showed that the highest exposure to SARS-CoV-2 was found in animals near hiking trails and high-traffic public areas, suggesting the virus passed from humans to wildlife.

The research team from Virginia Tech says their findings highlight the identification of novel mutations in SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife and the need for broad surveillance.

They warned that the mutations could be more harmful and transmissible, creating further challenges for vaccine development.

But the team stressed, that they found no evidence of the virus being transmitted from animals to humans, and people should not fear any interactions with wildlife.

The researchers tested animals from 23 common species for both active infections and antibodies indicating previous infections.

They found signs of the virus in Eastern cottontail rabbits, deer mice, Virginia opossums, raccoons, groundhogs and Eastern red bats.

The key S-protein acquired at least two mutations, displayed in yellow in this simulation, that provided an evolutionary path for the virus to jump and transmit to other species. The purple part is the receptor thats recognized by the S-protein so the virus can enter. (Carla Finkielstein/Virginia Tech via SWNS)

The virus isolated from one opossum showed viral mutations that were previously unreported - and could potentially impact how the virus affects humans and their immune response.

Professor Carla Finkielstein said: The virus can jump from humans to wildlife when we are in contact with them, like a hitchhiker switching rides to a new, more suitable host.

The goal of the virus is to spread in order to survive.

"The virus aims to infect more humans, but vaccinations protect many humans.

"So, the virus turns to animals, adapting and mutating to thrive in the new hosts.

Covid infections were previously identified in wildlife, primarily in white-tailed deer and feral mink.

The Virginia Tech study significantly expands the number of species examined and the understanding of virus transmission to and among wildlife.

The data suggests exposure to the virus has been "widespread" in wildlife and that areas with high human activity may serve as points of contact for cross-species transmission.

Lab work inside the Virginia Tech Molecular Diagnostics Lab, pictured right: Professor Carla Finkielstein, co-corresponding author of the paper. (Virginia Tech via SWNS)

Professor Joseph Hoyt, of Virginia Tech's College of Science, said: This study was really motivated by seeing a large, important gap in our knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a broader wildlife community.

A lot of studies to date have focused on white-tailed deer, while what is happening in much of our common backyard wildlife remains unknown.

Researchers collected 798 nasal and oral swabs across Virginia from animals either live-trapped in the field and released, or being treated by wildlife rehabilitation centers. They also obtained 126 blood samples from six species.

The locations were chosen to compare the presence of the virus in animals in sites with varying levels of human activity, from urban areas to remote wilderness.

The study also identified two mice at the same site on the same day with the exact same variant, indicating they either both got it from the same human, or one infected the other.

Researchers are not certain about the means of transmission from humans to animals.

They say one possibility is wastewater, but the team believes rubbish bins and discarded food are more likely sources.

Study first author Dr. Amanda Goldberg said: I think the big take-home message is the virus is pretty ubiquitous.

We found positives in a large suite of common backyard animals.

The researchers say that while the study focused on Virginia, many of the species that tested positive are also common elsewhere, so it is likely they are being exposed in other areas as well.

Professor Finkielstein said: The virus is indifferent to whether its host walks on two legs or four. Its primary objective is survival.

A raccoon in the wild. (Joseph Hoyt / Virginia Tech via SWNS)

"Mutations that do not confer a survival or replication advantage to the virus will not persist and will eventually disappear."

The team say further research is needed to establish how the virus is transmitted from humans to wildlife, how it might spread within a species, and perhaps from one species to another.

Hoyt said: This study highlights the potentially large host range SARS-CoV-2 can have in nature and really how widespread it might be.

There is a lot of work to be done to understand which species of wildlife, if any, will be important in the long-term maintenance of SARS-CoV-2 in humans.

Finkielstein added: "What weve already learned is that SARS CoV-2 is not only a human problem, and it takes a multidisciplinary team to address its impact on various species and ecosystems effectively.

Read the original here:

Scientists reveal virus that causes COVID-19 widespread among wildlife - Islander News.com

Pfizer/BioNTechs Omicron JN.1-adapted COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for adults and children from infancy.

Four versions of the adapted Comirnaty JN.1 vaccine have been approved by the UK regulator under the International Recognition Procedure after meeting the standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.

Both the Comirnaty JN.1 30mg dose for injection and in a pre-filled syringe have been approved for use in adults, while 10mg for single-dose vial injection has been approved for use in children aged five to 11 years of age and 3mg for three-dose vial injection has been authorised for infants and children from six months to four years of age.

The vaccine is designed to trigger the production of antibodies and blood cells by the immune system to work against COVID-19, an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, following the recommendation from the World Health Organizations Technical Advisory Group and the European Medicines Agencys (EMA) Emergency Task Force to update COVID-19 vaccines to target the JN.1 variant the most widely circulating variant worldwide, which continues to grow quickly compared to other variants and is either more transmissible or better at evading the immune system.

The approval was based on positive results and real-world evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of the Comirnaty vaccines, which showed that the JN.1-adapted vaccine generated a substantially improved response against several Omicron JN.1 sublineages, including KP.2, KP.3, as well as other currently circulating sublineages, in comparison to the companies Omicron XBB.1.5-adapted monovalent COVID-19 vaccine.

The approval comes after the EMAs human medicine committee recommended the Omicron JN.1-adapted monovalent COVID-19 vaccine for individuals aged six months and older.

Previously, in February, the MHRA approved a change to the licence of the Comirnaty Omicron XBB.1.5-adapted COVID-19 vaccine following approval from the UK regulator in September 2023 for use in individuals aged six months and older.

Additionally, in October 2023, the companies announced positive results from an ongoing phase 1/2 study of their mRNA-based combination vaccine for influenza and COVID-19, as well as outlined plans to enter late-stage development.

See the article here:

Pfizer/BioNTechs Omicron JN.1-adapted COVID-19 vaccine approved by MHRA - PMLiVE

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What to know about the updated COVID vaccines coming this fall - ABC News

Coronavirus

Data shows overall resistance to masks, but lower Paxlovid prescription and vaccination rates for people of color

Sat 27 Jul 2024 08.00 EDT

Covid is surging across the US, with levels of the virus on track to exceed last summers wave nationally and approaching the peak of last winters wave in the west, according to wastewater data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Yet vaccination and antiviral uptake, plagued by inequitable access, have remained low, and other precautions like mask-wearing are being met with increasing resistance.

A lot of people right now are getting Covid all over the country, said Dr Peter Chin-Hong, professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. There are still hospitalizations, and theres still a few hundred deaths every week in the US and thats a tragedy.

The rise is being driven by a trio of variants, called Flirt because of shared mutations, that seem to be more immune-evasive and transmissible. And much of the US has been locked in heatwaves, with many Americans staying indoors to avoid the heat which can lead to more spread of the virus.

Nationally, emergency room visits for Covid increased by 15.7% in the past week. Rising hospitalization rates are now higher than last summer at this time, although it can be difficult to make comparisons now that significantly fewer hospitals are required to report rates of Covid than in previous years.

Deaths are also increasing after reaching the lowest point of the pandemic. Nearly 400 people died in the week ending 12 June, the last week for which full data was available. Covid remains the fourth-leading cause of death in the United States.

Any hospitalization or death could be completely prevented based on the tools that we have, Chin-Hong said.

Yet compared to other surges, it just feels like a very different time right now, said David Grabowski, professor of healthcare policy at Harvard Medical School. Its pretty rare to go into a building and see people masked even in hospitals and nursing homes.

The summer surge comes as some federal and state policies have pulled away from efforts that can stop the spread of the virus, experts say.

North Carolina recently signed into law restrictions on wearing face masks in public, and officials in New York City and Los Angeles have considered the same.

In May, the CDC loosened its guidelines for Covid isolation, recommending patients stay home until they are fever-free for 24 hours and symptoms are resolving even if theyre still positive for the virus, during which time they are likely contagious.

While the US government once covered the costs of Covid vaccination, those costs shifted to the private market in 2023. A bridge program offering vaccines to uninsured people is ending next month, weeks before the updated booster will be available which will likely exacerbate gaps in access to the lifesaving vaccines.

Only 22.5% of adults and 14.4% of children are up to date on Covid vaccines and the rate is even lower (13.3%) among pregnant people, despite the risks of severe illness, complications and long Covid because of Covid infection during pregnancy.

There are also stark contrasts among Americans of color, where inequities in health access continue to affect vaccination rates. While a quarter of white adults are vaccinated, only 15.6% of Indigenous people and 16.2% of Hispanic adults have gotten the latest booster.

The disparities are quite striking, Chin-Hong said and theyre especially worrisome among older people of color, who have been more at risk throughout the pandemic. There isnt as much attention to making sure that all older populations get vaccinated or understand the power of vaccinations to keep people safe.

Vaccination rates are higher among older adults, who have the highest rates of hospitalization rates and death but those numbers are way too low, said Grabowski. Less than a third of nursing home residents are up to date on their Covid vaccines.

Those numbers really worry me. Its not clear that those residents are going to have the protection that they did earlier in the pandemic, he said.

With nursing homes, I think theres a lot of fatigue around this issue, and I say that both among the staff and the residents, said Grabowski, who wrote recently about the changes needed to make nursing homes safer after the pandemic. I dont think the vigilance we saw early in the pandemic is there today.

Antivirals like Paxlovid have had a similarly unequal rollout. People of color are significantly less likely to be prescribed Paxlovid compared with white patients about 20% to 36% less, according to one study, and 30% to 36%, according to another.

Only 15% of patients at high risk of severe illness take Paxlovid, one pre-print study suggests, despite evidence that it helps reduce the worst outcomes, including death, among vulnerable people.

It doesnt seem like were actually directing resources to the most vulnerable among us, and thats been really disheartening, Grabowski said. Thats a real red flag.

The CDC recently explained that Covid can surge at any time of the year, including summer, unlike viruses such as the flu and RSV that tend to peak in winter.

The agency recommended that everyone above the age of six months receive updated boosters in the fall, and everyone over the age of 65 receive an additional booster at least four months later.

Chin-Hong hopes vaccination rates will rise once again this fall when the new boosters are available and he hopes public attitudes shift to view Covid vaccines as routine as flu shots. Hopefully, in 2025 well have a combo flu and Covid vaccine, he said. That might make it more palatable for people.

As the virus continues circulating, measures beyond vaccines and treatments will also help control the spread particularly in high-risk environments like nursing homes, Grabowski said.

We need to take other steps, whether its testing, personal protective equipment, better air quality, he said. Yet, change has been slow, and some gains made during the pandemic have now seemed to reverse, Grabowski said.

To the extent that we had some planning in place earlier in the pandemic, I think today thats all absent.

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Covid surges in US as unequal access plagues vaccination and treatment rates - The Guardian

CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx If youve heard a family member, a friend or even a co-worker mention getting COVID recently, you arent alone. COVID-19 cases are on the rise again nationwide including in the Coastal Bend.

DR. Eric Baggerman, CEO and pediatrician at Amistad Health shared that COVID has a six month cycle. That means that usually there is an increase in cases in the winter and summer.

Baggerman said there could be a few reasons for the spike in cases.

Just like the winter, if people are together more in smaller spaces doing things more or maybe theres more picnics, doing things like that, people might share it more, Baggerman said.

For the past two years or so, the omicron variant of COVID-19 has been the dominant strain. Now, a sub-variant of that variant, called KP.3., is what is causing the rise in cases. Its main characteristic is that its highly infectious.

Jazlyn Vela said she thinks thats the strain her sister caught recently.

My sister she just got over COVID about two days ago. They had it for about two and a half weeks, her, her husband and her kids had it pretty bad, Vela said.

Vela said catching the virus came somewhat of a shock, but not a surprise.

She freaked out again because she didnt expect to get it again, especially because she had her vaccinations. I think it was a big shock to her especially with her kids getting it. Its always scary when your kids get COVID. I think its a very scary situation especially since its an ongoing thing and different strains keep coming out, Vela said.

But Baggerman said the increase in cases isnt as dangerous as when COVID first arrived in 2020.

What weve seen since 2020, its been more of a more normal virus change. Its nothing unlike other viruses, Vela said.

But just because it isnt as dangerous, certain people should still take precautions if they feel they need it.

People who have health problems, people who are over 65, or heart conditions, lung conditions Baggerman said.

COVID positivity rate nationwide is up 12-13% with ER visits being up four percent. Although there is a rise in cases, there is not as many people being hospitalized compared to previous variants.

Baggerman said vaccines significantly reduce the risk of being hospitalized from COVID-19. The latest vaccine, called the 24-25 COVID vaccine, was approved earlier this month. It should be available by September.

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COVID cases on the rise again in the Coastal Bend with new sub-variant - KRIS 6 News Corpus Christi

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