Four years into the pandemic—which, yes, is still very much a thing—COVID is probably the last thing you want to hear about as you pack your summer vacay suitcase and plan to meet friends for rooftop happy hours. But if you clicked on this article, I’m assuming you care at least a little bit about not catching it, whether that’s for the first time or the tenth.
Here’s the rundown: Experts are sounding the alarm about an uptick in SARS-CoV-2 activity in the US in the last couple of weeks. According to the CDC, hospitalizations are up by 25% and deaths by about 17% in the US since the beginning of June. Meanwhile, wastewater coronavirus activity—essentially how much virus is in poop water, which is currently one of the best ways to predict COVID spread—is “low” nationwide, but on an upward trend and considered “high” in 53 sites (out of about 1,400) in states including Florida, New York, California, Hawaii, and Utah.
Philip Chan, MD, MS, an infectious disease expert at Brown University, tells SELF he’s “not sure we’re at a new wave yet,” but that the emergence of two omicron subvariants called LB.1 and KP.3 are “fueling what’s looking like a slight bump in cases” this summer. Dr. Chan says this suggests that the coronavirus, which has surged each summer and winter for the past few years, isn’t quite following the same pattern as the common cold and flu, which tend to ramp up in colder months.
Thanks to new treatments, vaccines, and widespread immunity, “we’re in a totally different place at this point in the pandemic,” Dr. Chan says. However, the risk of long COVID still looms every time you test positive, Dr. Chan says. Research suggests that repeat infections increase your chances of getting long COVID and could magnify the severity of your symptoms if you already have it.
How you choose to stay safe during this mini-surge in coronavirus activity is generally a personal decision, given that the government scrapped all preventive measures and basically left public health up to the honor system. “Everyone’s situation is a little different, which is partly setting-dependent and partly person-dependent, so it really comes down to weighing the risks and benefits with your doctor,” Dr. Chan says. You should do what you want and can to lower your personal risk of infection. Just keep in mind that your actions (or lack thereof) also affect others who may be more vulnerable to COVID, even if you don’t care about getting infected again.
The basics still apply, though, he says. This means washing your hands when you get home from school or work and canceling dinner plans if you’re sick. Wear a well-fitting N-95 mask around others who are more likely to come down with a severe infection (like your grandparents, or your friend who has cancer) and in public places where you might encounter elderly people or more folks who have health conditions that weaken their immune system.
>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : Self.com – https://www.self.com/story/covid-summer-infections-vaccinations
