Covid-19 updates: July 12th, 2022

What you should know about the new variants.

The current variants making their way through the US are BA.4 and BA.5 with BA.5 being dominant. These variants have more mutations than previous variants and result in the following:

1. They spread more easily. A lot more easily. Some estimates (still in the estimates stage) have them as infectious as measles - the most infectious disease on the earth. You may recall the term "R0" pronounced Are Not. R0 tells us for each person that gets a disease how many people should we expect them to spread it to. It's an estimate of course. But Covid was, at one point a 4. Meaning each person would spread it to 4 other people. Measles is an 18. So if these estimates are correct, that is a really big increase.

2. They spread more easily outdoors so just being outside is not enough to protect you. You will want to socially distance as well.

3. They spread with less exposure time. Remember when we talked about interactions of 15 minutes or more being the amount of time you would need to be exposed? Well, the new variants don't need 15 minutes. The virus is spreading in much less time, particularly indoors, even very short interactions can result in infection.

4. Reinfection is happening much faster. You recall we used to have about 8 weeks of protection if you got COVID - that is no longer true. You can get reinfected in much less time with the new variants. Some people are getting it again as soon as two weeks after recovery.

5. The new variants are evading the vaccine - but vaccination and boosters are still helping reduce the severity.

6. It is now looking like the more times you get COVID the more likely you are to be hospitalized and/or experience long COVID. The jury is still out on this one but it is something to be mindful of.

7. The new variants are marked by night sweats - a new symptom.

If you haven't gotten your second booster and you were planning on doing so, it may be time to start thinking about it.

FINAL THOUGHTS: It's time to dust off those masks and buy up the clearance hand sanitizer. Be kind to yourself. Rest. Renew. Eat cheesecake.