The BA.5 Covid-19 subvariant is now the most dominant strain in the country; the highly infectious variant has caused an uptick in cases and hospitalizations both in hotspots like New York City and the nation overall, but public health action and messaging is less aggressive than with previous outbreaks.
BA.5 typically causes familiar symptoms like fever, headache, muscle aches, cough, and sore throat but can still cause serious illness, especially in individuals with preexisting conditions. Its even entered the highest halls of power, with President Joe Bidens doctor saying in a letter Saturday that Biden is likely infected with BA.5. But theres been little focus on the national plan to keep the subvariant under control, which the Biden administration rolled out July 12.
Tracking BA.5s rise is complicated somewhat because of an increase in at-home rapid testing to confirm infection, rather than testing in a clinical setting, which would make its way to health authorities and paint a fuller picture of the data. While the number of cases is nowhere near the level of infections due to omicron last winter, the week-on-week total of hospital admissions overall has trended up steadily over the past month, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Furthermore, its likely that the full magnitude of the BA.5 outbreak isnt being captured by available data. In some places like San Diego that use wastewater monitoring, wastewater analysis showed a massive surge in copies of the virus shed into the communitys sewage 15.5 million copies per liter of wastewater on Wednesday of last week, versus 8 million copies per liter from the same location the previous week, according to the San Diego Union-Tribunes Paul Sisson. That trend directly contradicts data available from the San Diego County health department, which actually showed positive rates declining 8.3 percent over the same period. For comparison, Sisson reported, there were 47.6 million copies per liter in the same location on January 9, 2022, during the omicron wave.
BA.5s and its fellow omicron subvariant BA.4s advantage likely comes from a combination of increased transmissibility and mutations that enhance their ability to evade immunity people have from previous infection or vaccination, Natalie Dean, an associate professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics and of epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, told Reuters. You dont even need an increase in transmissibility to explain the advantage, she said.
Given data showing low rates of severe illness and death in many places and fatigue with Covid-19 restrictions, many health authorities arent tightening previously loosened restrictions.
Im like everyone else: I hate wearing that mask. But more than that, I hate the idea that I might accidentally transmit to somebody else, Barbara Ferrer, the Los Angeles County public health director, told the New York Times. Thats my biggest fear that were so anxious to be done with this virus that were getting complacent.
Throughout the pandemic, New York City has been a hot spot; crowded living conditions and public transit make it easy for the virus to spread through the air. While the citys BA.5 infection rate is nowhere near what it was with previous waves, its continuing to trend up and may even be much higher than available data shows.
As the Timess reporting points out, New York Citys test-and-trace program got phased out this April under Mayor Eric Adams who contracted Covid-19 that month. Restaurants no longer require proof of vaccination to enter, and the citys mask mandate ended in March, though masks are still required on public transit. Despite the citys uptick, and his own health departments recommendation that people mask indoors, Adams has repeatedly resisted bringing back the mask mandate.
We are always re-evaluating our response efforts to ensure we are providing New Yorkers with the best information possible and so that they can make the decisions that are right for them, Fabien Levy, Adamss press secretary, told Vox in an email. However, as City & State, an outlet covering the politics of New York City and Albany, noted earlier this month, the New York City Department of Health removed a color-coded alert system that included specific guidance about how to handle different levels of Covid-19 outbreak, including public health measures to enact. As the New York Times reported earlier this month, the system which Adams unveiled in March recommended that the mayor require face masks at indoor settings and crowded outdoor settings, and bring back the vaccine requirement to enter restaurants and bars.
As of Sunday, the website still states that the administration is re-evaluating the citys COVID Alert system, and advises users to check back here for updates in the coming weeks. It also recommends that New Yorkers wear a high-quality mask in all public indoor settings and around crowds outside, as there are currently high transmission levels of COVID-19 throughout the city.
Instead of bringing back such measures, Adamss office has promoted vaccination, at-home and community testing locations, and antivirals to address Covid-19.
New York is leading the nation in testing and treatment delivery, and, in the last six months alone, weve given out more than 35 million at-home tests to New Yorkers and delivered approximately 90,000 courses of Paxlovid, Levy said in his email to Vox. We review the numbers every day and will continue to follow the guidance of health experts to keep New Yorkers safe and healthy.
But New Yorkers are continuing to get sick, with reported Covid-19 cases up 22 percent over the past two weeks, hospitalizations up 25 percent, and deaths up 29 percent, according to the New York Times. Again, the numbers are still small in comparison; a daily average of 12 deaths is nothing like the daily averages in spring 2020. Vaccines and antivirals undoubtedly help prevent serious illness, hospitalizations, and deaths but they need to be supplemented with other mitigation and support measures like masking, as Ed Yong pointed out in his article for the Atlantic earlier this month.
Biden tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday, and while hes reportedly still working and experiencing only mild symptoms, his age he is 79 years old puts him at increased risk for complications from the disease. He has twice been boosted, as Voxs Dylan Scott and Li Zhou wrote Thursday, and is being treated with paxlovid. In a short video address posted to Twitter, Biden assured the public that he was feeling fine and getting lots of work done.
Though he shared that he had been vaccinated and fully boosted, he didnt give any guidance for those watching no exhortations to get vaccinated or boosted, or to wear masks indoors. In the meantime, keep the faith, he said. Its going to be okay.
Thats not to say that the White House has made no effort of late to address the prevalence of BA.5; on July 12, the administration rolled out new guidance to manage the latest Covid-19 subvariant.
A press release announcing the strategy acknowledged that BA.5s apparent ability to evade at least some immunity has the potential to cause the numbers of infections to rise in the coming weeks, particularly where people are unvaccinated or where vaccine immunity is waning.
To address this, the White House proposal includes increasing access to antiviral treatments like the one Biden is taking, as well as continuing to encourage vaccine and booster uptake. Increasing availability of and access to free testing is also a key tenet of the strategy, as is better ventilation, increasing access to the preventive treatment Evusheld for immunocompromised people, and ensuring access to respirators and a clear indication of situations in which masking is advised.
That proposal at least presents a comprehensive if not aggressive approach to the new subvariant and the new normal of life with Covid-19. As experts have warned throughout the pandemic, relying on vaccines as a silver bullet, particularly when an omicron-specific vaccine booster is months away, wont stop Covid-19 and wont prevent new variants from forming. As Yong points out, we dont know what those variants will look like, and we have no way of predicting the seriousness of the resulting illness, or the ways theyll evade our immune responses in the future.
Everybodys hoping to get a degree of what they call endemicity living with the virus at a level that does not disrupt society, Anthony Fauci, the USs top infectious diseases expert, told Barrons in an interview Thursday. Thats where I think were going. I dont believe were going to eradicate this.
Original post:
The dominant BA.5 variant of Covid-19 signals were still not in the clear - Vox.com
- As 2024 Travel Hits Pre-Covid Levels, Here's When To Go To Europe - Forbes - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Comparison of Impressions of COVID-19 Vaccinations Stratified by the Number of Vaccinations Among Japanese ... - Cureus - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health visits in primary care: an interrupted time series analysis from nine ... - The Lancet - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Faith and rehab keep Southwick woman on path to recovery from COVID - MassLive.com - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- China to draw on Covid-19 experience to tackle future pandemics - theSun - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Free COVID tests through USPS are ending todayhere's where to get tests online - Reviewed - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Concern about COVID reaches record low across political spectrum: Survey - The Hill - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- He Had 217 Covid Shots Without Side Effects, Study Finds - The New York Times - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- A Man Got 217 COVID-19 Vaccines. Here's What Happened - TIME - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- German man vaccinated 217 times against covid with no ill effects - The Washington Post - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Andrew Cuomo Faces House Subpoena Over Covid Deaths in Nursing Homes - The New York Times - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- It's been 4 years since COVID hit Michigan. For Long COVID patients, the pandemic isn't over. Michigan Advance - Michigan Advance - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- 4th Anniversary of the Covid-19 Pandemic - erienewsnow.com - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Reflecting on 4 years of the COVID-19 pandemic and discussing what's to come - WBUR News - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- CDC shortens 5-day COVID isolation, updates guidance on masks and testing in new 2024 recommendations - CBS News - March 10th, 2024 [March 10th, 2024]
- Father, daughter convicted in fraud related to COVID-19 relief - The Cincinnati Enquirer - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Supreme Court to weigh whether Covid misinformation is protected speech - STAT - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Oklahoma leads country in long Covid - 2 News Oklahoma KJRH Tulsa - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- MCFR firefighter dies after battle with COVID-19 - WCJB - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Audio-based AI classifiers show no evidence of improved COVID-19 screening over simple symptoms checkers - Nature.com - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Hidden death toll of COVID-19 pandemic revealed - Earth.com - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Switching arms improves effectiveness of two-dose vaccinations, OHSU study suggests - OHSU News - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Tributes paid to Irish health official 'central' to EU Covid-19 response - The Irish Times - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Court: Not wearing mask during COVID-19 health emergency isn't protected speech - Honolulu Star-Advertiser - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- One arm or two? How you get vaccinated may make a difference - The Seattle Times - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- 70% of kindergarteners didn't pass readiness test in pandemic, study estimates - University of Minnesota Twin Cities - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- USS Theodore Roosevelt sailors roam free on Guam for first time since COVID-19 outbreak - Stars and Stripes - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Pandemic linked to 14% increase in underweight children in India - Medical Xpress - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- COVID and travel: Should I still wear a mask on the plane? - USA TODAY - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Vaccine hesitancy and equity: lessons learned from the past and how they affect the COVID-19 countermeasure in ... - Globalization and Health - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Increase in STIs Among Adolescents Witnessed During COVID-19 Pandemic - Drug Topics - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- VDH: COVID deaths not seeing decline - Vermont Biz - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- US outpatient care for serious mental health issues declined during COVID-19 - University of Minnesota Twin Cities - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- COVID-19 Vaccination in a Patient With Gluten Enteropathy: A Case Report - Cureus - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- COVID-19 cases drop, but still lots of flu, RSV cases in Erie County - GoErie.com - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Lives versus livelihoods: The COVID-19 trade-off from an epidemiological-economic perspective - CEPR - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Weatherhead's Jonathan Ernest notes economic changes of childcare facilities following COVID-19 pandemic - The Daily | Case Western Reserve University - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- U.S. adults face distress, unequal mental health care access during the COVID-19 era - News-Medical.Net - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Simnotrelvir to reduces the symptoms of mild to moderate COVID-19 - 2 Minute Medicine - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Vaccine Effectiveness: Which COVID-19 Shots Offer the Most Protection? - SciTechDaily - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- New evidence confirms COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy is safe for babies - Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Audit Committee co-chairs, Evers at odds over interest from COVID-19 funds - WisPolitics.com - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Evaluation of Olfactory Dysfunction Among COVID-19 Patients in Baghdad, Iraq - Cureus - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- COVID-19's impact on early education: Retrospective study shows decrease in kindergarten readiness - News-Medical.Net - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Rutgers researchers work on breakthrough COVID-19 treatment | Video - NJ Spotlight News - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Curious Iowa: Has the state spent all of its COVID-19 relief funding? - The Gazette - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Accelerating into Immunization Agenda 2030 with momentum from ... - Infectious Diseases of Poverty - BioMed Central - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Study Uncovers Why Young Children Suffer Less Severe COVID-19 - Technology Networks - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Wenstrup, Select Subcommittee Majority Members Investigate ... - House Committee on Oversight and Reform | - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- With COVID-19 emergency orders lifted, employers seek guidance ... - Hartford Business Journal - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Computer-aided diagnosis of chest X-ray for COVID-19 diagnosis in ... - Nature.com - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Maternal COVID-19 Vaccination, Infection Boosts Infant Antibody ... - Contagionlive.com - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Three Middlesex County Individuals Admit COVID-19 Fraud ... - Department of Justice - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Seventeen Broward Sheriff's Office Employees Charged with COVID ... - Department of Justice - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- New COVID-19 Booster and Flu Shot Available at Select Public ... - Mecklenburg County (.gov) - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Ban on COVID vaccine mandates by private businesses, including ... - The Texas Tribune - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- What Are the Side Effects of the 2023 COVID Vaccine? Experts ... - Good Housekeeping - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Covid inquiry: Bereaved families relief as High Court dismisses Cabinet Office JR - openDemocracy - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- UK health agency failed to account for 3.3bn of Covid inventory, say MPs - Financial Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- COVID-19 Working Paper: Obesity Prevalence Among U.S. Adult ... - usda.gov - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- California Changes Definition of COVID-19 Outbreak Easing the ... - Fisher Phillips - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- New Study Shows Robust Pandemic Preparedness Strongly Linked ... - Nuclear Threat Initiative - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- COVID-19 Infection Reduces the Risk of UTIs, Bacteremia, and ... - Contagionlive.com - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Europe Phases Out COVID-19 Flexible Regulations - Pharmaceutical Technology Magazine - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Travel Pains and COVID: How to Decide if You're Ready to Travel - CreakyJoints - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- COVID Depression and Anxiety | Johns Hopkins Medicine - April 17th, 2023 [April 17th, 2023]
- Man declared dead due to Covid found 'shockingly' alive after 2 years in MP - Hindustan Times - April 17th, 2023 [April 17th, 2023]
- Senate votes to end Covid-19 emergency, 3 years after initial declaration - CNN - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- DC COVID-19 centers closing Friday: Here's what you need to know - WJLA - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- Can grade retention help with COVID-19 learning recovery in schools? - Brookings Institution - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- On 3-year anniversary of COVID-19 in NC, Winston-Salem woman shares story of loss and healing after losing 2 loved ones - WXII12 Winston-Salem - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- Oregon, Washington will lift mask requirements in health care settings on April 3 - KATU - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- WHO says all theories for COVID origin 'remain on table' as lab leak theory gains traction - Sky News - March 4th, 2023 [March 4th, 2023]
- New COVID-19 omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 sweeping the nation, making up majority of cases - ABC Action News Tampa Bay - February 15th, 2023 [February 15th, 2023]
- Man gets 21 years in prison for stabbing wife in the Ozarks over COVID-19 stimulus check and their children - Law & Crime - February 15th, 2023 [February 15th, 2023]
- Healthline: Medical information and health advice you can trust. - January 2nd, 2023 [January 2nd, 2023]
- China can expect repeat Covid infections with new strains on the way: experts - South China Morning Post - January 2nd, 2023 [January 2nd, 2023]
- PCR tests for travellers reintroduced around the world as Covid-19 cases surge - The National - January 2nd, 2023 [January 2nd, 2023]
- Covid-19 surge after Covid-19 surge has made it impossible for US hospitals to plan for the future - Vox.com - January 2nd, 2023 [January 2nd, 2023]
- COVID-19 in China: Demand for a particular fruit rises as people seek natural remedies to fight the virus - WION - December 21st, 2022 [December 21st, 2022]