Health experts are saying to keep a wary eye on COVID-19 variants.
As the leaves change and the temperatures drop, COVID-19 and flu cases will inevitably rise. This is what the experts say regarding their outlook on the days ahead. We are an occupational health company that provides COVID-19 support and flu shots. Our medical teams are preparing for the colder winter months and the many health issues that come with it.
With the steady increase in accessibility of COVID-19 vaccinations across more age groups and newer treatment options being updated, it can be a comforting thought to believe this virus is mostly behind us. Even President Biden has been quoted as saying that “the pandemic is over,” a statement recently made in a 60 Minutes interview. Many medical experts agree there is reason to believe we should keep a wary eye for a potential fall surge.
Raj Rajnarayanan, Ph.D., assistant dean of research and associate professor at the New York Institute of Technology campus in Jonesboro, Ark., tells Fortune that other emerging subvariants have the potential to render current treatments and vaccines ineffective.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor to the President and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said earlier this month that the BA.2.75.2, is an even newer Omicron subvariant than the B.A. 4 and B.A. 5. He characterized the new variant as “suspicious.” It has the potential to develop into a variant that is a concern for the fall season. Some studies have shown earlier variants like BA.4 and B.A. 5 to be effectively neutralized by antiviral treatments like remdesivir and molnupiravir, even Paxlovid, but not so much this new variant BA.2.75.2, called by some unofficially, “Centaurus.”
Another variant health officials are keeping a close eye on is BF.7, a subvariant of BA.5. This variant has emerged in some European countries and earned its own subcategory due to its rapid growth. The newer variant becomes news just as autumn arrives. Recent studies have shown that it’ll be most transmittable in the fall and winter. According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, 413 died from COVID in the U.S. as of mid-September 2022. Additionally, they reported 60,454 new cases.
So how do we prepare, you might be wondering? Our best preventive option is to follow medical advice on vaccines. We should also continue taking flu virus precautions in our daily lives. Larger employers should avoid making quick judgments to change testing protocols in anticipation of surges.
To stay up to date on the most recent COVID cases, see the CDC COVID Data Tracker or sign up for the CDC’s most current COVID content updates. Contact us for more information on Work Health Solutions’ occupational health services.
