As knowledge about COVID wastewater reaches significant levels in the Middlesex-London region, more cases of the virus and other respiratory infections can be expected in the new year, the region’s most sensible doctor said.
The start of 2024 will be in the middle of respiratory virus season, with continued COVID activity and a buildup of flu infections and other cough and flu viruses, fitness doctor Dr. Alex Summers said.
“The key thing to take away from the wastewater data, as well as other markers of COVID and other respiratory virus activity in Ontario, is that it is respiratory virus season and there is a lot of illness out there right now,” he said.
COVID wastewater data across the province has spiked, and it appears to be even higher than at points during the pandemic, said Summers.
“Here in southwestern Ontario, it’s stable, but very high,” he said. “Throughout the fall, we have noticed increasing degrees of COVID in our wastewater, which tells us that the COVID virus continues to circulate at a peak rate in Ontario. »
Summers stressed the importance of staying up-to-date on COVID vaccines and boosters, saying he was disappointed by the low number of people in the region who earned a booster in recent months.
“Sadly, only 16 per cent of people aged 12 and over in Middlesex-London have received a COVID booster dose in the last six months,” he said. “It’s too low. My wish for the new year 2024 is that we can receive more COVID vaccines. “
It’s also thinking about how the severity of COVID has changed, Summers added. Although the symptoms are respiratory and cause fatigue, sore throat, shortness of breath, and fever, their severity can vary from person to person.
The colder months are the best time for respiratory viruses to spread smoothly as more people gather indoors, Summers said. While it doesn’t discourage people from gathering, Summers suggests some undeniable measures to counter the virus.
These steps include: Washing your hands regularly when returning home from another location, covering your cough, and avoiding seeing others when you are sick.
Journalist
Isha Bhargava is a multiplatform reporter for CBC News. She’s worked for Ontario newsrooms in Toronto and London. She loves telling current affairs and human interest stories. You can reach her at [email protected]
Public Relations, CBC P. O. P. Box 500, Station To Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6
Toll-free (Canada only): 1-866-306-4636
It is a precedent for CBC to create products that are available to everyone in Canada, adding others with visual, auditory, motor and cognitive challenges.
Closed captioning and described videos are available for many CBC systems featured in CBC Gem.