Despite the increase in cases, hospitalizations and deaths remain low, according to the data.
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Since the pandemic was officially declared over on May 5, 2023, public health officials are no longer collecting the same amount of knowledge about COVID-19 as they once did.
“But the knowledge we have from the CDC, coupled with the knowledge from wastewater surveillance, indicates that COVID-19 infections are emerging in many places in the United States,” said Dr. Jay Varma, chief medical officer of SIGA Technologies, a New York company. York-based pharmaceutical company, he told Fox News Digital.
A wave of COVID is underway in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns. (iStock)
Dr. Marc Siegel, MD, a clinical professor of medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, said there has been a slight increase in cases recently.
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“There’s been a resurgence in some areas, in California, driven by variants called FLiRT, KP. 3, KP. 2 and KP. 1,” he told Fox News Digital.
“This could reach more states. “
COVID-19 infections are “increasing or likely to grow” in 44 states and territories, according to a CDC news alert. (iStock)
The CDC knows that the KP. 3 and KP. 2 strains, either of which are subvariants of the highly contagious JN. 1 variant, account for more than a portion of all new cases lately.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, scientists have found that the virus has seasonal characteristics, Varma said, with predictable peaks in spring, early summer and winter.
“Winter spikes are easy to explain: More people are spending time indoors, and there are adjustments to the weather, adding relative humidity, that make it less difficult for infections to spread through the air,” said Varma, a former New York City mayor. “Advisor for public fitness in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he told Fox News Digital.
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However, the increase in hot climates is not so undeniable.
“This could possibly be because the virus is evolving with a frequency that corresponds to spring/summer, or there may also be other environmental points that we don’t fully understand,” Varma said.
The CDC knows that the KP. 3 and KP. 2 strains, either of which are subvariants of the highly contagious JN. 1 variant, account for more than a portion of all new cases this summer so far. (iStock)
Siegel, however, doesn’t think COVID is seasonal.
“It’s a virus that you breathe in and spread when other people get together,” he told Fox News Digital.
“And like all respiratory viruses, it spreads more with low humidity. ”
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“That said, it hasn’t been seasonal, so it can also spread smoothly in hot climates. “
COVID subvariants (FLiRTs) are “immunoevasive,” according to Siegel, meaning other people can contract them even if they were immune in the past.
As for the chances of getting COVID this summer, Siegel said the same recommendation applies year-round.
“If you breathe indoor air, such as on an airplane or in a crowded space, wearing a mask can reduce the risk of getting infected,” one doctor advised. (iStock)
“If you breathe indoor air, such as on an airplane or in a crowded space, wearing a mask can reduce the risk of getting infected,” he advised.
“If you have a cough or bleeding symptoms, in addition to what you think are allergies, it’s a good idea to get tested immediately for COVID-19. “
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Immediate monitoring is an effective way to determine if you’re more likely to spread it to others, Siegel added.
Despite the increase in cases, hospitalizations and deaths remain low, according to the data.
Varma agreed, noting that “it is helpful to be aware and get tested immediately in case of exposure or illness. “
For other high-risk infected people, Siegel also recommends the use of Paxlovid, an antiviral drug that can prevent serious illness.
Starting June 27, the CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older receive the updated 2024-2025 COVID vaccines when they become available in the fall of 2024.
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“While we know that flu and COVID vaccines offer only partial protection, we know that those vaccines are incredibly effective and that they can result in fewer missed school days or pictures, fewer days of misery, a lower threat of long COVID, and a decrease in the threat of spreading infection to others who would possibly be in danger of hospitalization or death,” Varma said.
Starting June 27, the CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older receive the updated 2024-2025 COVID vaccines when they become available in fall 2024. (Julian Stratenschulte/dpa (Julian Stratenschulte/alliance image via Getty Images))
The updated vaccine will focus on the new subvariants that are prevalent.
“This will be effective and will be taken or seriously considered, especially for high-risk and high-risk groups, in addition to the elderly,” Varma told Fox News Digital.
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“If COVID continues to spread, I would present the vaccine as one of our effective kits for adults with the severity and long symptoms of COVID. “
He added: “For younger people, it’s a matter of choice, but I still appreciate the efficacy of the vaccine in reducing the threat of COVID in the long term. “
Melissa Rudy is a health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. The story can be sent to melissa. rudy@fox. com.