Another new subvariant of omicron XBB 1. 5 has emerged over the past week. The World Health Organization warns that this is the maximum transmissible strain to date.
“In the U. S. , it went from 25% to 44% in just one week, that’s massive exponential growth,” said Dr. Brown. Archelle Georgiou, medical expert at Five EYEWITNESS NEWS.
XBB subvariants now account for about 15% of the viral load in tea water in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, nearly double what it did last week, according to the Metropolitan Council.
“The good news is that we don’t think it’s the reason for a more serious illness,” Dr. Georgiou said.
The Minnesota Department of Health emphasizes the importance of keeping up with COVID vaccines as the virus spreads.
“What we do know is that herbal immunity against COVID doesn’t last long, the immunity you get from the vaccine is longer-lasting, it gives you longer coverage compared to more types of COVID, so now is the time to pass out and get your vaccine,” Jennifer Heath said. Chief of MDH’s Vaccine-Preventable Diseases section. “We’re starting to see further spread. “
MDH data shows that while only about 60% of other people over age 65 are up-to-date on their COVID vaccines, less than 15% of adults ages 18-49 and older are up to date. The percentage falls below 12% for young people over 17. And below.
“We haven’t noticed other people going out and getting the bivalent vaccine as temporarily as we expected,” Heath said. “I think, of course, other people are tired of hearing about COVID vaccines, but I also think a lot of other people don’t know about bivalent reinforcement, I think there are a lot of paintings that can be done in terms of awareness. “
He wants the audience to perceive that it’s not too late to get the bivalent reminder.
“What he wants is his main series, so it would be two doses of Moderna or two doses of Pfizer,” Heath said. “Two months after finishing his number one series, he can get the bivalent booster. Once you have your bivalent reminder, you’re up to date.
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“I think most people need to be up to date on their COVID vaccine, which of course is also aligned with the CDC and the Minnesota Department of Health,” Dr. Georgiou said. “If it’s up to date, it can decrease transmission. “25 to 40 percent reduce that transmission to others. It may not absolutely prevent you from getting COVID, but it will reduce your risk of serious illness and hospitalization and one thing I think other people don’t want to forget either. is that being up-to-date on your vaccinations can also decrease your threat of prolonged COVID.
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