Omicron’s threat to summer vacation
New Horizons for Grassroots Influence compiled by Joyce
The long summer has arrived, but the threat of Omicron’s latest variant doesn’t seem to be taking a break.So, how to stay healthy during this happy holiday
Jennifer Lighter, an epidemiologist at NYU Langone Medical Center：“The BA.5 omicron sub-variant is the most transmissible Covid virus we have ever seen, and is several times more infectious than the original omicron strain.” According to the CDC, in the United States, BA.5 Infections account for 36.6% of Covid cases in the U.S., and Lighter predicts that BA.5 may evolve into a major infection variant in the coming weeks. An analysis by the UK Health Security Agency in June also showed that BA.5 was growing 35.1% faster than BA.2.
Lighter believes that BA.5 may also trigger a more severe disease response than previous sub-variants of omicron, although specific data on this are not yet fully available. Lighter says：“BA.5 is not only the most transmissible, it is also the most immune-invasive. So, even if you have been infected with Covid before and recovered, it does not mean that you will not be infected by BA.5 again.” Recently, a BA.5 appeared the phenomenon that people who have just recovered from Covid are quickly re-infected.
Image taken from: (Schematic123rf)
So, how to keep a safe distance from the virus during the summer vacation? The best and easiest way to do this is to make sure the Covid vaccines and boosters you get are up to date, suggests Lighter. Vaccines can reduce the chance of infection and, if you are still infected, can greatly reduce the chance of severe illness and hospitalization, “but people who are not vaccinated are likely to be re-infected with Covid,” Lighter said.
In addition, even if you don’t have any serious illness after infection, it is still possible to transmit the virus to more vulnerable people, so if you will be in contact with the elderly, immunocompromised or unvaccinated people during the holidays, consider doing it at home first Rapid screening test, even if the body is not showing any symptoms. Lighter did specifically advise against close contact with unvaccinated people, if possible, to avoid increasing their risk of infection. “It’s important that everyone in the home is vaccinated, as most transmission It happened at home.”
Outdoor open environments are still safer than indoor gatherings, and Lighter recommends that immunocompromised people always wear masks indoors or in particularly crowded outdoor spaces. The CDC also recommends using a Covid risk tracking app to check the level of contagion risk in your area, or a social distancing app to check for overlap with someone who has tested positive.
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Omicron’s newest variant might be a threat to your July 4 weekend—here’s how to stay safe