Atlanta, Georgia – CDC data indicates a rise in Covid-19 infections in numerous states across the country, signaling the onset of a summer wave. The United States has been grappling with increasing levels of Covid-19 cases, driven by new variants that have led to what experts consider an annual surge during the summer months.
Surveillance for Covid-19 has been significantly reduced since the public health emergency in the United States ended over a year ago. The data now relies on representative samples of the population to track severe outcomes, showing a consistent upward trend in infections. At least 38 states are likely experiencing a growth in Covid-19 cases, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with an increase in hospitalizations and deaths also being reported.
Health officials note that the levels of Covid-19 are particularly high in the Western and Southern regions of the country, where warm and moist conditions provide an environment conducive to viral replication. Dr. Robert Hopkins, from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, points out that the summer wave has become a seasonal pattern, but the unpredictability of the coronavirus remains a concern.
Wastewater surveillance conducted by the WastewaterSCAN network suggests that the current summer wave started earlier than the previous year’s wave and has reached similar peak levels. The emergence of new variants, specifically the FLiRT variants, continues to pose challenges as they have the ability to evade the body’s immune response and are highly transmissible.
Plans are underway to update Covid-19 vaccines to target newer strains such as the KP.2 strain, which accounts for a significant portion of new infections in the US. The CDC has recommended that everyone aged 6 months and older receive an updated Covid-19 vaccine for the upcoming season to enhance protection and reduce the overall incidence of the disease.
As the winter respiratory virus season approaches, experts are urging individuals to get vaccinated against Covid-19, flu, and RSV to minimize the risk of severe illness. The CDC has updated its recommendations for the RSV vaccine, targeting individuals aged 60 and older who are at higher risk of severe illness, to simplify decision-making for clinicians and the public.
Overall, health officials emphasize the importance of vaccination in reducing the risk of infectious respiratory diseases like Covid-19, flu, and RSV. With the evolution of new variants and the ongoing circulation of the virus, continuous vaccination efforts are crucial in combating the spread of the disease.
