You know the frustration of a belly that brings you to the appetite in the pantry for a refreshment, only to find the barefoot shelves. It is frustrating in the sense that, on the one hand, a better personal planning could have been avoided. But on the other hand, if you live with teenagers, you cannot prepare any preparation for the ravages that cause your grocery bill. Although, fortunately, we do not experience a shortage of food at this time, I feel the teenager in the pantry this week when it comes to data and information on public health. Specifically, I was looking for up -to -date information on COVID vaccines and the new variant.
I gave of course the emails received regularly from the CDC, Harvard and other sources with the most recent information available. They have stopped. In the past, when I did a Google search, the information was mainly direct of the health and researchers. Now there are the sources of Time Time, CBS, NBC and British. Going directly to websites is another useless effort to find recent data. The World Health Organization continues to provide global data.
I heard a group of older women, who know that they all have underlying health problems, saying that the CDC said they no longer need caving vaccines. This misinformation on which their health decisions are based could be the difference between life and death for this age group at risk. Not only is there less available data and research, but the federal government makes decisions regardless of expert guidance. And many cannot distinguish what is best for their health.
The most accurate, local, first-hand update I can give to the Covid-19 virus is that the commonly proven respiratory viruses (flu, Covid and RSV) have decreased significantly.
It is not scientific data for any section of the imagination. But we are seeing a lot of ill people with flu diseases. I see a couple of cases cooked a day. It is also generally known that any number is not accurate because people are not looking for treatment or evidence.
Home tests are not documented anywhere.
It was informed by the World Health Organization that a new variant NB.1.8.1 (Nimbus) increases in Asia. The reports of reported cases are impressive: 14,200 weekly cases in Hong Kong and Singapore, 50,000 new cases reported in Thailand in a week. There have also been cases reported in New York, California, Arizona, Ohio and Rhode Island for airport evidence.
This variant is more transmissible than the previous strains, therefore, the impressive number of cases in Asia. The common symptoms are throat, fatigue, mild cough, fever, muscle aches and congestion.
Nimbus mutated from the omicron family. The current Covid-19 vaccine will provide protection against severe diseases. This is still true and especially important for the elderly, immunocompromas, children and pregnant women. Experts recommend vaccine as the best tool to prevent serious illness and death. The FDA met in May, deciding to continue advising the use of the vaccine without specifying the update of the shot to guide the newer strains.
Unfortunately, the Declaration of the Secretary of Health of the United States that the vaccine is no longer recommended for pregnant children and women, and the FDA that is waiting for more studies for the recommendation for healthy adults affects insurance coverage. Many insurance can stop covering the cost.
The public health mantra to protect everyone is still maintained: good hands hygiene, staying at home when ill, avoiding large meetings, especially in poorly ventilated buildings, try when sick, vaccinated and aware of the most susceptible. Once again, we can thank you for reports from this new variant by copying the first variant B.1.1.7 (alpha) that brought so many lives and wreaked havoc on the world.
As always, we should learn from history. When Covid first began, very few in the United States had no idea that all these cases in China would come to our country and that the rest of the world became a global pandemic. Nimbus is likely to be here with a growing number in the very close future. It can only be expected that our plains, markets, medical and public health and public health resources will stay well enough to support us and protect us -despite the teenager.
Take care of yourself and another person.
Juanita Carnes is a nurse practicing with 39 years of experience in a hospital emergency service and urgent care facilities. He spent 30 years at the Westfield Health Council, Massachusetts.