HOUGHTON — Positive coronavirus test results increased by just over 12% from Dec. 17 to Dec. 23, 2023, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) data tracker.
Closer to home, Kathryn Beal, health officer and chief executive of the Western Upper Peninsula Health Authority, said coronavirus cases have been increasing in five counties in western UP since early October 2023. Stated.
“But it actually seems to have plateaued a little bit.” she said. “We typically see 70 to 100 cases a week. It’s just really different.”
Beer said the number of new infections reported has plateaued but is still on the rise.
Over the past month, the average number of new cases reported has been 90 to 100 per week. On average, the number of new infections per week is close to 300.
Unfortunately, one of the struggles WUPHD has with regards to new cases and reporting is that home tests are not counted, so new case reports are primarily based on hospitalization rates and laboratory-confirmed tests. based, Beer said.
Beal said the increase is due to a variety of factors, including weather forcing more people to stay indoors, universities resuming classes and holiday travel.
“A lot of traveling and stuff really spreads things out.” she said.
Beal recommends the same strategies emphasized in previous years to protect yourself from contracting the virus.
“If you’re sick, please stay home.” Beer advises. “Again, if you are immunocompromised, double up on washing your hands and talk to your health care provider about whether the vaccine is right for you.”
Mr. Beer said that because of the variants and subvariants of the Omicron virus, updated vaccines are now available.
“Newly updated vaccines are targeting the Omicron variants as they are the most prominent.” Mr. Beal said. “Omicron is a variant of COVID-19. There is a whole lineage of Omicron due to COVID-19.” she said.
In September 203, the CDC announced a new, updated vaccine that provides protection against the Omicron subvariant, according to a Yale Medicine report.
Yale Medicine reported in early October that new vaccinations are expected to protect more people from becoming seriously ill with the virus over the winter, when cases and hospitalizations are on the rise. And unlike the spring booster shot, which was aimed at people 60 and older, these latest vaccines are aimed at everyone six months and older.
Johns Hopkins Medicine’s online article “COVID-19 vaccines: What you need to know” states that updated COVID-19 vaccines are based on the XBB.1.5 variant. The latest vaccines were produced by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Novavax. Most people will only need one dose of the vaccine this season, and there will be no booster immunizations.
Many people choose not to receive the coronavirus vaccine in favor of natural immunity. A study published in The Lancet on February 16, 2023 found that protection from past infections against reinfection from pleomicron variants was very high and remained high even after 40 weeks. . However, the same study cautions that the protection of the Ormicron BA.1 mutant is significantly lower and declines more rapidly over time than protection against previous mutants. Protection against severe disease was high for all variants.
“When assessing the future disease burden from COVID-19, we need to weigh the protection provided by vaccination against the immunity conferred by past infection.” The report states: “Providing guidance on when individuals should be vaccinated, mandating vaccination for workers, and restricting travel and access to high-risk environments such as crowded indoor spaces based on immune status. Develop policies to
The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine report states:
“Natural immunity is the protective function of antibodies that the body produces after being infected with a bacteria. Natural immunity to the virus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is equivalent to immunity acquired through vaccination. It carries a much greater risk. Research shows that natural immunity to the virus weakens over time, faster than the immunity provided by COVID-19 vaccination.”