Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Aug 30, 2024 2:30:18 GMT
Houston COVID transmission hits highest levels of 2024 as expert urges use of newly approved vaccines - Published Aug 29, 2024
Since the beginning of July, the new numbers in the Houston wastewater data show COVID levels up 300%, 10 times higher than they were at the end of April.
COVID has become largely a part of life in the U.S., with fairly predictable peaks and valleys of infection. The Houston area is currently at its peak this year, spreading as kids head back to school and the heat keeps people indoors.
Last week, the FDA approved new COVID vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna, which should be available within days. The Biden administration is also giving American families the opportunity to order another round of free COVID test kits.
With COVID back in the news, and also some recent developments surrounding mosquito-borne illnesses, Houston Matters spoke with Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, and Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
COVID's level of transmission is high right now, Hotez said.
"We reached our lowest point, actually at the end of April, beginning in May," he said. "And, you know, I was even getting excited, ‘Hey, could this be our last gasp of COVID?' But unfortunately, it’s not to be. It started accelerating and it’s been at a pretty high level now for the last two months."
Since the beginning of July, the new numbers in the Houston wastewater data show COVID levels up 300%, 10 times higher than they were at the end of April, Hotez said.
"There's a lot of transmission right now and that’s why you need to get this new annual immunization that just came out this week," he said.
The new vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna target the FLiRT variant. There are three reasons to get the new vaccine, Hotez said.
"One, the level of transmission is quite high right now and the most impactful way you can assure yourself you’re unlikely to be hospitalized is to get this annual immunization," he said. "The other is the fact that there’s data now that suggests, if you keep up with your immunizations, you’re at less risk for getting long COVID, the chronic neurologic and cardiovascular sequelae.
"And then third, it's one of the best ways to protect your heart health," Hotez added. "We now have data to show that this virus is a thromboembolic virus, not just the respiratory virus. It’s causing clots to form in your coronary arteries and in the blood vessels going to your head and your brain. And so, one of the best ways to protect your heart health, and prevent you from getting heart attack strokes is to keep up with your annual immunization."
Some people wait to get their COVID vaccine until they also get their flu shot. Hotez said you could get them both, but he would not wait until getting the COVID vaccine because of the high transmission.
"I usually wait a few more weeks until flu transit season really starts to rev up. So I’ll probably get it at the end of end of September," he said. "But if you’re one of those individuals that just wants to get it off the table because you’re going to forget about it, then, by all means, get it because it's better than not getting
Since the beginning of July, the new numbers in the Houston wastewater data show COVID levels up 300%, 10 times higher than they were at the end of April.
COVID has become largely a part of life in the U.S., with fairly predictable peaks and valleys of infection. The Houston area is currently at its peak this year, spreading as kids head back to school and the heat keeps people indoors.
Last week, the FDA approved new COVID vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna, which should be available within days. The Biden administration is also giving American families the opportunity to order another round of free COVID test kits.
With COVID back in the news, and also some recent developments surrounding mosquito-borne illnesses, Houston Matters spoke with Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, and Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
COVID's level of transmission is high right now, Hotez said.
"We reached our lowest point, actually at the end of April, beginning in May," he said. "And, you know, I was even getting excited, ‘Hey, could this be our last gasp of COVID?' But unfortunately, it’s not to be. It started accelerating and it’s been at a pretty high level now for the last two months."
Since the beginning of July, the new numbers in the Houston wastewater data show COVID levels up 300%, 10 times higher than they were at the end of April, Hotez said.
"There's a lot of transmission right now and that’s why you need to get this new annual immunization that just came out this week," he said.
The new vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna target the FLiRT variant. There are three reasons to get the new vaccine, Hotez said.
"One, the level of transmission is quite high right now and the most impactful way you can assure yourself you’re unlikely to be hospitalized is to get this annual immunization," he said. "The other is the fact that there’s data now that suggests, if you keep up with your immunizations, you’re at less risk for getting long COVID, the chronic neurologic and cardiovascular sequelae.
"And then third, it's one of the best ways to protect your heart health," Hotez added. "We now have data to show that this virus is a thromboembolic virus, not just the respiratory virus. It’s causing clots to form in your coronary arteries and in the blood vessels going to your head and your brain. And so, one of the best ways to protect your heart health, and prevent you from getting heart attack strokes is to keep up with your annual immunization."
Some people wait to get their COVID vaccine until they also get their flu shot. Hotez said you could get them both, but he would not wait until getting the COVID vaccine because of the high transmission.
"I usually wait a few more weeks until flu transit season really starts to rev up. So I’ll probably get it at the end of end of September," he said. "But if you’re one of those individuals that just wants to get it off the table because you’re going to forget about it, then, by all means, get it because it's better than not getting