This is Week 142 since the recognition of a novel Coronavirus infection that has claimed millions of lives worldwide. Today, Dr. Klotman’s weekly update from Baylor College of Medicine posted on YouTube. This update takes the format of a Q&A.
My former Internal Medicine residency mate and now, like me, retired Internist buddy AD Smith, sent me a couple of COVID-related items this past weekend. One was an in vitro (test tube) evaluation of COVID immunity after natural infection and/or vaccination after infection. This lab trial looked specifically at the XBB and BQ.1.1 variants. Both variants appear able to defeat our antibody immunity to former strains. Merde! For the moment, these strains are confined to Asia and Europe. But, with air travel, they will soon be at our doors as well. I give it a few months at most.
Meanwhile, we are blissfully behaving as if the apocalypse has been cancelled. It has not, much to my dismay. We’re are in a lull; that’s all.
On a brighter note, vaccination has been shown to reduce the risk of reinfections as well as of severe COVID by 50%. The Omicron variants circulating in the US are covered by the bivalent booster vaccines, but the public uptake of these vaccines is a sorry 10% at this point. Alas, we are a dull and willful people.
Other medical items that I have read this past week include calls from various public health experts for the continued wearing of masks – particularly in closed public spaces such as stores, airports and public transportation. I totally agree with them since Influenza, COVID and RSV are all circulating.
Be safe. The apocalypse has not been cancelled; it is simply on hiatus.