Here is Dr. Klotman’s Week 177 COVID update. The wastewater viral loads, like the COVID hospitalizations, continue to rise. Fortunately, the deaths are flat. The emerging COVID Omicron subvariant, EG.5, is becoming more prevalent in the US. Fortunately, immunity to other Omicron variants, either by vaccination or prior infection, still mitigates this new subvariant. A new COVID mRNA vaccine that covers the XBB Omicron lineage, including EG.5, should be available by mid-September just in time to get that vaccination along with the Influenza jab.
Dr. Klotman’s weekly update also mentions reports of Leprosy in Florida. Why am I not surprised? It’s another disease spread by respiratory droplets though I think it is far less infectious than Tuberculosis let alone COVID. My physician colleague and friend, Dr. Dooley, just came back from a gig in Micronesia where the WHO and CDC are treating folks for tuberculosis and Leprosy exposure as well. Dr. Dooley served as the TB authority in Central Texas for many years; so, she has the background for this kind of work.
Unlike my more ambitious clinical colleagues, I am not just merely retired, I am quite sincerely retired. I can only sit back and admire their commitment and devotion to the public’s health. Kudos to them.