Here is Dr. Klotman’s Week 178 YouTube video update on COVID. The news this week is that there is a global uptick in COVID cases – particularly in the Pacific rim countries. In the US, the largest portion of cases appears to be attributable to Omicron subvariant EG.5. My friend and medical colleague, AD Smith, shared this link to BioBot – a site that monitors and reports certain virus levels (COVID and M-pox) in wastewater. Dr. Klotman includes BioBot in his update this week.
The M-pox story is one of a successful CDC intervention and an educated population at risk. It seems that gay men are far more prudent about accepting vaccination risks to avoid the risks of serious infections. That’s entirely predictable given the toll that HIV has exacted from that demographic. Now, if only the antivax community would get onboard, we might prevent millions of needless deaths when the next vaccine-preventable disease is loosed upon humanity. Sigh.
The upcoming COVID booster will target XBB.1.5 which is not as closely related to EG.5 as one might wish, but it is likely to confer immunity anyway. Susan and I are going to take it probably in September when we need to get our annual Flu shot.
In the meantime, I may start wearing my KN-95 mask again. I have so enjoyed seeing folks at the store this summer. Alas, as much pleasure as going maskless has given me, I’m not up for another hospital stay – the last one, two years ago, will last me a long time.