Dr. Klotman’s Week 185 COVID update includes the following highlights:
- The number of COVID hospitalizations and in-hospital deaths continue to be low
- Most of the new cases are the EG.5 lineage with a growing number of HV.1 which is a direct mutant (descendant) of the EG.5 which descended from XBB
- The country is seeing COVID scattered outbreaks (Florida, mid-West, etc.) not unlike the annual outbreaks of Influenza
- There isn’t much RSV activity yet
- Children under 6mos of age are not candidates for COVID vaccine, but if their mother’s are vaccinated during pregnancy, they can pass their immunity to their infants through breast feeding
The last point concerning the passive immunity that mothers can provide their infants is a bit like saying that water is wet. That is, passive immunity is one of the great benefits of breastfeeding, and it is a benefit for a wide range of infectious illnesses. It is little surprise that COVID is among them – mother’s milk contains lots of antibodies. Still, it is good to have hard scientific evidence of effective passive immunity to COVID.