“The fast-spreading BA.5 subvariant of Omicron and its close relative BA.4 now make up around 95% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. —
people who survived a COVID-19 infection before the Omicron variant have only around 15% protection against a symptomatic reinfection by BA.4 or BA.5. If the previous infection was from another Omicron subvariant, that estimate rises to 76%.”
Note: Current vaccines’ efficacy is, also, reduced in combating the new strains. Thus, at the moment, face masks are still the best option.
Note: ‘Fever and sore throat’ overtake ‘loss of taste and smell’ as symptoms of the new Covid strain.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-ba5-variant-omicron-strains-difference/
Health officials are renewing their pleas to eligible Americans to get prescriptions to Paxlovid, Pfizer's COVID pills, to curb their risk of hospitalization and death from the disease, as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise…The FDA's initial authorization of Paxlovid was based on a trial run by Pfizer in at-risk unvaccinated adults. Its results showed that patients' risk of severe COVID-19 was 89% lower
The drugs themselves are purchased and distributed for free by the federal government.
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/paxlovid-drug-covid-19-side-effects-how-to-get/
The FDA’s The agency's checklist for prescribing Paxlovid also requires that patients:
>Test positive for the virus, including by either by a lab swab or at-home rapid test.
>Have at least one risk factor" for severe COVID-19, like being older than 65 years old or underlying conditions like asthma.
>Show COVID-19 symptoms, that started less within five days ago, which aren't so severe to require hospitalization.
Note: In process is the setting up of dispensing Paxlovid at the testing sites so that testing positive automatically allows immediate offering of the medicine.
Note: Updated vaccine coming this Fall
