United States: Recent reports indicate New York is seeing a dramatic rise in COVID cases driven by FLiRT variants.
Details on the Surge
Data from New York officials show 687 COVID cases reported daily as of June 22, marking a 250% increase from two months prior.
During the same period, there were an average of 53 daily hospitalizations for COVID, primarily among older adults, including one death.
Easing COVID Measures
Although mandatory COVID preventive measures have largely been removed, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also eased its recommendation for when people should isolate themselves during sickness and the post-sickness phase, as gothamist.com reported.
Moreover, the reduction in COVID testing does not entirely show the complete picture, as per the health experts.
However, as per the New York state wastewater testing data, the tests show a bump in COVID, as seen last summer.
COVID’s Predictable Pattern
Experts note that COVID is following a predictable pattern, with cases rising in winter when temperatures drop and people stay indoors. However, this summer’s bump is smaller.
According to Dr. Jessica Justman, an epidemiologist and professor at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, in the summer, “there are family gatherings, there are weddings,” as gothamist.com reported.
And as people would spend most of their time outdoors, the virus appears to be less likely to spread. And “we also spend time indoors when we have a heat wave like we had last week,” as Justman noted.
Impact of FLiRT Variants
Most people have developed some immunity through vaccination or prior infections. Despite FLiRT variants bypassing some immunity, existing antibodies help mitigate symptoms, according to Andrew Pekosz of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Justman said, “Overall, disease severity is dropping,” as gothamist.com reported,
Dr. Aaron Glatt, chair of the medicine department and chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassa, also noted the current state of circulating COVID cases.
Glatt notes that while taking into consideration COVID patients, “It’s the typical COVID presentations,” and “They have a cough. They may have some upper respiratory symptoms like a cold, runny nose.”