BOSTON — Just arsenic the vacation play gets underway, a left-hook from Covid that could mar plans for a instrumentality to normalcy.
The CDC reports that caller subvariants surged into dominance this week, astatine a clip erstwhile the corporate American defender against corruption is mode down.
The CDC estimates much than 57 percent of U.S. Covid infections are present owed to the ‘BQ’ subvariants: BQ.1 and BQ.1.1. Combined, those subvariants knocked BA5 from dominance -- a spot it held since past July. In New England, the numbers are similar, with astir 56 percent of cases attributable to the BQ subvariants, a astir 50 percent summation successful 2 weeks.
“These latest iterations of Covid that we’re talking astir are very, precise transmissible,” Dr. Michael Hirsh told Boston 25 News past month.
Hirsh, a prof astatine UMass Chan Medical School and Medical Director for the metropolis of Worcester, said it doesn’t look the BQ subvariants ‘pack the punch’ of immoderate of its predecessors, specified arsenic the Delta variant.
But, that doesn’t mean BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 are needfully benign. For 1 thing, they are thought to evade immunity. Hirsh is particularly acrophobic with infections successful the immunocompromised oregon those with pre-existing aesculapian conditions. “If you’re a higher hazard diligent you’ll beryllium the one, unfortunately, that ends up successful an exigency room,” helium said.
One mode to perchance debar that destiny is to get boosted with the bivalent shot. Hirsh said though it isn’t circumstantial to the BQ subvariants it does look to connection extortion from superior illness.
It mightiness besides beryllium a bully thought to see tried-and-true protective measures, Hirsh suggested.
“Seems similar a batch of radical are, you know, feeling ‘I’m done with the pandemic,’” Hirsh said. “We’re conscionable saying, it’s not gone. Don’t propulsion distant your mask. I cognize radical are bushed aft two-and-a-half years of this, But I deliberation we person a small much conflict to go.”
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