The world has gone back to ‘normal,’ but COVID is still coming in waves and new variants are concerning.
For many people, the pandemic seems like a topic of the past. Sure, most know that COVID-19 is still around, but they would rather think and talk about other things – and that is certainly understandable. After the experience that the world went through in 2020 and the two years or so that followed, moving on is all anyone wants to do. With that said, there are still serious concerns about the recent spike in cases and the damage that the new variants of the virus can do, and it’s a topic that just can’t be swept under the rug. Paying attention to the evolving state of the virus and considering new vaccines are important steps for every individual to take. While it once was new and shocking, COVID has now turned into a standard part of life like the many other viruses that affect humans around the world.
In the earlier days of COVID, many people closely monitored the emergence of new variants and waited to hear news on how severe those strains were thought to be and how long it would be before a vaccine was available. As time has passed, fewer people outside of the scientific community have kept close tabs, but the new strains keep coming.
With another new variant spreading in advance of the fall season – when illness tends to spread quickly anyway – there is concern that cases and serious illness will once again rise significantly. Specifically, this new variation seems to be a notable problem for those who haven’t had COVID previously and haven’t built up any degree of natural immunity.
At this point, despite the recent spike, there hasn’t been the degree of spread or illness that would trigger things like widespread mask rules, business restrictions, or anything like that. However, the basics of what public health officials are asking people to do isn’t changing now, and probably won’t change in the future. People are being asked to continue to pay attention to their health and be considerate of the health of others along the way.
That means doing things like not going to work or school when sick, as doing so is a major risk of spreading disease and helping the new COVID variant to gain even more traction. Also, updated vaccines continue to be produced as a way to fight back against the virus and help people avoid serious illness if they do contract COVID. So, getting as many people as possible to take the vaccine as a way to protect their health will continue to be a primary motivation for health officials.
It should go without saying that COVID-19 isn’t going away anytime soon. As cases continue to spike, everyone needs to remember to pay attention to the fundamentals of preventing the spread of disease, whether it is COVID or anything else. By regularly washing hands, covering a cough, and staying home when sick, the spread of infectious diseases can be slowed, and more people can stay healthy in the long run.
Sources:
Local health officials keeping close eye on recent spike in COVID-19 cases
Covid deaths are on the rise again, so what happens? Mask-wearing in hospitals is scrapped
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