January 11, 2022
The Kraken has arisen
Yes, it seems the Kraken, the nickname of the fast spreading variant XBB.1.5 has arrived in the Northwest. A swath of infections is blowing through. Masking up again is a good idea. As well as getting your Bivalent booster if you haven’t already. Careful out there!
I know many of my friends are planning on gathering for music and fun this weekend in Portland. Wish I could be there, but alas, even though I am testing negative, I could turn positive any day. I don’t want to expose anyone. Jamie is doing well with the Paxlovid, his symptoms started improving in 24 hours. Whew, I am relieved.
I suggest you read the COVID-19 Research Round-up by Katelyn Jetelina, Your Local Epidemiologist, linked below. She has some great updates, especially how the combination of waves of new variants will be influenced by vaccines and prior immunity to eventually become much more seasonal like the flu. It may take a while to settle down, but I am already starting to feel the rhythm of the waves, with a few weeks or months between them. Interesting. I predict that we will get updated vaccines as needed in the future.
She also points out that the Moderna vaccine has better data than Pfizer now, so if you haven’t had your Bivalent yet, try to get the Moderna, if possible. The Pfizer is still pretty good, if that’s all you have.
Lots of data now shows that overall the vaccines have saved at least 3.2 million lives in the US alone. The boosters have cut hospitalization rates, the boosters are better than expected, with good data from Israel and less symptoms.
Disinformation continues to be a bigger pandemic than COVID, keeping people from getting vaccines and treatments. Politicians are susceptible too. One new claim is that vaccines are causing the variants. Here is a link to help explain why that is not what is happening. Check your sources before accepting a claim, especially don’t share unless you’re sure the data is reliable.
There are websites to help you find access to Paxlovid. Ask for it, especially if you are over 65. The key is to start it as soon as possible. Definitely within the first 3 days of symptoms. Some doctors aren’t comfortable with the drug interactions with Paxlovid. There are websites to help them adjust medications if needed. You can also find access by using the Test and Treat Locations Website. https://healthdata.gov/National/COVID-19-Test-to-Treat-Locations-Map/y2ki-fzzb
Like you, I am more than ready to get back to a more predictable and social existence. Isolating away from folks and missing out on tunes and fun this week sucks. But I am not carrying the fear I had two years ago before vaccines and medications were available. Now, we have tools that are saving lives, preventing hospitalizations, cutting down on Long COVID, and helping people feel better faster. Let’s use them!
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/israeli-study-finds-omicron-covid-booster-cuts-hospitalization-65-2023-01-09/
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/3773239-covid-vaccines-saved-3-2-million-us-lives-researchers-say/
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/covid-boosters-cut-hospitalization-risk-by-at-least-50-cdc-data-show/
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/omicron-covid-booster-better-protection-symptoms-cdc-says-rcna58322
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/updated-booster-shot-prevents-majority-covid-hospitalizations-older-ad-rcna62073
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm715152e2.htm
https://www.jwatch.org/na55617/2022/12/20/benefits-sars-cov-2-vaccine-booster-nursing-home-residents
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/regular-exercise-protects-against-fatal-covid-a-new-study-shows/
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/well/covid-flu-rsv-masks-tripledemic.html
https://fortune.com/well/2023/01/09/covid-vaccines-not-making-kraken-xbb-1-5-variant-stronger/
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/desantis-dangerous-war-vaccines-rcna61711
https://www.med.umich.edu/asp/pdf/outpatient_guidelines/Paxlovid-DDI.pdf
https://healthdata.gov/National/COVID-19-Test-to-Treat-Locations-Map/y2ki-fzzb