A new COVID-19 variant has emerged. Here's what we know about EG.5 so far
A new COVID-19 variant has emerged. Here's what we know about EG.5 so far
A new COVID-19 variant has emerged, serving as a reminder that the coronavirus continues to mutate and spread around the world, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations.
The variant is called EG.5 and is a descendant of Omicron.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that EG.5 accounted for roughly 17.3 per cent — or one in six — of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. in the past two weeks.
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I dunno if we need to worry in Canada. There's been almost no deaths al associated with COVID in a while now. Worst case, people get hospitalised but that's it. We've built a pretty good social immunity thanks to vaccination.
It's the other countries who don't have our resources that are more at risk. We need to send them vaccines so the can immunize themselves properly.
I mean there's plenty to worry about besides death. I don't understand why people discount all the other potentially life altering effects of COVID.
Ah yes, you're right. There are potential lifetime effects to COVID. I forgot about those. A couple of friends of mine have been permanently affected with various problems like asthma since catching it.
I know there's "long COVID" and there's the potential to overload our hospitals. Those are valid concerns.
But here's why I don't worry. Long term symptoms from COVID are rare. Immunization has helped keep many out of hospitals (but we can definitely do better on this front).
Lastly, I've got kids in daycare and I cannot count the times I've been sick - so much sicker than I ever was from COVID - from what Doctors will just say "it's a virus". If a viral infection can leave one with long term effects, then how many of those unnamed pathogens have the potential to leave me with long term effects? Did you know that there is research suggesting that being infected with influenza while pregnant might be a cause of schizophrenia for the child later in life? That's fucked up!
There are a lot of unknown viruses out there just waiting to give you long term effects, but you have to live your life. Try not to worry about what you can't control.
You know I really wish I hadn't caught COVID at some point and lost the ability to sleep properly at some point.
That sucks :( What happened?
Welcome to long covid, where your body has adrenaline attacks at random points in the middle of the night.
Not downplaying what you're going through but that sounds like anxiety attacks. But I'm no doctor so what do I know.
That's so weird though. Did you get any kind of diagnosis from a doctor? Have you tried any medication?
Long COVID. It's one of the neurological problems left over.
1.4 of 38-odd million is absolutely not rare, it's nearly 1 in 50. The US figures are even worse. For something to be considered medically rare, it needs to be at most 1 in 10,000.
Long term symptoms aren't rare. It's at least one in ten people. And a lot of people are in denial and refuse to accept they're scewed.
The death count is low because immunity is up. If we relax on things like vaccinations or quarantine orders it will come back.
There's already an uptick from wastewater testing for the past few weeks according to CBC.
Seems like we need to be a hair more responsible for a while.
I think if we get a yearly immunization shot for influenza and covid we should be fine. And people should just quarantine if they're sick, COVID or not. I hate it when people go to work sick when they have the option to work from home. Especially in an office setting. Like haven't they learned anything? Why spread the disease to all your colleagues?
Do people even follow quarantine orders anymore? My employer stopped giving us covid sick days.
Don't we have herd immunity now? Having caught it recently is just as good as a vaccination.
Unfortunately as well, there is likely a much higher percentage of nutjobs who think vaccinations are a conspiracy, who are also probably the type of people who don't use RAT tests and who prioritise themselves over others (so even if they suspect they are sick, they'll go attend major events, etc).
Whilst 2 people I know genuinely are good people who don't believe in vaccination (which again, was at least likely partially facilitated by our dumb PM at the time and Trump), another two I know (who legally SHOULD have gotten vaccinated for work actually, since they work for the government), are two of the worst self-centered people I know
herd immunity relies on people maintaining immunity. if you can get the vaccine, you should, regardless of if you've caught the virus.
Agreed. Both don't last forever. I got it 4 times, for reference, since I seem to have come a across as an antivaxxer. Either way though I think the pandemic proper is over.