The CDC still says that everyone aged six months and up should get the new COVID vaccine, even with the new version. It is said to be the best defense.
CATALUA, Calif.— There is now a new type of COVID-19. The world is getting XEC quickly, and California is already seeing the new type.
So far, there are only 23 cases in the US, and three of them are in California. Chief Dr. Dean Blumberg of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Health is interested in it.
We are still in the early stages, so it could become a dominating strain or die out. It is hard to tell what will happen. “It does have some advantages in the lab over strains that are currently circulating, mostly the KP strains,” Blumberg said.
As of this week, 53% of new COVID cases were caused by omicron subvariant KP.3.1.1, according to the CDC. Omicron is still the most common type.
The trends seen in Sacramento County are talked about by Dr. Olivia Kasirye from the Public Health Office.
“We are keeping an eye on things all the time, and right now the trends for COVID are going down,” Dr. Kasirye said. “But we do know that as we move into winter, which we now call respiratory virus season, which starts October 1,”
The CDC still says that everyone aged six months and up should get the new COVID vaccine, even with the new version. It is said to be the best defense.
Blumberg also knows that people are tired of vaccines.
“I believe that is a real worry. In the early stages of the pandemic, people were sometimes getting a COVID shot every four to six months.
I do not think anyone wants to do that, but we are moving toward a plan of vaccination once a year.
So, hopefully this will be given at the same time as the flu shot, so people can get both in the fall. Blumberg said, “Hopefully this will lead to more vaccinations and less vaccine fatigue.”
It is now possible to get the new COVID-19 vaccine at CVS, Walgreens, Kaiser, and Sutter Health. People in Sacramento County who do not have insurance can get a few shots.
