XEC variants could cause a 'silent' surge in coronavirus infections in December 2024

It appears that another year-end surge in coronavirus infections (COVID-19) is occurring. However, this year's situation seems to have received less attention compared to previous years when the number of new coronavirus infections has increased rapidly. That's why this recent economic uptick has earned the nickname the “silent” COVID-19 surge. But this doesn't mean you should simply stay in the mode of enjoying silence and lull yourself into a false sense of security. If you do not take proper precautions, you may be exposed to the coronavirus in both the long and short term.

XEC variants become dominant due to rapid increase in new coronavirus infections (COVID-19)

It's no surprise that cold, dry weather has led to a spike in cases at this time of year, as it has every year since 2020. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 continues to do reasonably well. They mutate, mutate, mutate, resulting in more variants. Viruses don't talk, so it's the XEC variant of SARS-CoV-2 that is currently quietly leading the way. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates XEC variants accounted for 45% of SARS-CoV-2 infections from December 8 to December 21. Second place was KP.3.1.1 with 24%, followed by LP.8.1 with 8%. None of the rest of the alphabet soup of descendants of the FLiRT family exceeded 5% of the bunch.

Wastewater monitoring data shows rapid increase in new coronavirus infections

The first sign that we're currently seeing a surge in coronavirus infections is the second one: sewage monitoring. Basically, they test sewage samples filled with poop for the virus. US CDC Map shows that between December 8 and 14, wastewater viral activity of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples was measured as “high” or “very high” in 21 states. . That comes after many states remained at moderate to low levels through much of the fall.

Although wastewater monitoring is far from completely wasteful, the accuracy of wastewater monitoring is determined by where and how often samples are taken. Low measured SARS-CoV-2 activity does not necessarily mean that the virus is not substantially widespread among humans. There can be a significant delay between when a person becomes infected and when the virus is detected in wastewater. Furthermore, it is never a good idea to rely on a single measure of anything. This is why dating profiles include more than just height.

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Lack of comprehensive and proactive surveillance data systems makes it difficult to detect spikes in COVID-19 infections

These days, it has become extremely difficult to understand when and where coronavirus infections are actually surging. If you go to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Coronavirus Data TrackerThe first thing you'll find is four solutions. The first states that the test positivity rate for the week ending December 14, 2024 is 5.6%, higher than the previous week's 5.1%. This accuracy is no longer what it was reported to be in 2020 as more testing has been done. Also, two weeks have passed since that week, so you can see that the values ​​are not exactly up to date.

The other three measures listed are:

• Percentage of people who visited the emergency room who were diagnosed with COVID-19: In the week ending December 14, it was 0.7%, the same as the previous week. These numbers may not be very accurate because it's not clear how many people visiting the ER are being tested for coronavirus these days. Additionally, ER data has always been a measure after the surge has already occurred for some time. People don't go to the ER until they develop sufficiently severe symptoms, which can be a week or two after infection.
• Number of hospitalizations per 100,000 population: For the week ending November 30, it was 1.6, down from 1.7 the previous week. However, the week ending November 30th is even older than the week ending December 14th. Hospitalization data has the same aforementioned weaknesses as ER data.
• Percentage of total deaths due to coronavirus: It stood at 1.1% for the week ending December 14, up from 0.8% the previous week. This is also a measure after a surge that has already been occurring for some time

Additionally, these three measures are a bit outdated as primary measures, with things like oversized shoulder pads, skinny jeans, and oversized logo clothing. The nature of the coronavirus has changed since the early days of the pandemic. As more people are exposed to the spike protein through vaccinations and infections, people's immune systems are no longer “naive” to the virus, but instead know how to successfully deal with SARS-CoV-2. This is likely helping to make more severe acute COVID-19 outcomes less and less likely.

That doesn't mean SARS-CoV-2 is no longer a significant threat. SARS-CoV-2 infection continues to pose a risk of prolonged Covid. The exact risks are unknown because no active measures have been taken against the new coronavirus for a long time. In fact, the current number of long-term coronavirus cases is actually not that high because the United States hasn't really developed an effective surveillance system for long-term coronavirus.

You've also probably heard the term silent but deadly. Just because the risk of dying from COVID-19 is lower now than it was at the beginning of the pandemic, doesn't mean it can't happen. This is especially true if your immune system is weak.

How to protect yourself during this quiet surge of coronavirus infections

Of course, just because we stop talking about COVID-19 doesn't mean it's gone. But the problem is that many people are acting as if COVID-19 has gone the sweater vest route and not taking enough precautions. You know everything the pandemic was supposed to teach us. These include:

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Remember to lather the soap for at least 20 seconds. This is the amount of time it takes for the song “I Touch Myself” to finish from the beginning of the first chorus. As I wrote before forbes. This remains important not only for SARS-CoV-2, but also for numerous other pathogens. including influenza.
• Stay home when you are sick: You're not that important to work or to the party, and you're not important enough to make other people sick.
• Practice proper social distancing: If a stranger who is coughing approaches you and tries to talk to you about psychedelics, cryptocurrencies, etc., keep your distance.
• Air purification keeps indoor spaces well ventilated. This involves removing harmful particles from the air using HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arrest) filters.
• Wear a face mask when and where you are at high risk, such as indoors and in crowded public places. Indeed, some politicians and business leaders have successfully politicized masks. However, N95 masks are designed to block virus particles; Backed by scientific research Effective in reducing the risk of infection.
• To get the latest COVID-19 vaccine: The protective effects of vaccination tend to start to wear off after 4 to 6 months. Additionally, previous years' vaccines targeted much older versions of the virus.

Then again, the 2024 year-end spike in coronavirus infections may not have caught the attention of political leaders. But as history has shown, just because political leaders don't talk about something doesn't mean it doesn't matter.