The Covid-19 rate in the Southwest of the U.S. reached 12.5% – the highest in the U.S., according to new data released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, Los Angeles County has recorded the highest level of common levels in wastewater since February.
The spike has emerged due to the new highly contagious “Stratus” variant, where students in California return to classrooms, and now no CDC recommends them to get updated Covid shots. The policy changes promoted by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have been criticized by many public health experts.
The COVID-19 virus SARS-COV-2 is often mutated, learning to better spread itself from person to person and generate immunity through vaccination and previous infections.
The Stratus variant was first detected in Asia in January and arrived in the U.S. in March, becoming a major stressor at the end of June. Now, it accounts for two-thirds of the virus variants detected in U.S. wastewater, According to the CDC.
The national shared positivity rate reached 9% in early August, surpassing the January holiday surge, but the surge last August was still below 18%. Weekly death is an indicator of lagging behind the positivity rate and has remained low so far.
in May, Jr. announced The CDC has removed the common vaccine from its recommended immunization program for healthy children and healthy pregnant women.
The secretary believes that this is the right move to reverse the Biden administration’s policy, and in 2024, “healthy children are urged to get another shot.”
The statement is quick Promote litigation From a range of leading medical organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians and the American Public Health Association. – The decision that believes that “unfounded and uninformed” violates federal law and fails to make policies based on the recommendations of the Scientific Commission, which focuses on immunization practices in the United States
The Immunization Practice Advisory Committee has Usually recommended COVID vaccination has been updated along with the typical annual flu vaccine program. In it Updates for 2024 Spring 2025 seasonIt noted that in the previous year, co-boosters reduced the risk of hospitalization by 44% and death by 23%.
The team believes the benefits outweigh the isolated cases of heart disease and vaccine-related allergic reactions.
The team also acknowledged that as new Covid strains (designs with no boosters designed) emerge, the enhancement efficiency will be reduced. However, it is still believed that most Americans deserve a booster.
this CDC Estimation Only about 23% of adults and 13% of children received a Covid booster for 2024-25, even if there are still vaccine recommendations. Compared to about half of adults and children, children who received the updated flu vaccine within the same time frame.
