According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for the first time since early October the U.S. is averaging more than 100,000 new COVID-19 cases every day not long after countless Americans gathered with family and friends in celebrating a long Thanksgiving weekend. Sadly, the average number of daily COVID-19 deaths is also trending upward.
As you may have already learned, the vast majority of new cases in the US continues to be from the Delta variant, and the World Health Organization recently said it has outcompeted other variants in most countries making it the most common strain in much of the world. The recently discovered Omicron variant, now seen in at least 25 states, is reason for concern for U.S. health officials, who say it’s spreading quickly around the country.
With more people than ever now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines and many restrictions associated with the pandemic being relaxed in the U.S. and around the world, many are under the misguided impression that COVID-19 is on the run and no longer much of a concern … though nothing could be further from the truth.
As it has from the beginning, it’s up to each of us to do all we can to avoid getting and spreading the COVID-19 virus that has killed more than 800,000 Americans, which means observing social distancing, wearing a mask particularly indoors and in public, washing our hands thoroughly and often, and most of all getting vaccinated.
According to the CDC, vaccines are effective at protecting people from COVID-19 and they help keep adults and children from getting seriously sick and reduce the risk of people spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. Getting everyone ages 5 years and older vaccinated can help the entire family, including siblings who are not eligible for vaccination and family members who may be at risk of getting very sick if they are infected.
COVID-19 vaccines teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes the coronavirus. It typically takes two weeks after vaccination for the body to build immunity against the virus that causes COVID-19.
The CDC also recommends that everyone 16 years old and older get a COVID-19 booster shot.
If you received the two Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, you’re eligible to receive a booster six months later. For those receiving the single Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine, you may receive a booster shot after two months.
The CDC states that although COVID-19 vaccinations remain effective in preventing severe and potentially fatal symptoms, recent data suggests vaccinations become less effective over time, especially in people aged 65 and over, and they’re less effective at preventing infection or milder illness with symptoms. Emerging evidence also shows that among health care and other frontline workers, vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infections is also decreasing over time.
More than 459 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the United States from December 14, 2020, through November 29, 2021, according to the CDC. Some people have experienced no side effects after receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, while others have experienced generally mild to moderate reactions that have dissipated after a few days.
People who believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should contact their health care provider immediately. If you are ill with flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, please call your health center or clinic before coming to your appointment. If you are an Eskenazi Health patient, please call 317-880-7666 before coming to your appointment. Health care professionals are available 24/7 to answer questions on symptoms and direct you to the most appropriate care. It is important to first call before arriving at Eskenazi Health.
Nydia Nunez-Estrada, M.D.
Family Medicine Specialist at Eskenazi Health Center North Arlington