[continued from previous message]   
      
   >> FLiRT family, are highly transmissible.   
   >>   
   >> "These current variants are causing a lot of milder infections, which   
   >> are going largely undetected," says Schaffner, adding that people with   
   >> mild or no symptoms can still spread the virus to others.   
   >>   
   >> "The communicability of these viruses is contributing to a silent   
   >> epidemic, if you will," he says.   
   >>   
   >> Where COVID is spreading in the U.S.   
   >> Where COVID is spreading in the U.S.   
   >> Current wastewater viral activity level of SARS-CoV-2 by state in the   
   >> U.S.CDC   
   >> As of Dec. 21, wastewater viral activity of COVID is currently "very   
   >> high" in 14 states, according to the latest CDC data. These are:   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> Arizona   
   >> Kentucky   
   >> Massachusetts   
   >> Minnesota   
   >> Missouri   
   >> Montana   
   >> Nebraska   
   >> New Hampshire   
   >> New Mexico   
   >> Oklahoma   
   >> Oregon   
   >> Pennsylvania   
   >> South Dakota   
   >> Wyoming   
   >> As of Dec. 21, COVID wastewater levels are "high" in 14 states:   
   >>   
   >> Arkansas   
   >> Connecticut   
   >> Delaware   
   >> Idaho   
   >> Indiana   
   >> Iowa   
   >> Kansas   
   >> Maine   
   >> Michigan   
   >> Ohio   
   >> Rhode Island   
   >> South Carolina   
   >> Utah   
   >> Wisconsin   
   >> “If you see increased COVID-19 wastewater viral activity levels in your   
   >> area, it might indicate that there is a higher risk of infection,” says   
   >> Yoder.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> However, regional variation in wastewater data also depend on the number   
   >> and specific location of wastewater surveillance sites that are   
   >> monitoring, says Hoerger. Some states have no data, and others only have   
   >> limited coverage. “Take regional variation with a grain of salt,” he   
   adds.   
   >>   
   >> Overall, decreases in testing and lags in reporting can make it   
   >> challenging to accurately track COVID-19 levels, the experts note.   
   >>   
   >> COVID-19 symptoms in 2024   
   >> The symptoms caused by the dominant variants circulating, XEC and   
   >> KP.3.1.1, are very similar to those caused by previous omicron   
   >> subvariants, according to experts.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> Common COVID-19 symptoms include:   
   >>   
   >> Sore throat   
   >> Congestion   
   >> Runny nose   
   >> Cough   
   >> Fatigue   
   >> Headache and body aches   
   >> Fever or chills   
   >> Shortness of breath   
   >> Nausea or loss of appetite   
   >> Diarrhea   
   >> Loss of sense of taste or smell   
   >> Symptoms will vary from person to person. Even milder infections can be   
   >> "debilitating" for several days, says Schaffner.   
   >>   
   >> Although the latest COVID-19 variants appear to be causing milder   
   >> disease, they can still cause severe illness requiring hospitalization.   
   >> Certain people are at higher risk of developing severe disease. These   
   >> include people over the age of 65, people with underlying medical   
   >> conditions and people who are immunocompromised.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> Every time a person is infected with COVID, they are at risk of   
   >> developing long COVID, which can cause symptoms that persist and   
   >> reemerge for weeks or months after infection, per the CDC.   
   >>   
   >> Are new COVID boosters effective?   
   >> The updated COVID-19 vaccine for 2024–2025 is recommended by the CDC for   
   >> everyone ages 6 months and older.   
   >>   
   >> The new mRNA COVID vaccine is monovalent, which means it targets one   
   >> variant — in this case, the KP.2 "FLiRT" variant. The strains currently   
   >> circulating are closely related to KP.2, and the new booster should   
   >> provide good protection, TODAY.com previously reported.   
   >>   
   >> However, uptake of the new vaccine has been low so far — just 21% of   
   >> adults in the U.S. have gotten the shot, per the latest CDC data.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> “The best protection is to get vaccinated. Although vaccinated people   
   >> sometimes get infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, staying up   
   >> to date on COVID-19 vaccines significantly lowers the risk of getting   
   >> very sick, being hospitalized, or dying from COVID-19," says Yoder.   
   >>   
   >> How to protect yourself against COVID-19   
   >> When COVID-19 levels are rising, it's important for people to take steps   
   >> to protect themselves and their families, according to the CDC.   
   >>   
   >> You can take the following actions to avoid infection and prevent   
   >> spreading COVID-19 to others:   
   >>   
   >> Stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations.   
   >> Test if you have symptoms or an exposure.   
   >> Stay home when sick.   
   >> Seek treatment for COVID-19 if you are at high risk.   
   >> Wear a mask.   
   >> Practice social distancing.   
   >   
   >   
   > In the interim, we are 100% prepared/protected in the "full armor of   
   > GOD" (Ephesians 6:11) which we put on as soon as we use Apostle Paul's   
   > secret (Philippians 4:12). Though masking is less protective, it helps   
   > us avoid the appearance of doing the evil of spreading airborne   
   > pathogens while there are people getting sick because of not being   
   > 100% protected. It is written that we're to "abstain from **all**   
   > appearance of doing evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:22 w/**emphasis**).   
   >   
   > Meanwhile, the only *perfect* (Matt 5:47-8 ) way to eradicate the   
   > COVID-19 virus, thereby saving lives, in the UK & elsewhere is by   
   > rapidly (i.e. use the "Rapid COVID-19 Test" ) finding out at any given   
   > moment, including even while on-line, who among us are unwittingly   
   > contagious (i.e pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic) in order to   
   > "convince it forward" (John 15:12) for them to call their doctor and   
   > self-quarantine per their doctor in hopes of stopping this pandemic.   
   > Thus, we're hoping for the best while preparing for the worse-case   
   > scenario of the Alpha lineage mutations and others like the Omicron,   
   > Gamma, Beta, Epsilon, Iota, Lambda, Mu & Delta lineage mutations   
   > combining via slip-RNA-replication to form hybrids like "Deltamicron"   
   > that may render current COVID vaccines/monoclonals/medicines/pills no   
   > longer effective.   
   >   
   > Indeed, I am wonderfully hungry (   
   > https://groups.google.com/g/sci.med.cardiology/c/6ZoE95d-VKc/m/14vVZoyOBgAJ   
   > ) and hope you, Michael, also have a healthy appetite too.   
   >   
   > So how are you ?   
   >   
       I am wonderfully hungry!   
      
      
     Michael   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)