New COVID Vaccines Set to Roll To Combat ‘Eris’ Variant
A new coronavirus variant, EG.5, has emerged as a prominent presence in the United States, according to Forbes (among other outlets). This variant is a descendant of the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant, first identified in November 2021 and reported by New Scientist. It shares a close relationship with XBB.1.9.2, another subtype of omicron, but with an additional mutation in the spike protein. The Looks like we're going to be talking about EG.5.1 a fair bit as it is increasing significantly in many places. To aid communication about it, we're going with the nickname "Eris" for EG.5.1*.
Note that nickname ≠ expected to cause a big wave by itself.https://t.co/LwMHPoyqX2
— T. Ryan Gregory (@TRyanGregory) August 1, 2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nickname “Eris” was given to it by T. Ryan Gregory at the University of Guelph, Canada.
Nationwide, EG.5 is contributing to approximately 17% of recent Covid-19 cases in the country, slightly edging out the next most common lineage, XBB.1.16, which accounts for 16%, according to the latest estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As reported by Reuters, a new COVID vaccine is set to be released next month. However, health professionals and analysts anticipate that it might not be well-received, even as hospitalizations increase due to “Eris.” According to the CDC, COVID-19 indicators, including hospital admissions, emergency department visits, test positivity, and wastewater levels, are increasing nationally.
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Public health specialists hope Americans will embrace this new vaccine similar to how they do with flu shots. Nevertheless, the demand for the vaccine has significantly declined since its initial availability in 2021. Over 240 million individuals in the U.S., which equates to 73% of the population, have already received at least one dose.
Starting next month, healthcare providers and pharmacies like CVS Health will begin providing the updated vaccine designed to combat the Omicron variant of the virus, which has maintained its prevalence since the previous year.
Outside of the United States, EG.5 is rapidly spreading in Ireland, France, the UK, Japan, and China. The World Health Organization (WHO) elevated its classification from a monitored variant to a variant of interest. This shift indicates the organization’s belief that the variant warrants closer monitoring and further study.
Get the latest updates from the CDC here.
5 Surprising Symptoms People Ignore Most When They're Sick
People ignore symptoms when they’re sick for several reasons. Some are simply in denial or scared of what a diagnosis could mean for their lives. They’d rather pretend nothing is wrong than face the truth. And then there are those who just don’t realize how serious their symptoms are. They brush them off as minor annoyances that will go away on their own.
Our busy lives also come into play. We’re so caught up in work and other responsibilities that we put our health on the back burner. It’s like we convince ourselves that we don’t have time to deal with it, hoping the symptoms will magically disappear. Plus, the cost of healthcare can be a huge deterrent. People worry about the financial burden of doctor visits, tests, and treatments, so they choose to tough it out instead.
Talker, a research company, along with OnePoll on behalf of Mucinex, conducted a poll of 2,000 people that revealed the top symptoms people ignore when they are sick. According to their study, around 48 percent of those surveyed brush off symptoms like cold sweats or chills. About 46 percent of people ignore a fever, while the study also revealed that 21 percent of people don’t even acknowledge the presence of green mucus.
Also found in this study is that even though people experience these obvious signs like body aches (46 percent) or a serious cough (19 percent), it takes them two whole days before they finally admit that something might be wrong with them. Interestingly, almost three in five people use the excuse of “it’s just allergies” to explain away their symptoms.
It turns out, one-third would write off a sore or scratchy throat as just allergies, while only 16 percent would acknowledge that they might be sick. Another 14 percent would even go as far as blaming the weather for their discomfort.
“We want to remind people that taking care of their health should always be a top priority, and that includes taking the time to rest and recover when necessary,” Albert So, marketing director of Mucinex, said. “It’s important to understand your body and your symptoms so you can choose the right medication to address your needs.”
Take a look at the complete study here.
These are 5 surprising symptoms people ignore when they’re sick.
Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it.
She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel.
A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community.
She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.