COVID-19 is still with us; precaution is still needed

Fall is fast approaching and, with it, the increased risk for respiratory infections, including BA.2.86, the latest variant of COVID-19. Updated vaccines are expected to be available soon (in fact, they may be available by the time you read this) at pharmacies or doctors’ offices.

After spending the past few years dealing with COVID-19, there might be the temptation to think that the risk of infection − and possibly major health issues, including death − is no longer an issue. However, the latest COVID-19 variant is a reminder that while the COVID-19 emergency was lifted in May, it does not mean that COVID-19 is no longer affecting us.

But how serious is the problem and what can you do about it?

The good news is that existing tests seem to detect the most recent virus variants pretty well, and vaccines and effective post-infection treatments have made COVID-19 more manageable. Hospitalizations, though beginning to trend up again, are far down in comparison to past years. There is no evidence at the moment that this variant is causing more severe illness, and at this point we do not seem to be in danger of overwhelming our hospitals. Lastly, as we mentioned above, the FDA has approved the forthcoming, updated COVID-19 vaccine and CDC’s evaluation is evaluating the studies of its efficacy for its final recommendation as we write this article.

Despite this good news, COVID-19 has still killed more than 47,000 Americans this year and continues to kill hundreds more every week. Factors like age over 65 or underlying medical conditions can place people at higher risk for severe disease. If you aren’t sure what your risk level is, a conversation with your doctor can help you gauge it so you can make decisions about what precautions you may want to take. 

For those not at high risk, it is possible to become infected and spread it to someone who is. COVID-19 symptoms may be mild for those who had it before and/or were vaccinated, so you may want to test if you are going to be around someone who is high risk even if your symptoms are mild. If you do test positive, precautions to prevent spreading the virus include staying home while sick and isolating, masking, and avoiding contact with people according to the CDC isolation length recommendations.

COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be readily available this fall. Cincinnati Health Department will offer the vaccines at all its health clinics, including for people who are uninsured. However, vaccines are no longer covered by the federal government, and uninsured patients will be responsible for copay and/or administration fee. Like for other medical services, Cincinnati Health Department’s clinics use sliding scale fees for the insured. 

More information about COVID-19, available vaccines and treatments is available at the Cincinnati Health Department website (https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/health/covid-19/), The Hamilton County Public Health website (www.hcph.org), or the websites for the Ohio Department of Health or the CDC. For questions about COVID-19, you can call the Cincinnati Health Department COVID Command Center at 513-357-7462.

Greg Kesterman is health commissioner for Hamilton County Public Health. Dr. Grant Mussman is Cincinnati Health Department commissioner.