Doctor discusses recent COVID-19 variants, breakthrough infections
Doctor discusses recent COVID-19 variants, breakthrough infections WBAL TV Baltimore
Two new omicron variants are proving to be troubling in many ways. Experts said the BA.4 and BA.5 are more likely to lead to breakthrough infections, even in people who’ve had COVID-19 before. || COVID-19 updates | Maryland’s latest numbers | Get tested | Vaccine Info ||The latest variants are no joke. Doctors said they are highly contagious.| RELATED: COVID-19 reinfections may increase the likelihood of new health problems”The other thing that’s a little bit worrisome is that they are evading a lot of the antibodies from the vaccinations, so while the vaccinations still prevent hospitalizations and they are preventing severity of the disease, there’s a good chance at some point, everybody’s going to catch this disease,” Northwest Hospital Critical Care Chief Dr. Kinjal Sheth said.Sheth said the dominant variants right now are the BA.4 AND BA 5.”There are a lot more respiratory symptoms and they are evading a lot of the antibodies people have developed from previous infections,” Sheth said.| RELATED: For now, wary US treads water with fast-changing COVID-19Sheth said doctors are seeing people who’ve had COVID-19 in the past now catching it again.”So, if you are immuno-compromised and you haven’t gotten your booster, you need to go and get your booster both Pfizer and Moderna are working on specific vaccinations that are targeting these variants, which will hopefully be ready by the fall so before we see any peak surge. So, once those vaccinations are available people should go ahead and get those boosters,” he said.| RELATED: FDA recommends changing composition of COVID-19 vaccines for use this fallSheth said you should still continue to live your life, but if you are high risk, in crowded areas or indoors, it’s a good idea to wear a mask. He said the good news is science is able to modify the vaccines to catch up with variants. Prevention is important, especially considering what is known as “long COVID.””If you’ve gotten it multiple times, you are definitely at higher risk of developing long COVID as opposed to someone who’ve never had COVID, which is why you want to be vaccinated,” he said.Sheth warns that as the coronavirus pandemic continues, with each new variant, people may have to modify their habits. Video below: Doctor talks Paxlovid, chances for rebound COVID-19 infections
Two new omicron variants are proving to be troubling in many ways. Experts said the BA.4 and BA.5 are more likely to lead to breakthrough infections, even in people who’ve had COVID-19 before.
|| COVID-19 updates | Maryland’s latest numbers | Get tested | Vaccine Info ||
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The latest variants are no joke. Doctors said they are highly contagious.
| RELATED: COVID-19 reinfections may increase the likelihood of new health problems
“The other thing that’s a little bit worrisome is that they are evading a lot of the antibodies from the vaccinations, so while the vaccinations still prevent hospitalizations and they are preventing severity of the disease, there’s a good chance at some point, everybody’s going to catch this disease,” Northwest Hospital Critical Care Chief Dr. Kinjal Sheth said.
Sheth said the dominant variants right now are the BA.4 AND BA 5.
“There are a lot more respiratory symptoms and they are evading a lot of the antibodies people have developed from previous infections,” Sheth said.
| RELATED: For now, wary US treads water with fast-changing COVID-19
Sheth said doctors are seeing people who’ve had COVID-19 in the past now catching it again.
“So, if you are immuno-compromised and you haven’t gotten your booster, you need to go and get your booster both Pfizer and Moderna are working on specific vaccinations that are targeting these variants, which will hopefully be ready by the fall so before we see any peak surge. So, once those vaccinations are available people should go ahead and get those boosters,” he said.
| RELATED: FDA recommends changing composition of COVID-19 vaccines for use this fall
Sheth said you should still continue to live your life, but if you are high risk, in crowded areas or indoors, it’s a good idea to wear a mask. He said the good news is science is able to modify the vaccines to catch up with variants. Prevention is important, especially considering what is known as “long COVID.”
“If you’ve gotten it multiple times, you are definitely at higher risk of developing long COVID as opposed to someone who’ve never had COVID, which is why you want to be vaccinated,” he said.
Sheth warns that as the coronavirus pandemic continues, with each new variant, people may have to modify their habits.
Video below: Doctor talks Paxlovid, chances for rebound COVID-19 infections
