As new COVID-19 cases continue to climb in the us the CDC updated its guidance for preventing virus spread in K through 12 schools and a new call for variant specific vaccines.
Mandy Gaither has the latest in Today’s Health Minute.
Across the us a 7-day average of more than 600-thousand new COVID-19 cases a day hospitalizations nearing a record high
“Omicron has rapidly become the predominant variant and cases have substantially increased to rates higher than we have seen at any point throughout this pandemic.”
COVID-19 cases in children
Reach a record level, too With that new CDC guidance to help slow the spread in K through 12 schools
The agency says unvaccinated children exposed to the virus should quarantine for at least five days after that exposure.
Infected students, teachers and staff should isolate for at least five full days
After that masks are recommended around others for another five days. The agency also urges some extracurricular and sports activities to be canceled or go virtual to protect
in-person learning.
“If we have the will to invest in public health and we work together, we can get to the point that Covid is something we live with, we’re just not there yet.”
Some us health experts say co-existing with covid may mean variant-specific vaccines.
“If we update our vaccines to match the omicron variant not only can we re-establish both arms of powerful immunity, but we can also be better prepared for the next change of the virus.”
Experts say using the tools we have against COVID-19 like vaccines will allow us to control this virus like we do the flu.
For health minute, I’m Mandy Gaither.
When it comes to children and covid Dr. Walensky said studies show the rate of covid hospitalizations among unvaccinated adolescents was about 11 times higher when compared
to their fully vaccinated peers.
