Health officials are warning of a summer COVID wave ahead.
We’re not seeing any significant spikes in COVID case numbers in Washington with disease activity low compared to the height of the pandemic.
UW Medicine Doctor Pavitra Roychoudury says the increase in cases and hospitalizations is mainly in the southeastern US, with a new subvariant, EG.5, becoming dominant, “but we are starting to see levels of SARS CoV-2 go up in wastewater for our region,” Roychoudury says, “and that’s usually an indicator that a rise in cases is going to come in the next few weeks or so.”
Roychoudury says it’s too soon to know if EG.5 will spread more easily or come with more severe disease, but she says watch the numbers. Roychoudury says, “The number of hospitalizations is slightly on the rise. It’s not anywhere close to some of the prior waves.” So, she says it’s not a reason to panic, but she says we have the tools to protect ourselves. Roychoudury suggests an assessment of your personal risk to decide how to protect yourself.
State health officials say they can’t speculate on future trends, but they encourage you to get up to date on your COVID vaccines and to mask up if you want some extra protection.
