As the new FLiRT family of coronavirus subvariants takes hold, early signs are pointing to a summer jump in cases. So how bad could it get? Experts so far are cautiously optimistic, saying the numbers are within expectations and there currently are no signs of any red flags. But the new variants are a reminder that the coronavirus remains a major health risk for some, even as much of the world has tried to move past the pandemic.
While California’s COVID numbers look relatively good, officials say FLiRT’s rise shows the need to stay vigilant with basic safety measures. “For the majority of people, it is not a big deal. But for some people, it is a big deal,” said Dr.
Peter Chin-Hong, a UC San Francisco infectious disease specialist, speaking of COVID-19. “I’m always cautious around the elderly, particularly as their immunity drops, with more cases.” And COVID can still cause life-altering symptoms for younger adults too.
“COVID is not a regular flu or cold,” said Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious disease at Kaiser Permanente Southern California. “It can have long-lasting effects, with long COVID symptoms, that make it very different from other viruses we encounter,” adding that people in their 30s and 40s seem to be more likely to get long COVID.
In terms of the new subvariants , experts generally believe they are more contagious than earlier strains, which explains why they’re crowding out winter’s dominant JN.1 . And unlike the ann.
