The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC has issued a latest guideline for individuals with weakened immune systems or those living with one amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
On Friday, the general public health agency shared a latest infographic on its website detailing the up-to-date prevention measures because the newer omicron sublineages begin to dominate within the country.
In accordance with the CDC, the beneficial motion plan to stop the infection of newer variants should include:
- Getting an updated COVID-19 vaccine
- Improving ventilation and spending time outdoors
- Learning about testing locations and treatment options before getting exposed or sick
- Getting tested if one got exposed or developed symptoms
- Washing hands often
- Wearing a well-fitting mask and maintaining distance in crowded spaces
The CDC said if one had tested positive for COVID-19, they need to confer with their doctor immediately about the very best treatment options available to them.
The agency also maintained that vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 stays essentially the most effective strategy to prevent COVID-19-associated serious illness, hospitalization and death.
The guidance released on the identical day official data showed that the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 has already turn out to be the dominant strain within the country, accounting for 61.3% of Covid cases within the week ending Jan. 28, Reuters reported.
Within the previous week, the subvariant accounted for 49.5% of documented cases. XBB.1.5 and XBB are strains derived from the BA.2 version of omicron.
In recently published studies on the bivalent boosters, CDC scientists detailed how the brand new formulations offer substantial protection from the newer strains of the coronavirus.
After analyzing data from the Increased Community Access To Testing program, the team found that greater than 13,000 out of 30,000 (47%) yielded positive test results, suggesting that the updated boosters lower COVID-19 risk by half.
Nevertheless, the CDC also confirmed on Thursday that it remains to be investigating the stroke risk of older adults who received Pfizer’s bivalent booster shots after its real-time surveillance system reported a signal flagging the problem two weeks ago.
“Sometimes signals usually are not clear. It is smart to look into it more, and it doesn’t make sense to vary practice given the known advantages (of getting the booster) on this age group,” University of Pittsburgh professor Dr. Walid Gellad said, voicing approval for CDC’s move to research the protection issue of the booster.