Good Morning/Afternoon SARS2PAians!
I apologize for not posting for a week or so. I'm taking care of a needy relative (not COVID) and honestly sometimes that absorbs A LOT of my time, entire mornings and sometimes entire days.
Again, also it's also harder to get accurate info about SARS2 as most virologists I follow are getting totally absorbed into the extremely concerning HPAI/H5N1/bird outbreak monitoring and advocacy.
I hope you're having a great Summer and have recovered from the heat waves! 🔥☀️🔥
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VOCs
KP.3.x.y is still making its way through the world, causing rising numbers wherever it goes.
Most of our current mutations travelling around are some form of KP.3.: https://ibb.co/R74xdfC
There are no upcoming mutations/lineages that can compete with it so far.
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Wastewater, +rate
WastewaterSCAN shows national levels as HIGH everywhere in the US.: https://ibb.co/n0Fgg28
🔴In fact, SARS2 is THE ONLY PATHOGEN right now on WWS that is considered at HIGH levels!!
Levels are increasing in our HHS region (Region 5, and in fact PA has some of the highest levels tested here.: https://ibb.co/phrHxDD
The PA Wastewater dashboard has levels increasing substantially in McKean County and West Chester.: https://ibb.co/Nngwjt2
The National +rate, despite abysmal levels of testing, is very high right now and is in fact higher than it was IN JANUARY this year.: https://ibb.co/1dxn41F
PA's rate continues to upwardly climb as KP.3's shifted mutations are highly capable of immune escape.: https://ibb.co/Jn1MJs4
🔴Vaccines should be out by the major manufacturers (Moderna, Pfizer, Novavax) very soon, either next month or September. PLEASE get vaccinated as soon as possible.
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H5N1
These are outbreaks continuing almost daily in US cattle and bird farms.
A cluster of poultry workers with H5N1 symptoms is being monitored in Colorado. This is the first time a CLUSTER of H5N1 has occurred. Ten cases in one month...compare this to 880 cases in the entire world over 21 years.
51 herds so far affected in Colorado, which is also the only the state that seems to care enough to start some methods of mandatory testing and developing a tracker tool for outbreaks.: https://ag.colorado.gov/animal-health/reportable-diseases/avian-influenza/hpai-in-dairy-cattle
There have been 173 nationwide herds affected with H5N1 so far.
There is sufficient evidence that H5N1 is now travelling mammal-to-mammal. This is really really very bad.: https://ibb.co/9wnP7vp
🔴PAians might want to consider some increased food safety practices:
Move up from "pasteurized" milk to "ultra-pasteurized".
Consider non-dairy food sources such as plant beverages and tofu.
Do not consume meat that is NOT fully cooked. Have steaks medium insread of rare or medium rare.
🔴DO NOT🔴 consume raw/unpasteurized dairy products.
Just don't.
Don't be That Guy™.
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Fire Monitoring
Fire season is very much underway. So far, we are not in the path of dangerous PM2.5 levels.: https://ibb.co/HXscYcF
As fires spread in Canada and Western US it's just as important to watch these levels as they have a detrimental effect on air quality and long-term respiratory health!
The same precautions work against SARS2, H5N1, and wildfore smoke. Wearing a quality respirator (at least a very well-fitted KN95/N95 and making sure fllters are a high enough grade help control all these potential respiratory hazards.
🔴If you MUST keep doors/windows closed due to fire, oppressive humidity or a heatwave, PLEASE get yourself some MERV filters, a box fan, and go build a Corsi-Rosenthal box. Controlling oppressive weather hazards and PM2.5 smoke by keeping houses tightly closed is totally antithetical to controlling SARS2.
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Between PM2.5 monitoring, COVID and H5N1, that's....a lot going on.😳
But the methods of prevention and source control are all THE SAME: quality respirators and MERV13 filters. :canparrot:
If we can keep SARS2 controlled enough during the summer, it will make for a much better, not-terrible Fall and Winter. But we must start controlling it NOW.
Hope you have a great weekend and again I apologize for dropping updates lately. ☀️☀️☀️
#COVID19 #COVID #COVIDisNotOver #SARS2PA
#Pennsylvania #PA
#KP3 #S31Del
#HPAI #H5N1
#Wildfire #CanadianFires #FireMonitoring #PM2_5
#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #WashHands
#VaccinesSaveLives #StayHomeIfSick !
