On July 12, federal health officials held a news conference focused on the newest COVID-19 wave. The surge in infection rates is coming from new subvariants to the COVID-19 omicron variant termed “BA.4” and “BA.5.” The variants were first detected in South Africa earlier this year and became the country’s dominant variant by May.
Health officials monitored the highly contagious variants as they swept through Europe in recent months. In just two weeks, known cases in Europe rose 70%, from 33 cases per day per 100,000 people to 57 cases per day per 100,000 people.
Dr. Michael Ryan, the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Program executive director, said that while Europe is witnessing large upticks in hospitalization, there has not been an increase in intensive care unit admission, a sign the vaccines are succeeding at lowering the severity of cases.
The new variants of the virus have a spike protein mutation that allows them to evade vaccinations and antibodies from previous infections, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
In a briefing at the White House, the federal COVID-19 response team announced that the management of BA.4 and BA.5 relies on “easy and convenient access to the vaccines, treatments, tests, and other tools that protect against and treat COVID-19.”
Specifically, the team said strategies include:
- Working with state and local leaders, healthcare professionals, care facilities, employers, and other organizations to drive uptake of booster shots, especially for those 50 and older and other at-risk populations
- Working with federal, state, and local leaders and healthcare providers to boost access and awareness of lifesaving treatments, especially in areas of high transmission
- Making free COVID-19 testing and high-quality masks widely available
- Providing hundreds of billions of dollars in funding for schools and other public buildings to improve ventilation systems
- Release of interactive tools to help people understand how air flows in enclosed spaces and what they can do to improve ventilation and air quality
- Constant communication with the public about COVID-19 spread
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said her team estimates BA.5 is the dominant strain in the United States, representing roughly 65% of all cases. However, the CDC said there is no evidence to suggest the new strains are any more severe. Despite the rise in infections, health officials say the impact is unlikely to match previous surges.
Still, health experts agree the best way to protect oneself is through vaccination. A study published in June suggests those who are diagnosed with COVID-19 multiple times have a higher risk for long-term symptoms.
“Given the likelihood that [COVID-19] will remain a threat for years if not decades, we urgently need to develop public health measures that would be embraced by the public and could be sustainably implemented in the long-term to protect people from re-infection,” the study concluded. “Evidence suggests that for people who already had a first infection, prevention of a second infection may protect from additional health risks. Prevention of infection and reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 should continue to be the goal of public health policy.”
Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, said most deaths from COVID-19 are now preventable, making a special request for those 50 and older who have not received the vaccine to do so.
The latest CDC data estimate 103,907 new COVID-19 cases daily.
Tools and support are available over the phone through the COVID-19 Hotline, 1-800-232-0233, and the administration said it plans to roll out another hotline through the Department of Health and Human Services in the coming weeks.
