As we mentioned previously, COVID is Back! This damn viral infection continues to surge. We know of dozens of people who have either caught COVID for the first time or have caught COVID again. Some people have caught it for the third or fourth time…like President Biden did several weeks ago. The most recent report from the CDC shows that wastewater levels of the virus are very high in 27 states and high in 17 additional states. Surveillance through public health departments and hospitals is limited but indicates high levels of COVID infection in communities.
The KP.3.1.1 variant appears to be exceptionally contagious. That’s why people who have evaded COVID until now are coming down with symptoms. This surge is occurring around the world. South Korea is experiencing an increase in hospitalizations. Japan has also reported a summer surge.
Quite a few athletes caught COVID during the Paris Olympics. Now that everyone is back home, we suspect that many visitors will be spreading the virus far and wide.
There’s one other way to determine that we are in the middle of a huge resurgence. Follow the money! The Bloomberg headline says it all:
“Covid-Linked Stocks Back in Play as Asia Sees Surge in Cases”
The lede in this August 13, 2024 story:
“Shares of Covid test kit and drug makers are in the spotlight in Asia, posting strong gains in recent days following a surge of cases.”
Companies in China, South Korea and Japan are once again “investor darlings amid a spike in COVID cases.”
The Nay Sayers Say Never Mind:
A substantial number of visitors to this website say it’s no big deal…just a sore throat, cough, fever, and/or a hoarse voice.
Monica says don’t worry, be happy:
“For most, it’s a bad cold or flu. Use common sense based on your own individual risk profile and live your life! Let others do the same and, above all, don’t give in to the fear mongering!”
Jeanne says COVID was no big deal:
“I have only had COVID once, and it was no big deal.
“I have been diagnosed with Sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease that was once classified as an autoimmune disease. My symptoms are under control because my functional medical doctor helped me heal my dysfunctional immune system. I believe the answer to fighting viruses is to heal immune systems instead of suppressing them with drugs.”
Other people report being sick for more than a week and feeling terrible.
Gina reports having symptoms for three weeks:
“I recently had COVID for the first time. I had gotten lax about using hand sanitizer in the car after each encounter out in public. I was sick for 2 weeks, which is how long I am sick with a cold (which I may get once every 5 years).
“The first day was the worst with extreme fatigue, fever, headache, sore throat, and hurting sinuses. Each day thereafter I felt a bit better. On day 3, it moved into my chest so that I started coughing up a bunch of gunk. I never had any problem breathing, but I did have an altered sense of smell. The only lingering symptom (I’m 3 weeks from the start) seems to be clogged ears. I had the first 2 vaccines & 1 booster.”
What’s going on? What about you? Did you catch COVID again?
Are We All Destined to Catch COVID Again and Again?
The “summer surge” or “summer wave” or whatever you want to call it, is happening. To be honest, I do not really understand it.
Colds and flu are far more common in the winter. That’s true in the northern hemisphere and in the southern hemisphere. Australia has its flu season between May and October. August is usually their peak. That’s their winter!
We tend to blame winter for promoting coughs, colds and flu since people congregate indoors because it’s cold outside. Our air ventilation and filtration systems are ineffective when it comes to protecting us from viruses.
During the summer we are supposed to be spending lots more time outdoors. If we are breathing “better” air, we are, in theory, less likely to be exposed to viruses that cause upper respiratory tract infections. So why are so many people coming down with COVID-19 this summer?
There Are Lots of Variables that Cause Infections:
You, dear reader, are far more sophisticated than most people. You know that humidity, or the lack thereof, plays a role in wintertime infections. So does lack of sunshine. Exposure to sunlight helps boost the immune system.
Speaking of the immune system, there are many factors that impact immunity. In addition to sunlight there are immune-suppressing medications.
Millions of people are now taking “MABS.” There are monoclonal antibodies that you routinely see advertised on television for a host of chronic conditions from rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis to Crohn’s disease and eczema. Virtually all the commercials warn that MABS can increase the risk of infection.
Are Some People Immune To COVID?
A study published in Nature (June 19 and corrected Aug. 1, 2024) reports on an intriguing experiment. Researchers exposed 16 healthy volunteers to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These were people who never had COVID. The active virus was administered through the nose. Some of the subjects immediately cleared the virus thanks to what is called an innate immune response. This was a never-seen-before localized reaction inside the nose. It apparently prevented the COVID virus from establishing itself in the body.
The people who didn’t get sick appeared to have a gene called HLA-DQA2 that was highly active. This gene may have enabled the immune system to gear up quickly and knock out SARS-CoV-2 before it could gain a foothold.
New Variants Mean Some People Will Catch COVID Again and Again!
Sadly, most people do not have genetic protection against this SARS virus.
One explanation for the summer surge of COVID are new variants: KP.3, KP.2 and LB.1. Japan has been experiencing a substantial surge since June. If the trend there continues, it is likely to surpass their last two big waves. Hospitals are feeling the pressure.
Some experts blame the increased transmissibility on the new variants. There is also the suggestion that the vaccines are less able to protect against what are called FLiRT variants. FLiRT describes the spike protein mutations at certain amino acid locations (F=phenylalanine to L=leucine at position 456 and R=arginine to T=threonine at position 346). Bottom line: these mutations appear to make the latest COVID variants more transmissible.
There is a good chance this will keep happening. Vaccines are not able to protect as well against the new variants. Even people who have been getting their shots may not be protected.
If People Catch Covid Again and Again, Are They More Vulnerable to Long COVID?
Many people tell us that COVID is just like a cold…nothing to worry about, even if you catch it three or four times. Just take lots of supplements and you’ll be fine.
In case you have not been following the stats, hundreds of people are still dying from COVID each month. But there is another consequence of reinfection: Long COVID!
A study published in Communications Medicine (July, 2024) offers new insights on reinfections and Long COVID. A first infection was more likely to trigger long COVID. The more severe the case, the greater the chances for long COVID. The more severe the initial infection the greater the chances for a severe reinfection. A severe reinfection is also capable of causing long COVID.
Final Words: Will You Catch COVID Again and Again?
Many visitors to this website still insist that COVID is nothing to worry about. Others maintain that if you just eat your vegetables, take supplements, exercise, get lots of sunshine and avoid stress, your immune system will prevent COVID and long COVID.
Not everyone will be so fortunate, however. As pointed out, a lot of people suffer from auto-immune conditions (about 50 million Americans) and many must take immune-suppressing drugs. That makes them more likely to catch COVID again. And because they may be more vulnerable to COVID, they are more susceptible to long COVID.
We keep advocating for better air quality. You can read our most recent rant on this topic at this link. Public health authorities do not seem to care about air filtration or ventilation. As far as we can tell, very few local agencies are calling for better air quality. No one is advocating for carbon dioxide (CO2) monitors so visitors to stores, hospitals or other public buildings can see how good the air is in any building they visit.
Since you cannot count on government, we encourage personal responsibility. You can monitor the air around you with a CO2 detector. In this article we tell you what good air quality should be (hint: 800 ppm is bad news). We also discuss the ever-contentious issue of masking.
Just a few comments from visitors:
Victoria says:
“I know of five people right now with covid – two hospitalized. Glad I stocked up on n95s.”
JAS offers a tongue-in-cheek solution so you won’t catch COVID again:
“SOLUTION TO STOP COVID: Scientists should attach some sort of mechanism to the next Covid variant so that when it spreads and infects people it causes wrinkles, instant aging, impotence, body odor, obesity and baldness! All of which we moronic mortals are more terrified of than death, worldwide chaos, destruction of a peaceful existence, supply chain disruptions and extinction!
“Time to DEMAND all high schools implement basic virology & zoonotic diseases classes! IGNORANCE breeds disease… not the disease itself…”
Thai says:
“My opinion over the pandemic is that the high-quality masks when worn consistently and crimped under the eyes with the flexible metal nose piece do protect a person. They have kept me from getting covid.
“I still wear them to any indoor occasion, store, concert, or family gathering indoors with multiple people and generations of my family. I’m 76 with a medium size face, so they fit firmly flat against my cheeks, under my chin, and under my eyes. They have given me the freedom to again attend my beloved grandchildren’s college music and vocal performances, high school events, and my favorite stores!”
What About You? Did You Catch COVID again?
Did you catch COVID again? Did someone you know catch COVID again? What about for the first time? How many times have you caught COVID? Have you experienced any lingering symptoms? Please share your experience in the comment section below. Please be courteous, even if you disagree.
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